May Queen

      Yesterday was the anniversary of the date when Garna Bell McBee was crowned May Queen. (Circa 1942)

     Today is the fourth anniversary of Garna's passing. She is missed.

Amended Birth Certificate: Garna McBee

Garna - 1943

     In 1944 Garna McBee obtained an amended copy of her birth certificate.  Garna was born February 5, 1928 in San Diego.  
     In the 1930 U. S. Census she is listed as Garner and we think that Garner was the name at the time of birth., So the reason that her birth certificate was amended might have been to have a birth certificate with her name in the manner that she wanted.  She was a couple weeks shy of sixteen at the time and lived at the YWCA in Long Beach.  Her step-mother had told her that she couldn't afford food for her and she needed to be on her own.  In the last years of World War II she worked at the Naval Shipyards in Long Beach, California and it is likely that she needed the birth certificate to get the job.  
     The spelling of her middle name is correct.  Rather than the usual spelling of the girl's name Belle, her name came from the maiden name of her grandmother, Clara Bell.  Bell has been passed down as a middle name to Garna's daughter and granddaughter.