PRESIDENT'S NURSE

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIII, Issue 56, 7 March 1942, Page 10

PRESIDENT'S NURSE

LETTER TO NJS. WOMAN

Ten days after the treacherous Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour, when, the United States came into the war, President Roosevelt still managed to maintain his personal contact with private persons both inside America and overseas. This is shown by a letter written by him on December 17 last which has just reached New Zealand.

It was written to Mrs. Margaret Clothier, of Kaiapoi, near Christchurch, whose aunt, Miss Helen MeRorie, was nurse to President Roosevelt from the age of one month till he was 10 years old.

Mrs. Clothier some time ago sent a photograph of Miss Mcßorie to the President's mother, Mrs. Roosevelt. When the President was going through his mother's papers after her death, he found Mrs. Clothier's letter. He had the photograph of Miss Mcßorie enlarged, and several copies made, sending one to Mrs. Clothier, with the words: "Helen Mcßorie, my old nurse, F.D.R.," written in his own handwriting on the back.

Mrs. Roosevelt thought very highly of Miss Mcßorie, and at the age of 79 travelled SOO miles to a hospital at Hamilton, in the province of Ontario, Canada, to see her.