Mary Jane Roach Masters Memoir - University of Illinois Springfield

Q. Another Tom and Viv.
A. Yes, in a sense and very much so. Very hard on the boys, and Adlai brought his sister here.
Ellen wouldn't come down here and do any of the duties as a hostess so he brought his sister who
was a very colorful character. Lots of fun but difficult.
Q. Who was his sister?
A. Mrs. Ernest Ives. Elizabeth 'Buffie' Ives. She died a couple of years ago. Anyway, she was
quite a character and he never really gave her authority. He wanted her to do a lot of things but
she didn't have the authority. She had a difficult time trying to help him in the mansion. She
loved it and it was home to her because her father had been down here and she had been his
hostess when she was a teenager and she had a husband in the diplomatic service so she thought
she knew how to do those things, but her position. . .and she was a volatile person. I became
very fond of her but she was sure difficult during his administration.
Q. She mellowed.
A. Yes, she mellowed. (Chuckle) But still the same old Buffie. She was fun, more fun that Adlai.
She was a failed actress and was very entertaining.
Q. Another failed actress. No not failed. Another "want to be" actress?
A. Yes, another wannabe.
Q. Were you involved in your husband's work?
A. Not really. We had separate worlds and he was very supportive of mine. Very.
Q. So you each supported each other?
A. A real partnership.
Q. What do you think of the pressure on women today?
A. I think it's tremendous. They do want to have it all and it just can't be done.
Q. Have we brought it on ourselves?
A. We needed to. We were exploited, we really were. This is a very natural revulsion. I'm not
sure we're getting far. I worry about what's going on in Peiping; after all, will they blow it? The
Chinese are making it very difficult with what must be accomplished? But my heart is with many
of them.