Finding Mrs. Post - Chapter 4: Love, War, & Grief
- Milly Perez-Crespo
- Aug 6, 2025
- 5 min read
Meeting Jim Post and his wife, Laura, on June 28th was exhilarating. One meeting is definitely not enough to go through all the memories he holds. Following our sit-down, they recommended that Fabian and I have lunch at the Blackwater Siren, just a few miles from Waterside. Wait, we thought, we know that place! It’s right next to our time-share vacation spot, and we’ve been going there for years. So we went, and of course, couldn’t stop chatting about the Post family. When we asked for the check, the waitress told us it had been paid. By whom? We looked around, and there they were, Jim and Laura, smiling from across the restaurant.
That moment stayed with me. I find it remarkable how the universe places people in our path. Just when you're searching for answers, you find people holding the missing pieces. In searching for Mrs. Post, stepping into her life has become something deeper. It helps me put my own life in perspective.
What would Mrs. Post do?
That question often echoes in my thoughts, especially when I’m facing decisions in the Woman’s Club. She did, after all, start it all. To truly understand her is to marvel at how one woman, in her time, with the tools and challenges of her era, accomplished so much. Where did she find the energy? The drive? The time?
I look back on women like her, women who fought for our rights, who advocated, organized, and built communities, and I realize: we are capable of far more than we give ourselves credit for. I believe Mrs. Post moved from a place of deep love. Love for her family. Love for her community. And love for the greater good. Her legacy was rooted in service, and it ran deep in her family. Her father had served in the military. Her husband, Harry Post, was a veteran of World War I. And their only son, Howard “Budd” Post, a proud Eagle Scout, would follow that legacy of duty.
Budd grew up in Miami Springs, as did his best friend, Arthur “PV” Peavy. Recognize that name? Peavy Dove Park, located on 700 Dove Avenue, was named after him. He lived at 532 Minola Drive and went on to serve in World War II, earning the Bronze Star. After the war, he returned home to serve his community, first as the Recreation Director of Miami Springs in 1948, and then as Dade County’s Recreation Director a decade later. Art Peavy Jr. passed away in 2001 at the age of 77, leaving behind an incredible legacy of dedication and service.
Budd and PV were inseparable. Jim shared a story: "Where the Junior High and Glenn Curtiss Elementary are now (now Academy for Innovative Education, AIE) that used to be a cattle farm. When my dad got to high school, he and his buddy Peavy would cut through the cattle farm all the way to Jackson High."
When war called, they went off to training camp together. On June 6, 1944, D-Day, the world shifted. In a journal entry, Budd wrote: “Letter from PV. He’s overseas. Sure wish I was with him.”
Budd was fortunate. He never saw combat, and I can only imagine how much Mrs. Post thought and prayed for her only son. He was discharged from the United States Army on July 24, 1944. But his journey was far from over. On August 1, 1945, Budd entered the United States Naval Academy and resigned a few years later to begin his civilian life, working for civil engineer M.B. Garris.
On May 31, 1948, Budd graduated from the University of Miami with a Bachelor of Science in Engineering Science. According to Jim, his father didn’t share many stories about his time at UM. What is known is that Budd was part of UM's School of Engineering first graduation class, a legacy in itself.
In January 1949, Budd joined the U.S. Army Reserve's 841st Engineer Battalion, as a Lieutenant.
By May 1951, he was called to active duty in the Korean War. During his time in Korea, he stopped writing in his journal. And while Budd was serving far from home, tragedy struck again. In 1951, Budd’s father, Harry Post, ended his life.
Ten years earlier, Harry had narrowly survived the crash of Eastern Air Lines Flight 14. He was on his way to a meeting on a flight from Miami to New York when violent turbulence caused the crew to lose control, and the aircraft crash-landed in a swampy area about 11 miles west-southwest of Vero Beach.
Miraculously, all 16 passengers and crew survived, though 13 were seriously injured, including Harry, who was found 10 hours later inside the half-submerged cabin. “He crushed both of his legs.” The crash made headlines across the country, from Time magazine to the Miami Daily News. It became a national story of survival, heroism, and community.
On April 3, 1941, Budd wrote in his diary, "Good Morning - MAN!! What a day!! Dad left this am on 7:30 plane with Mrs. Allen. I took his car to school and school went Ok. After 2:30 I went downtown - got a shine at Milby's and started up the street. At Miami Ave. and Flagler a boy was hollering "16 Missing in E.A.L. Plane." Dawn!!! I bought the paper & it was my Dad's plane. I tore out to home (85-90 at times) and spent couple hours in terrible suspense. Finally Mrs. Huffstutter called & said plane was found and everybody was safe. Man it was terrific. Mom passed out - neighbors etc. streamed in & out - Mr. Lassiter called & boy oh boy! It's one mess. We're waiting for Dad to call now."
Gene, kept every newspaper clipping about the crash, and her grandson Jim has carefully preserved all her scrapbooks. “He was in the hospital for a long time,” Jim shared. “At home, he was in a wheelchair bed. He finally got to where he could walk again, but he was in extreme amounts of pain.”
For Harry, survival had come at a heavy price. The decade that followed the crash was filled with constant pain, both physical and emotional. In 1951, in quiet despair, Harry drove to Tampa. Alone. Far from his beloved wife. Far from his only son, away at war. There, in solitude and silence, he took his own life.
Jim never met his grandfather. When I asked how Gene coped, he quietly said, “They never talked about it. Swallow hard and keep going.”
On January 1, 1952, Budd wrote in his diary, “1951 was rather a disastrous year. Dad’s death was a tragedy. He was a fine and gentle man, and I loved him. I grieve to think of the misery he must have suffered prior to his death - and especially the last hours he spent so alone. May I emulate his virtues and avoid the pitfall into which he fell.”
On August 25, 1984, Major Howard Malvern Post “Budd” retired from the United States Army.
In tracing Mrs. Post’s life, through love, through war, through grief, I’ve come to realize that her story is not just one of leadership, but of enduring courage. The women who came before us stood tall, even in the shadows of loss. They carried the banner of community, dignity, and strength. And somehow, even amid heartache, they kept going.
So we ask: What would Mrs. Post do?
She would lead with love.
Always.
And so must we.
Stay tuned for Chapter 5: Chosen and Cherished.
Every family has its stories, the ones we tell with laughter around the table, and the ones kept tucked away in quiet corners of the heart.
A very moving and beautiful story of love, perseverance, hope in a wonderful community.