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The 1st Generation: Madeline and Jesse
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Dedication
This business was inspired and funded, in part, by treasures left to me by my late grandmother, Madeline Willis. Madeline experienced the hardships of the Great Depression, like so many Americans of her generation. Her first husband died unexpectedly in his 20’s, leaving her with two young sons to support. After a number of years working as a secretary, she married Jesse Willis, a high school math teacher, and together, they had my father, Marshal “Tex.” Jesse adopted Madeline’s other two sons, and the family made their home in a small house in Houston, Texas.
Out of those years of hardship, Madeline developed a special love for all things beautiful and finely crafted. Jesse was gifted with numbers, and he had some success with his investments. As a result, Madeline was able to slowly accumulate her treasures of beautiful silver, china, Sabino glass, and other fine collectibles. Those treasures were passed on to their children, and are now making their way into the third and fourth generations of ownership.
A dilemma was born as these treasures made their way through the generations. How much should we keep, and how much should we share with others? My parents received so many items from my grandmother that they had to have a large, customized breakfront built to hold them all. Each time they moved, they had to make sure their new home had a dining room that could hold that display case. Soon, they will be downsizing into a retirement community, and there will no longer be room for the breakfront, or their many other display cases. Since their two daughters, myself included, also do not have the space for all of these items, we decided to share some of them with others, and the idea of Trading 4 Treasures was born.
Madeline and Jesse were serious about their Christian faith, and they always went out of their way to help others. Therefore, we decided that if we were going to sell some of Madeline’s treasures, she would be pleased to see the proceeds go to the people in greatest need. Along the way, we realized that many others are in a situation similar to ours, with inheritances or collections of treasures that are simply too numerous to keep. Trading 4 Treasures was incorporated as a non-profit corporation to give people a vehicle to donate their treasures on a tax-deductible basis, knowing that the profits will be helping others in need. For items of more considerable value, the company also offers a consignment program, with the company’s share going to charitable organizations.
Our hope is that the treasures we sell will give as much joy to those who buy them as the treasures gave the family members who acquired them!
May God bless you for your support!
Connie Stevinson, President and Founder
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