Layne's Hospitality Home for Servicemen
San Diego, California, 1941-1975
Revised 19-AUG-13

The early 1950s

Layne's Hospitality Home for Servicemen
1268 - 22nd Street, San Diego, California
These two photos are from the collection of the late Delbert Glen Hall,
courtesy of Mariana Hall Langwell and Jeffrey Hall

1939 Chrysler Imperial limo parked in front of a church
in the Los Angeles area

.. ..

The Home servicemen would park the limo downtown near
the Servicemen's YMCA and invite other men to the Home,
handing them a card. Soon many of the new men would begin to
consider the Hospitality Home their own "home away from home."

1939 Chrysler Imperial 9-passenger limousine. The man on the front step may be Bill Sanderson, The other sailor may be Bob Stover, and J. E. "Arkie" Radford is ready to be the chauffer. 1951

Left: Upstairs in the dormitory, Don Baker reads from the Bible. One of the best things about "the home away from home" was the opportunity to sleep somewhere away from the ship or the military base.

This picture came from Odell Skiles. It was taken about 1953.

Left: Downstairs, in the prayer room. Ollen B. Hardin prays with a couple of sailors, probably on a Sunday afternoon. During the life of the Hospitality Home, hundreds of men accepted Jesus Christ as their personal Savior. Dad Rattan taught many men and women about soul-winning.

This picture came from Ollen & Flora Hardin; taken about 1951.

In the Rumpus Room, about 1951

The west side of the Hospitality Home
July 1963

About 1949-1951: Rev. Irvin L. "Dad" Rattan and Bertha L. "Mom" Rattan

Special Note: I've made a letter-size poster about the Home to draw the attention of veterans at garage sales, hobby shows, and other places where you might meet someone who once was at the Servicemen's Center. Please feel free to download it, print it, and post it. Download poster.

Thanks! Marge Marshall

Mother Layne's Hospitality Home for Servicemen San Diego

Howard Marshall
and Don Baker
1952

The USS Piedmont, AD-17
Howard Marshall was stationed aboard it in 1950-1954.
He was the chaplain's assistant.

Delbert Glen
"Del" Hall

Dad Rattan stands at left; Mom Rattan is wearing the light-colored dress;
the WAVE is Nellie (Shriver) Porter. The kneeling Marine is
Roger Anderson; seated at Roger's left is Arnold Barnett.
The 1940s

1943 -- Dalton & Nellie Porter, newly-weds.

"The limousine was a 1932 model 904 DeLuxe Eight. (nine-oh-four). The series was built on a 147 inch wheelbase chassis and had an in-line eight cylinder engine of 384 cubic inch displacement. They were big cars that drove beautifully despite their size and were well received by the public. Several of the type still exist in California in the hands of collectors."
-- James Pearsall, 10/30/2003, www.packardclub.org

Thanks to the late Dalton Porter for these two photos.
His late wife, Nellie, had a great commitment to the Home.

1943 -- the 1932 Packard limousine.
Front, George Monta, Navy; Dalton Porter, Marine;
unidentified sailor; rear, Arthur Patrick, Army; with Irvin Rattan.

The Hospitality Home pages are dedicated to the memory of "Dad" and "Mom" Rattan (Irvin L. and Bertha M. Rattan), two very special people who cared for the children of others as though they were their own.

Read more about the Home at www.spaciousskies.me/HospHome/hosphome.html

Pictures of the Rattans

1934. Charles & Pearl Flagg (Susie's sister), Irvin & Bertha, Andy Shoemaker,
Susie (Bertha's mother) and in front, little Mary Ann Shoemaker.
Photographer, Gladys Shoemaker, Bertha's cousin.

1944. Taken after one of the weddings at the Home

About 1950. Irvin, Bertha and Andy Shoemaker

1953. In the Home's living room

1968
Photo courtesy of Mary Ann Gregg

Mom Rattan
gardening behind the Home

In Memoriam

The Rattans are buried in El Camino Memorial Park
5600 Carroll Canyon Rd., San Diego CA 92121
They are in Loma Siesta #2 lawn, Lot X50.
Mom Rattan is in Space D and Dad is next to her.

Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of His saints.
Psalm 116:15

Back to The Home News online

mmarshall@spaciousskies.me

Mother Layne's Hospitality Home for Servicemen, San Diego

Credits: Flags, www.bellsnwhistles.com; Microsoft WordArt designs, Marge Marshall.