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Show Feature SOUTHERN UTAH NEWS WEDNESDAY MAY 3, 1895 12 Just who is Daddy? By Barbara Pyles Writers Note: I didnt know Alice Vitacco, but I have talked to others who did. I found out she was a bonafide artist who had a contagious zest for life. I am told her paintings hang in Canada, Mexico, England and most all of the 50 states. And I wondered, was it her taste for adventure thatbrought her to live in rural Kanab, Utah. But whatever her reason for migratingto Utah, I found her life story fas- By Barbara Pyles On September 3, 1939, given no other choice, Great Britain declared war on Germany. On May 8, 1945, her cities in ruins, Germany surrendered. This is the story of one family in England who lived through those years. Eric William Higton is dead. His wife Amy lives in Kanab with her daughter Jill Puffer. Higtons story comes from a tape loaned to me by his cinating. family. Eric and Amy met at the Goose Fair in Nottingham, England. After they were married on December 30, 1933, the couple lived with his mother. Erics father Amy Higton and her daughter Jill Puffer remember the days of the war from died in World I when he was their home in Nottingham, England. Photo by Barbara Pyles. two. , In 1935 the couple moved into their own house on a peaceful little street in Nottingham. Their first child, Jill, arrived in the world on January 8, 1937. Life was good, yet filled with an uneasy quiet. On September 3, 1939, King George, with his queen at his side, spoke to the world. Tor the second time in the lives of most of us we are at war... Daddy went to war. Families separated. Would they ever see each other again? It was like history repeating itself, says Amy. We hadnt long gotten over the first World War really. It was hard. I knew that my husband would have to go into the regular army. At first Higton served in an near unit Anti-aircra- ft Nottingham. Then he went to Alexandria, Egypt and was part of an anti-aircra- ft barrage around the port. From there his outfit camped at a location near Cairo, and then pushed down into Tobruk. On June 21, 1942, after a hour battle, Tobruk twenty-si- x fell to the Germans and Italians. It was a black day for General Auchinleck. He lost more than 23,000 men as prisoners of war, Backscratchers Fiberglass Nails stronger, thinner more durable than most 14 Years Experience mr'.i Higton was one of them. The couldnt sleep. Daddy was coming Germans turned the prisoners home, but just who was Daddy? over to the Italians, and the ItalAmy and Jill recall events that occurred when the nightmare of ians shipped them to Italy. Higton was reported missing war gripped the British Empire: and his family had no idea of his Amy says that almost nightly whereabouts. Later, they re- enemy bombers streamed across ceived a telegraph reportinghim the skies of Nottingham. with flattops served a prisoner of war. When Italy surrenders, the as air raid shelters. From the air Italians opened the gates of the they looked like pavement. When prison camp and the men es- the sirens sounded three times, caped into the hills. Halt The we would go to the shelters. Amy British solders had no guns. admitted that sometimes she sat What could they to do? A Ger- under her kitchen table with Jill man patrol marched the prison- on her lap. ers back to camp. Day after day, German bombs Con-certbuildin- gs Cattle trucks transferred the hurled through the air in the prisoners to working camps in heart of the British Empire. And Germany. Higtons days were cities such as London, Coventry, tedious. There were many times when his thoughts turned to his family. He was afraid he would never see them again. In January 1945, the Russians broke through on the Eastern front. The prisoners wondered if this would be the year of libera- Liverpool, Manchester and Birmingham soon felt the full impact that war in the sky brings. We sang songs in the air raid Alice Vitacco was born in Mineola, Longlsland, NewYork in 1909. She died at her home east of Kanab, Utah on April 22. The first time she saw Utah was when she passed through on the way to visit her mother in California. When she returned to her home in New York, she sold her materialistic possessions and settled in Utah. Maybe she was impressed with Utahs beauty, or maybe she was just tire of congested freeways, smog and acres and acres of parking lots. Vitacco was only 15 when she was admitted to the New York School of Applied Design for Women. Once she applied herself, she won several scholarships. She was a prize winning graduate student in school and public exhibitions. When she was 17, she married a man who owned an advertising agency in New York City. The marriage didnt last, but it was educational while it did. She worked at the agency of the National Association of WomenPaintersandSculptors, and had a one woman show. Thinking she could benefit artistically, she went to Mexico. Actually, she went twice. The second time she married a tour-guid- e writer, and for three years absorbedthe countrys cultural. Vitacco did research ofregional Indian costumes worn by the different tribes, and she also worked as an illustrator and layout artist for the author of Popular Arts Books of Mexico, FrancesToor. In the legitimate theater in the Palace of Fine Artsin Mexico City, she worked with costumes, set designs, lighting, 'makeup, and even acted. ' 1 Vitacco returned to New York for 20 more years doing ; freelance art work She had divorced her first husband and married Nick Vitacco. In 1961, on a return trip from California, the Vitaccos stopped in Orderville, Utah, and spent the night. The next day they looked at property for sale. The couple bought a house, garage, gas station and gift ; shop. Nick couldnt adapt to the desert. He returned to New York City, and left Alice penniless and without a car. Alice adapted. She converted her business into a gift shop: The Big Indian Trading Post on Highway 89. She learned to ride, and she could cowboy with the best. She loved the desert, ; andher lifestyle suitedher.Sur-roundedb- y surprises everyday, she sketched and painted what she saw...then other people saw and was featured in Harpers shelters, says Jill. The planes Bazaar. She also took night it too. came over us first on there way classes at the Art Students Vitacco moved to the Kanab to a target. We didnt know if League in New York. ; area in 1980. Her friends called to bomb us too. She began her freelance ca- her a tough old gal who wore they were going tion. Instead, the Germans When the planes receded, they reer designing wallpaper, ce- lots ofturquoise and silverjewmoved the men out of camp and were out of danger so far. ramics, greeting cards, elry. They say she loved aniGerbombed about was marched them through (Nottingham bookjackets, magazine covers, mals, especially cats. And they dozen food a times and war. the was was It technical illustrations for phar- are saddened with the passing cold, during many. ochard to find. They had to rely on The most serious air raid maceutical advertising, and in- of this gifted lady who painted the German farmers for rations, curred in May, 1941 when 159 terior decorations. In the early animals and the Southwest so ' and at times there was nothing were killed). But the threat of 30s, Vitacco worked as a de- vividly, ; to eat at all. Many men died on being bombed was always there. sign consultant with General Vitacco once said she would I remember coming home Electric. the side of the road. never trade a blade of grass v When the exhausted men from school and hearing planes. This talented lady was listed from Utah for anywhere else in reached Regensburg, they were I looked up to see if there was a in Whos Who in Art from 1936 the world. in bad shape. The Germans swastika. It was really scary, to 1939. She was also a member Youll be missedAlice Vitacco. loaded the British soldiers onto says Jill. One day, her heart in her Germans and Hitler were two was exciting for Jill. She rememtrains and shipped them to a throat, Amy stood at the door words she feared. We went to bered the lights always being off. camp at Duisburg. Genwith Jill by her side. As a man school with gas masks on our shoul- Amy hugged her daughter and As the prisoners waited, eral Pattons Third Army spear- handed Amy a telegraph, he ders, says Jill. We had gas mask said, Daddy is coming home. headed towards them. Their avoided her eyes. Dont let this be drills. The mask would pinch your Several days later, the neighshe Germans guards were in the happening, bors gave the Higton family their begged silently. ears and pull your hair. Her husband was missing, but mood to retreat. the women of rations. They were going to have Although On a warm spring morning the God reached out to her that day. Nottingham dreamed of a life a party. Amy hugged her daughy came to Eight months later, she received after the war, they met the chal- ter and said, Daddy is home. news of Nottingham. Laughter and sing- another telegraph saying her lenge of each day. They shared One by one, the people came up ing spilled into the roads. Flags, husband was a prisoner of war. ration coupons, stored their cars to Daddy and shook his hand. Someone asked me how was (petro was impossible to get), But just who was Daddy? banners, and streamers made the , VE-Da- streets looked cheerful and fes- it with my dad gone. Everybodys and gave each other support. Higton hugged his wife and One spring day people danced gathered up his daughter. The tive even dogs wore bright rib- dad was gone, says Jill. To me in the streets. That night the child made noises of sheer debons. That night there were toasts, it was normal. bonfires and fireworks. Jill By the time Jill started school, street lights were on again. It light. They were a family again. |
