Hello Alfred - my name is Kevin Boyd and I knew Greta and the rest of your family extremely well. My mother - Frances Boyd - and Greta were extremely close friends for several decades and I spent many, many days as a guest at 40 Cleveland St. I believe I could provide you with some anecdotal information and I have some photo's from the late 40's into the 50's and 60's. Greta was an enormously fun person to be around and there was always a cat & mouse game going on between her and George since Greta liked to have a cocktail (or two or three) with lunch. George was a pretty surly guy as I recall him and was extremely jealous of Greta - although I had many a steak & lobster on his tab. Jackie Staal influenced my life greatly - albeit indirectly - as he introduced me to membership in the Museum of Science which I joined as a member, found fascinating and later became a Chemical Engineer as a result of what I learned there. I'm sure you knew Jackie's natural father was Bernie Carlson - a cousin of the 50's actor: Richard Carlson: "I Led Three Lives." Jackie was an accomplished accordian player & I remember a record he made being played frequently. I know much about Greta's life after she and George split - she lived with us for extended periods on 2 occasions while she sought a suitable position. So large a presence was Greta in my early life that when my mother was dying in 1992 - something compelled me to drive over to 40 Cleveland St and just sit there and remember the good times we had there. Greta was one of a kind - The Swinging Swede as she was called. I remember her fondly & with great love. I last saw Jackie (AKA: "Two Story Staal" - because of his height) in a hallway at Northeastern University where he was a senior and I was a freshman. I believe I may have a photo of Greta's dog "Rudolph" and even of George's boat - GAIL. He was a gifted craftsman and few people could keep up with him. I'd love to know about Greta & Jackie Staal. I'd like to pay my respects if she's buried in the U.S. She'd always talked about going back to Sweden when she retired. Please EMAIL me if you have interest.
KJB357@GMAIL.COM