An offer to adopt

 

St. Joseph News-Press. 7 Jul 1940.

Following their last around the world trip, William and Mary Irvine appeared in the St. Joseph newspapers in a July 1940 article noting they had taken steps to adopt a child displaced by World War II in Europe. As far as I can tell, they didn't complete the adoption process, and they never had children of their own. At the time, Mary was 43, William was almost 60. While they may have seriously considered bringing a child into their home, perhaps they realized parenting was not for them.

Within a week of this article, Mary drove by herself for a two-week visit to family back in Tennessee.

In December 1940, the Irvines purchased a home at 1202 North 25th Street in St. Joseph. According to the newspaper article, they planned to spend a month doing extensive interior renovations before moving into the home in early January 1941.