1944 Marriage Plans and Dallas Relocation
By January 1944, Mrs. Oswald and Ekdahl had decided to marry, prompting her to withdraw Lee from the Children’s Home and move to Dallas. The marriage was postponed until the end of the school year so the older boys could finish at the home, while she cared for Ekdahl during his recovery from a serious illness, probably a heart attack. Upon arriving in Dallas, Mrs. Oswald decided not to marry Ekdahl and used proceeds from the Alvar Street house to purchase a home at 4801 Victor Street, renting out part of it. John and Robert joined her in June, enrolling the following September at Davy Crockett Elementary School.
Ekdahl’s Relationship With the Boys and Older Sons’ Boarding School Placement
After some hesitation, Mrs. Oswald resolved to marry Ekdahl in May 1945, influenced by his income and possibly his sister’s earlier visit, which favored the marriage due to his ill health. An attempt to return the older boys to the home failed. Ekdahl got along well with the boys, lavishing them with attention, and John recalled that Lee seemed to find in Ekdahl the father he never had, becoming elated when his mother and Ekdahl reconciled after a separation. Because Ekdahl’s business required frequent travel, John and Robert were placed in September at Chamberlain-Hunt Military Academy in Port Gibson, Mississippi, with Mrs. Oswald paying tuition from the Alvar Street proceeds; Lee accompanied his parents on their travels. Mrs. Evans testified that Marguerite was “too close” to Lee and spoiled him, which damaged her marriage to Ekdahl.
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