We've been transatlantic pen pals for 70 years and are now more like sisters

We’ve been transatlantic pen pals for 70 years and are now more like sisters

Two women who first became transatlantic pen pals while they were in the Brownies say they now feel “more like family” after exchanging letters regularly for 70 years.

Kathleen Bonthron, now Wilson, from Drumchapel in Glasgow was 10 when her group leader handed her the Wisconsin address of 11-year-old Shirley Hedtke, now Yaeger, in 1956.

The pair, now 80 and 81, started writing to one another and quickly developed a close bond, with letters travelling back and forth between Scotland and the United States on a regular basis.

They stayed in touch through childhood, their teenage years, and later as they married, had families and settled into adult life — and they are still in contact now that they are pensioners.

Back in the 1950s, their only means of communication was by Air Mail letters, but that later moved on to emails and, now, WhatsApp is their preferred way of keeping in touch.

Their connection is so strong that 55 years ago Kathleen named her daughter after Shirley. In their families, they are now known as Shirley America and Shirley Scotland.

“When Shirley was born, as I had a friend in America I just thought we’ll have Shirley,” Kathleen said. “And her dad was quite happy with that.

“Shirley was chuffed to bits.”

Her daughter Shirley added: “Shirley has actually gifted me her childhood mug with her name on it.”

Speaking from her home in Wisconsin, Shirley, known as America, said: “My mother named me after Shirley Temple and I was so honoured that Shirley was named after me. It was just wonderful, especially once I met her.”

Shirley, who used to be a nurse, remembered being given Kathleen’s address in 1956.

“My Brownie leader came in with a cigar box full of names and asked if anyone would like a pen pal from Scotland,” she said. “I grabbed a name and it was Kathleen Bonthron.

“We just wrote a few times a year at first but then we started writing more and it just got to be fun.

“I got to learn about her culture and she learned about ours. And I learned new words. I loved her from the minute I started writing to her.

“We told each other about our families, Brownies and school and then later, of course, we got into the dating which was exciting.”

Kathleen, who now lives in Lenzie, said: “You didn’t know what America was at that age. I think we just used to write about school and going out with our mums and dads.

“It was just all chit chat, as it is now. It’s just bigger chit chat now.”

Kathleen and Shirley have met three times — twice in Scotland in 2007 and 2019, and once in the US a few weeks ago.

“The first time we met, Shirley was just what she is,” Kathleen said. “She’s as friendly as me and can talk. We both can talk.

“It just felt natural. We just slotted right in with each other.

“I’m quite happy now that I’ve seen her in her house. I feel a bit closer to her, she’s more like family now.

“But we don’t stop talking. We do not stop talking. We never get to the end of the stories because we’re talking so much.

“We will never not be in touch.”

Kathleen, who previously worked as a punch card operator at IBM and later as a doctor’s receptionist, added: “She’s just a good friend now, more like family. I mean, it’s been 70 years. We speak on the phone every now and then but mostly message on WhatsApp.”

Shirley said: “When we were in Scotland we only got to see Kathleen for a few hours because we had a schedule but when they came to the US we lived together and really got to know each other.

“It was just wonderful. She’s like a sister to me. We have discussed everything, our pregnancies, our kids when they were little — she was always there for me.”

Both women have a son and a daughter.

Along with Shirley, Kathleen had her son Andrew with her late husband Eric and now has two grandchildren.

Shirley has been married to Daniel for 61 years and has a daughter Christine and son Jon.

Now the women’s children have promised to stay in touch with each other.

“The plan is for Christine and I, Shirley’s daughter, to keep in touch,” Shirley, from Scotland, said. “So we can be the next pen pals.”

Shirley, from America, said: “I’m so glad. My daughter has heard about Kathleen’s family her whole life and when they met they hit it off right away.”

Talking about her friendship with Kathleen, she added: “Kathleen is always such a happy person. She was such a great pen pal to have.

“None of my friends kept up with their pen pals. We were the only ones.”