Man leaves thousands to a stranger, $1 to his wife

When Fred Eggerman died on March 24, 1960, his will left his estate worth approximately $12,000 (about $120,000 in today's money) to the first male child born in Paterson General Hospital on July 2, 1946. He had no idea who that child had been. To his wife he left one dollar.

The lucky beneficiary turned out to be high-school student Robert De Boer.

Eggerman's wife filed suit to overturn the will, together with Eggerman's father and brother. They eventually reached a settlement, but it only got them a mere $850. De Boer kept the rest.

Newsday - Apr 22, 1961

New York Daily News - Apr 20, 1961

Based on those details it definitely sounds like Eggerman must a) have been a bit eccentric, and b) have hated his wife. That's how many news articles presented the case. But the article below went into some background details which help to explain what Eggerman did.

For a start, he and his wife had been separated for years and had already worked out a property settlement. So there was no particular reason to leave her more.

As for leaving everything to an unknown child:

Passaic Herald-News - Feb 8, 1962

Posted By: Alex - Fri Jul 12, 2024 - Comments (0)
Category: Death, Inheritance and Wills, Lawsuits, 1960s

On Course, On The Glide Path…

Learn about flight navigation by listening to a record. Released in 1960 by Aero-Progress, Inc.

You can listen to it online at the Internet Archive.

Posted By: Alex - Mon Jul 08, 2024 - Comments (0)
Category: Vinyl Albums and Other Media Recordings, Air Travel and Airlines, 1960s

Dali’s Ovocipede

Posted By: Paul - Sat Jul 06, 2024 - Comments (1)
Category: Bicycles and Other Human-powered Vehicles, Surrealism, 1960s

Annie Get Your Yo Yo

The singer's Wikipedia page.

Posted By: Paul - Wed Jul 03, 2024 - Comments (1)
Category: Innuendo, Double Entendres, Symbolism, Nudge-Nudge-Wink-Wink and Subliminal Messages, Music, Toys, 1960s

An Armful of Teddy Bears

His Wikipedia page.

Posted By: Paul - Fri Jun 28, 2024 - Comments (0)
Category: Fey, Twee, Whimsical, Naive and Sadsack, Ineptness, Crudity, Talentlessness, Kitsch, and Bad Art, Music, 1960s, Circuses, Carnivals, and Other Traveling Shows

Paint your own modern abstracts

True magazine - Jan 1969

Posted By: Alex - Thu Jun 27, 2024 - Comments (0)
Category: Art, Advertising, 1960s

Miss Durum Macaroni

To win the title of 'Miss Durum Macaroni' it wasn't enough to be attractive. Contestants were also judged on a macaroni recipe that they were required to submit.

You can find the recipe of the winner, Julie Kay Dunkirk, below. She won with Mexican Macaroni Casserole.

Also, if you're a fan of browsing through old trade journals, the entire run of The Macaroni Journal (1919-1984) can be found online at the website of the National Pasta Association.

Billings Gazette - Oct 30, 1963

Mandan Morning Pioneer - Oct 11, 1964

Macaroni Journal - Dec 1963

Update: I found a better quality image of Miss Durum Macaroni on the website of the Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority.

Posted By: Alex - Sun Jun 23, 2024 - Comments (2)
Category: Awards, Prizes, Competitions and Contests, Food, 1960s

How to Live With Yourself … or … What to Do Until the Psychiatrist Comes

Standup from a psychiatrist. His Wikipedia page.

Posted By: Paul - Sun Jun 23, 2024 - Comments (1)
Category: Humor, Vinyl Albums and Other Media Recordings, Psychology, 1960s

Dog Star Man

Let us know when you bail.

The creator's Wikipedia page.

Posted By: Paul - Thu Jun 20, 2024 - Comments (3)
Category: Movies, Chaos, Entropy, Messiness and General Disorder, Avant Garde, Surrealism, 1960s

Free Blond

The "Free Blond" advertising gimmick.

Los Angeles Times - Aug 28, 1966

Spokane Chronicle - June 8, 1964

Rapid City Journal - May 12, 1964

Posted By: Alex - Sun Jun 16, 2024 - Comments (0)
Category: Advertising, 1960s, Hair and Hairstyling