Happy Easter

Hope that everyone enjoys this wonderful Easter day.

Busy Three Weeks

On one of our first dates, Carole and I discovered that our birthdays are exactly three weeks apart, and we joked about getting married in the middle and celebrating for three weeks. Turns out, that's what we did. We are currently in our three week celebration and discovering that what sounded good in our 20s tends to be very tiring at our current ages.

Our 44th anniversary was this past Friday, and Carole's birthday is a week from Monday. Often, to add to the stress, Easter, as it did this year, falls during this period.

The Wandering Goat

A picture of the famous wandering goat of Plantersville with, I think, Kelly Monts. I understand that this goat's lady friend is also wandering around town.

The lady whose home was invaded by the goat and whose picture was on the Weather Channel was Susan Williams, don't know her married name.

Eddie Shumpert

Sympathy to the family of Mr. Eddie Shumpert. I didn't know Eddie, but I remember his father very well. The Shumpert family was related to Doris.

Got Her Goat

Carole and I turn on the Weather Channel in the morning so Carole will know how to dress for work; imagine our surprise this morning before seven when we saw a story with video about a goat breaking into a lady's house in Plantersville, Mississippi.

I didn't see anything online in the Journal about this incident; can someone expound on this intriguing story.

The Big 70

It has been an eventful week; I turned, if that's the right verb, 70 on Monday spending part of the day attending the funeral of a dear friend; we celebrated with the kids Monday night and later Carole became ill; I thought it was either from too much rich food or from the idea of being married to a seventy year old; however, this morning I've come down with the same thing so suppose it was a virus. You turn seventy and you fall apart.

Rock Pentecostal Apostolic Church

This morning's Journal reported that the Rock Pentecostal Apostolic Church located on Highway 6 in Plantersville was destroyed by fire.

I'm not certain where this church is located.

Outstanding 4-H Volunteer

Congratulations to Karen Balint, leader of the Plantersville Pals 4-H club, who was recently named the outstanding volunteer for the Northeast District during the State Volunteer Leader Conference held on the campus of Mississippi State.

Bad Week

Last week was a sad one for Carole and me. I posted about Barry Hannah who died of a heart attack last Monday. On Tuesday, I received an e-mail with the obituary of Bill Sugg who lived in Atlanta but who grew up in Tupelo. Bill and I graduated together in 1958 and attended Ole Miss at the same time. His father and step mother were in my mother's Sunday School class at Calvary Baptist. And then on Wednesday, we learned that the man who has been helping us around the house for thirty five years and who became a good friend suffered a massive heart attack. The doctors give him no chance of surviving.

All three of these men were in their sixties.

Fever

“To the living the times always seem bad. In most eras voices cry out against visible decadence; of every generation . . . the world is going to the dogs. Much of this can be attributed to biological and cultural realities, in every era some things are, in fact, dying out.”

The above is one of my favorite quotes which helps me understand why as we become older we tend to become nostalgic and reminisce and do things such as create a blog that looks backward to what we imagine was a better time. However, the author of the passage above points how that while we do lose some things, we also gain others.

It is human nature to remember the good and forget the bad. A recent discussion with a friend reminded me of what was not so wonderful growing up in the 40s and 50s.

Some of you will recall when comic books featured information explaining to us how to avoid Polio, and there were three or four boys in Plantersville, I don’t recall any girls, who were bedridden for months with a fever, was in scarlet or rheumatic?

While our grandchildren can’t roam around freely as we did, at least Polio, scarlet and rheumatic fever aren’t the threats they once were.

I think I know three of the boys who had the fever, but since I don't trust my memory, I'd rather someone confirm the names.

Barry Hannah

Mississippi writer, former Clinton resident, and Ole Miss Professor, Barry Hannah, died of a heart attack in Oxford Monday afternoon.

When we moved to Clinton in 1975, we lived close to Barry's parents and through them and a neighbor who was a close friend, Carole and I became friends with Barry. As long as his parents were alive, we saw Barry frequently, but since their death, we visited only when he was in town for a presentation as he was two years ago when this picture was taken with another close friend of ours, Dorothy Jo Sample Shawhan, who grew up in Verona and now resides in Cleveland, Mississippi.

Rest in peace Barry.

And The Winner Is

The winners from last night's womanless beauty contest at Estes in Plantersville. Gloria reports the event was a great success, lots of money raised, cell phones donated and everyone had a great time.

Someone identify these beauties, if you dare.

Reminder About Womanless Beauty Review

From Gloria:

"Just a reminder about the event on the 25th. We have 10 contestants, could use a few more, need a great crowd and lots of cell phones and donations for the youth council. Please pass this on, try to attend/participate. So far 31 people have said in the event list that they are attending! I sent out nearly 300 invites, realizing that not everyone lives here, but like to know what is happening in our fair city. Thanks to all!"
"If you cannot come please feel free to drop your donation and/or cell phones off at Town Hall, Mon.-Thurs. 9:00-12:30 and 1:30-5 pm. Or see any youth council member, drop off is ok at Estes, or see me or Renee Morris. Thanks, looking forward to a great evening."

Carly in the Snow

Yesterday was the first measurable snow of Carly's seven years, and she took full advantage playing outside from six thirty in the morning until six last night.

Snowed for Seventeen Hours

It snowed for about seventeen hours in Clinton; fortunately, the flakes were small leaving us with about five inches.

This is a shot of our back yard.

Snow Day

It started snowing at eight o'clock last night and is still snowing now at just past noon. This picture was taken around seven this morning; we have about 5 inches now.

Cecil's Other Park

As mentioned before, Benji Borden has a Facebook site entitled Cecil's Park; there are numerous pictures and memories about Cecil's park. I grew up before the full development of the park, but
for those boys, and it was just boys then, growing up from ca. 1947 to 1958 in Plantersville, Cecil still had a major impact.

I composed a few thoughts about my years with Cecil and especially at his other park:

Cecil became a factor in my life some time in the late 40s when our park was a baseball park or field located behind the Parker’s Blacksmith shop on land I assume belonged to the Parker family. I don’t know when the park was constructed or who constructed it but during my time, Cecil maintained the park, and it was, as you might guess, one of the nicest, if not the nicest, in north Mississippi.
The infield was dirt but smooth as Cecil had a Model T Ford which he used to drag the infield every day, and one of our great pleasures was riding on the Model T or on the sled or whatever it was, boys being the ballast.
A wooden fence about six or eight high stretched from right field to left center; however, for reasons that remain unclear, there was no fence in left field; the grass was cut short up to where the fence should be, but beyond that was a pasture where we often wandered in the tall grass and weeds searching for a lost baseball, and sometimes someone had to go ask Jiggs Monts who was blessed with almost super human eye sight to come find the baseball for us.
I don’t know many people the stands would hold, but to a young boy they seemed large.
I was told that in the 30s, probably 1935 or so, the Cleveland Indians and the Chicago White Sox played an exhibition game on the field and that Paul Richards, a journeyman catcher, but later a very successful manager, hit a home run that either landed on the blacksmith shop or sailed over it depending on who was telling the story.
I saw the Memphis Red Sox of the Negro Baseball League play there and think maybe the Birmingham Black Barons did as well. The House of David performed at the park at least once that I remember, and I think Tupelo had a semipro team that played there some.
Plantersville’s youth baseball team always faired well since most of the teams they played were coached by men who didn’t know nearly as much baseball as Cecil and most of the other teams practiced Saturday morning before the games on Saturday afternoon while Plantersville practiced every day and often twice a day. We spent a lot of time at Cecil’s other park.
At some point, Cecil began to have difficulty finding enough boys to field a team and Plantersville merged with Brewer coached by a Mr. Flynn, I think. If you knew Cecil, you know that he didn’t care to share responsibility and eventually Tack Grant took over coaching the team with Cecil assisting, and at some point the games moved to behind the school,
After summer ended, some of us went to Cecil’s house where we played catch and various games. A select few of us were allowed inside the old Johnson family house to play cards and games and view Cecil’s many treasures.
Cecil took us trot line fishing ( I thought it was trout line, which I found strange since we always caught cat fish), and our catch was cooked in big black pots at the baseball park. We went camping; I’m not certain where, but assume it was the state park, and he took us to Memphis to the Chicks’s games and to the zoo. There’s a picture somewhere on this blog of Larry Mims and me from one of these trips.
Cecil mowed the cemetery and we would tag along as he worked, and for a time he manned a fire tower which we climbed several times to visit with him.
In the late fifties, 1956 or 57, Cecil built the tennis court and around the same time he tore down the old Johnson house and built the smaller one.
If memory serves, when I left to enroll at Ole Miss in September of 1958, the tennis court was still the only attraction at Cecil’s park.

I’ll be seventy in about a month and am subject to frequent senior moments so please correct or add to my memories of Cecil’s other park.

Plantersville Womanless Beauty Review

From Gloria:

Event: Womanless Beauty Review and Cell Phones for Soldiers
"Womanless Beauties???"
What: Fundraiser
Start Time: Thursday, February 25 at 6:00pm
End Time: Thursday, February 25 at 9:00pm
Where: Estes Fish and Steakhouse

Cell Phones For Soldiers

Gloria Holland wrote: "The Plantersville Youth Council is collecting, in any condition, cell phones. This is the "Cell Phones for Soldiers" project and after refurbishing, wil be sold and the proceeds will go for prepaid phone cards for soldiers . Posting again because this is a great project and my youth council is THE BEST IN THE STATE!!!"

Cecil's Park

Benji Borden, Cathy's son and Brother Johnson's grandson has started a site on Facebook entitled Cecil's Park. I don't know much about it yet, such as if it can be accessed if you are not a Facebook member, but will find out and let you know.

June Harris's Mother

I've been away from my computer all day and just discovered that I received an e-mail from June this morning that her mother died last night.

Sympathy to June and her family.

I'll post more information as soon as it is available.

Birthday Party

This past week Carole and Cam journeyed to Tupelo to celebrate my mother-in-law's 95th birthday.

Pictured are Carole's sister, Margaret Pickard and Altha Jeffreys Tackett. Not only does Altha have a Plantersville connection through her son-in-law, but she is also the aunt of Jimmy and Sharon Jeffreys.

I stayed home to help get Carly to her basketball game where she was a cheerleader and to a movie with a number of her friends. These seven year olds have an active social life.

Groan Ups

Recently a friend from Plantersville forwarded an internet letter a student wrote concerning retarded grandparents who spend the day at a wreck center.

I wrote on the blog in September of 2008 about my office burning in 1997. Among the treasures lost were a collection of themes my students had written over the years that contained priceless words or phrases. I actually had a student write that his grandfather was retarded from the railroad, and another described her mother's problems with very close veins, but my favor was the one about kids and groan ups. I think this student was on to something; a groan up is someone over 65 as I groan now ever time I get up.

I-20

Yesterday's weather forecast indicated that south of I-20 there would be hail, thunderstorms and possible tornadoes while north of I-20 would have torrential rain. Since our house almost straddles I-20 (we are about a quarter of a mile north of the Interstate), I hoped we might avoid both instead last night we received both; hail the size of golf balls, thunderstorms and torrential rain.

Haiti Hygiene Drive

The following message was posted on Gloria's site:


The Town of Plantersville will be participating in "Haiti Hygiene Kit Drive" Suggested list of items are...Antibacterial Cream, Antibacterial Soap, Baby or Hand Wipes, Baby Powder, Band Aids, Combs, Cotton Balls, Deodorant, Diaper Rash Creams, Diapers, Hydrogen Peroxide, Lotion, Mouthwash, Rubbing Alcohol, Saline Solution, Sanitary Feminine Products, Soap, Toothpaste, Toothbrush, Tylenol. Items may be dropped of at Plantersville Town Hall until 5:00 P.M. Monday Jan. 25, 2010.

The Winter of 50 or 51

The recent siege of cold weather reminds me of the winter of 50 or 51, someone help me with the correct date, when we endured snow and ice and cold weather for several weeks. I recall, as I think I've written before, the electricity being off for a long period of time, though we had ours turned on before some because Jerry Bishop was working for the electricity company, and we happened to be on the same line as his in-laws.

Would some of you share memories of that winter?

June Harris wrote: "I'm pretty sure it was '51. We'd had a smaller one a couple of years earlier, in 1949 if I recall correctly, but the bigger one was the second. We had kerosene heat in our house, as well as a kerosene stove for cooking, so we didn't suffer much. We did have to melt ice for water as all the pipes were frozen. And we did get our electricity on earlier than some because my uncle, Jerry Bishop, worked for the electric company and they hooked up the lines to our house along with those to my grandparents, his in-laws."
June

Frozen

Hope the hummingbirds like frozen drinks. As have most of you, we have been enduring the cold weather for over a week though it was warmer yesterday.

As you may know, due to water main breaks the city of Jackson is virtually without water and largely shut down; since we live in Clinton and Carole works in Ridgeland, we have not been affected just staying inside trying to keep warm.

Happy New Year

I find it difficult to believe that not only is another year history but so is the first decade of the 21st Century.

Hope all of you have a wonderful 2010.

In Memory of Flora Bishop

June Harris wrote the following about her Aunt Flora:

Aunt Flora

My aunt Flora died recently, and a corner of my heart died with her.
I loved Aunt Flora. She was the only girl in a family of seven; she had six brothers, and the Harris boys were a rough and tumble bunch. I’m sure she had to be a tough cookie to stand up to them; I’m equally sure she was quite up to the task. Aunt Flora was a woman undaunted by life’s challenges.

I was the first grandchild of Luther and Maggie Harris, and Aunt Flora took me up for spoiling. She took me places, bought me things, and in general, made me a bit of a pet. She took me to see Snow White, for instance. (I fell asleep, but that’s not pertinent.)
During WWII, Aunt Flora went off to work in Washington, D. C. I’m not clear on what she did there, but I was certainly clear on the fact that I thought it enormously glamorous. Washington, D. C., had to be the center of the universe, and MY aunt was there. She came home with a husband handsome enough to rival Tyrone Power, and a fur coat. I think it was seal; whatever, I envied and admired that coat.

I was a child, sleeping in my grandparents’ bedroom, when my aunt came in to tell them that she was in labor and needed to go to the hospital. She was pregnant with my cousin Laurie. I don’t remember much more of that night, though I recall stories about it. She was taken to the local hospital, but this was during WWII, and most of the competent doctors were off in the war. Those left at home were somewhat less than able. My aunt was in labor for hours—it seems to me that it was something like a day and a half or more—before the doctors finally decided she had to have a cesarean section, and finally delivered my cousin, Laurie. That saved her life; she’d have died had they waited for her to deliver naturally.
Aunt Flora was a woman who was not put off or intimidated by anyone. She was as social as anyone I’ve ever known. My mother said her first view of Aunt Flora, long before my mom had met my father, was of Aunt Flora sitting on a fence, exchanging jokes and chatter with a group surrounding her. That would be typical.

Aunt Flora knew everybody. She’d say, “Well, you remember…” whoever. “No,” I’d say—I’d left Mississippi when I was twelve, and I didn’t know or remember all the people she knew. “Oh, yes, you do,” she’d say. “She was the cousin/aunt/mother of …” Okay.
Aunt Flora went to the Plantersville Baptist Church when she lived there, and her favorite church apparel included picture hats and big button ‘earbobs.’ White gloves were included, but that goes without saying for suitable 50s attire.

She kept my great aunts together and took them out when she was able. I was back in Mississippi in the early 90s and she picked me up and took me around to see the living great aunts. It was the last time I’d ever see them, and I was grateful to her for that.
Her grandsons appeared to adore her, and if they did not, they certainly kept the fact a close secret. They took her places, saw to her well-being, and were available for her whenever she had needs. She was fortunate in her grandsons; they were there whenever she needed them.
Toward the end of her life, she had to give up the handwork she loved because of failing eyesight. She traveled widely, and I was able to accompany her on her trip to see the Grand Canyon.

Her obituary said she was “opinionated.” Hah! That’s vast understatement. Every Harris I’ve ever known—and I’ve known more than a few—was opinionated, and Aunt Flora was no exception. Her opinions were strong, whether political, involving Ole Miss, or with regard to her family.

Aunt Flora was a force of nature, and I will miss her very, very much.

June Harris

Plantersvillle in the Courier

I receive the Lee County Courier by mail and therefore receive it late, so many of you already know this; the Plantersville Mayor's Youth Council is featured on the front page of the Christmas Eve edition of the Courier.

Also, the Courier ran six pictures of the Plantersville Christmas parade.

Sympathy to the Partlow Families

Sympathy to the family of Russell Partlow, especially to Shirley Coggin Collier and her brothers. Mr. Russell died Friday in a nursing home near Starkville. Services will be at two tomorrow at Lee Memorial.


Sympathy to the family of Dawn Givhan Partlow who died Wednesday and whose services are today at four at Holland Funeral Home in Tupelo. Dawn was the wife of Kevin and the daughter-in-law, I believe, of Benny Earl Partlow.

Someone help me with the family history of the Partlow families in Plantersville. I assume that Mr. Russell Partlow was related to Mr. Ben Partlow.

Merry Christmas

Carole and I wish all of you a very Merry Christmas.

We'll be on our way north tomorrow morning after having our family Christmas tonight.


May Santa bring you that one special gift.

Grand Marshall

Jerry Hall was Grand Marshall of the Plantersville Chirstmas parade this year.

Dinner Party

On a happier note, Carly celebrated her 7th birthday with a dinner party at her favorite restaurant. That's the birthday girl standing and smiling.

The boy sitting next to her, of course, is Conner who has been her boy friend for three years.

Sad Times

This week before Christmas has been a sad one; two of Carole's friends and 1960 classmates died this week, Martha Ann Reed and Joe Hodges, and one of our friends from church was found dead at her house Thursday morning.

Christmas Parade

Plantersville Christmas Parade 09

I borrowed a couple of pictures of the Plantersville Christmas parade from Gloria's web site.

In this photo are: n this photo: Sam Fair, Claire Wilder, Jorie Wells, Amy Monts, Casey Shackelford, Blake Estes, Emily Stanford, Blake Estes, Gloria Holland, Mikaela Willams.

Correct me if I am wrong on the names.

Steve and Cathy

Cathy Johnson Garrett was in Jackson today and ran into this young man at the Jackson Medical Mall.

Picture courtesy of Cathy.

Christmas Performance

Our granddaughter, Carly, attends school near Ridgecrest Baptist Church where Flora Bishop's services were last night at seven.

Last night the school had a Christmas performance, that's Carly, on the top row, last candy cane on the left.

As we left the school around seven thirty last night, we passed Ridgecrest. The parking lot was full for Mrs. Flora's services. Don't forget, that there will be a visitation for her at Unity from noon until two today.

Flora Bishop

Received word that Mrs. Flora Bishop died this morning. Sympathy to her family and friends.

There will be a service for Mrs. Flora in Ridgeland on Thursday at seven and on Friday a visitation from noon to two at Unity Presbyterian Church.

Christmas Parade

Carly was in Christmas Parades in Madison and in Ridgeland this past Saturday. This is the First Baptist Church of Ridgeland's float in the Ridgeland parade.

That's Carly in brown with the white glove raised. She was waving at Bop Bop and Mama Cita.

Has Plantersville had its Christmas Parade; if so, I need pictures.

Let It Snow

We had a light snow Friday night. Just a few miles south of us, more than 4 inches was reported.

Gloria at the White House

The mayor of Plantersville, Gloria Holland, recently visited Washington. Here she and friends are pictured in front of the White House. I borrowed this picture from Gloria's site and could not find the names of her companions. Someone please identify them..

Anniversaries

We celebrate two events this week, one not so good and one that was very good. Our daughter, Cam, became ill a year ago yesterday and did not recover until April, and on Thursday, Carly will celebrate her seventh birthday.

We had a mini party on Sunday with Tiley, who is the granddaughter of Mike Davis who was one of my closest friends in the 70s. Unfortunately, Mike is deceased. I consider Tiley my other granddaughter.

City Hall

Plantersville City Hall is being expanded and renovated thanks to a grant from the Mississippi
Development Authority.

Flora Bishop

Flora Harris Bishop recently suffered a stroke and is in a nursing home in Ridgeland. Here is a portion of an e-mail I received from Sherrilyn Helms Brown.

"I have visited with Flora twice since she has been moved to Highland Home
down the parkway from me. The first visit was good, she understood who I was
and even asked about my flower garden. Then Thanksgiving Day when I went,
she was not very responsive as before. I think this is just the way it is,
some days better than others. She is paralyzed on her left side and has a
feeding tube. But she seems to be comfortable. I will let you know when I
go back to visit."

George: I am very sorry to learn about Mrs. Flora's health problems. Some years ago, she often came to Plantersville and took all her aunts out to eat; she always included my Aunt Johnnie, who was her aunt by marriage.

Thanksgiving

We celebrated Thanksgiving in Pontotoc at the Sims' house with family and friends. This picture shows about half our crowd enjoying a Thanksgiving feast.

For those of you who do not know, Paul "Tip" Sims, with his back to the camera, served as interim pastor at First Baptist in Plantersville a few years ago.

Laney Sims, who was injured in an accident back in the summer, is doing well and hopes to avoid any additional surgery on her finger.

Happy Thanksgiving

Hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving. We'll be heading for north Mississippi in a few minutes and will spend Thanksgiving Day with the Sims family in Pontotoc.

Finding Homes

The Plantersville Youth Council recently assisted the Humane Society in helping to find homes for dogs and cats.

James and Gail

This picture of James Kelly and Gail Geno was taken recently by Ruth Kelly at Estes Fish House in Plantersville.

James is my cousin, and both he and Gail graduated from Tupelo High School with Carole. I borrowed the picture from the class of 1960's web site which Gail oversees.

Family

A day or so ago, I found this picture of my mother and father and me. I don't remember seeing it before though I must have.

My father worked for the highway department and we lived in several different places; don't have any idea where this was taken or whose car that is. My Dad never learned to drive.

A Deer in Clinton

We live in a fairly large subdivision in Clinton. One day this week a deer was grazing in our neighbor's back yard. Carole took this picture just before the deer disappeared into the old road bed that runs behind our house.

This makes the eighth or ninth deer I've seen in the city limits of Clinton. I never saw a deer when I was growing up in Plantersville; are there deer around now?

Have a Happy and Spooky Halloween

Trunk or Treat

Our church had trunk or trick for the kids last night. From left: Cam, Bat Girl and George.

Miley Long Way

Carly and her friends are standing in front of Miley Cyrus's bus in Little Rock. Six mothers and seven girls made the long trip for the Miley Cyrus concert this past weekend.

John Reed Westmoreland

Sympathy is expressed to the family of John Reed Westmoreland, whose obituary is in today's Journal.

Here Be Dragons

A novel, Here Be Dragons, by June Harris is now available. It may be ordered from iuniverse.com or from Amazon.com.

June is, as most of you know, the daughter of Bill Harris and granddaughter of Luther Harris.

Dr. David Grant

Over the past two days I have had occasion to spend time with two men, one of whom was a missionary for over forty years in Brazil and the other was a minister of education at a number of churches. Both mentioned David Grant. The missionary was in seminary with David, while the other man worked with David when both were ministers in Jackson.

Round Table Discussion

A round table discussion was held at the meeting mentioned in the previous post.

Both pictures courtesy of Gloria.

Dr. Marty Wiseman at Plantersville Meeting

Pictured are Mayor Gloria Holland with Dr. Marty Wiseman, Director of the John Stennis Institute at Mississippi State, who addressed a meeting in Plantersville recently

Earl Repult

Sympathy is expressed to the family of Earl Repult whose obituary is in today's Journal.

Plantersville Youth Council and Adult Volunteers

A picture taken from Gloria's site of the new youth council and adult volunteers. If you double click on the picture, you should be able to read the names.

Plantersville Bank Building

According to the mayor's facebook, the old bank building has been sold, and if I understood Gloria correctly, a drug store will open there.

Reminder

The Plantersville Cemetery Memorial is today at three o'clock at the cemetery; in case of rain, it will be moved to the Methodist Church.

Doris and Cam

On August 29th I posted a picture of Cam that Carole took in front of the apartments in Starkville where we lived when Cam was born.

This picture shows Doris holding Cam in front of those same apartments on the day we brought her home from the hospital.


Cam is wearing a dress made by our cousin Mary Alice Morris of the New Chapel community that I wore when I was born; Carly also wore the dress when we took her home from the hospital in December of 2002. After three generations we retired the dress which is now framed and hanging on the wall in front of where I am sitting as I write this.

Don Hamilton

Carole and I express sympathy to the family of Don Hamilton. Don was married to Barbara Moreland Hamilton, my classmate at Tupelo High School.

Estes's Fish and Steak House

The September 24th Lee County Courier has a feature on Steve and Sandra Estes who reopened their restaurant in Plantersville which was closed in 2006 due to Steve's health problems. They opened the restaurant where Vernons Restaurant in Tupelo was in July 1983 and moved it to Plantersville in 1985.

Estes's Fish and Steak House is indeed a landmark in the area. It has always been the place for me to encounter people from my past. I hate to be maudlin, but I think of all those who the last place I saw them before their death was at Estes's. Sheriff Presley, Louzell Francis, Marion Helms, Janice Swain, Kitty Morgan, and Mr. David Estes are some I recall.

Aunt Miriam

Found this picture from the 1950s of Aunt Miriam pouring tea; she and Uncle Ernest lived in Memphis a block or so from Overton Park; I'll never forget the first time I spent the night at their house; I woke in the middle of the night thinking I was in Africa because of all the animal noise coming from the zoo.

Aunt Miriam lived to the age of 104 dying a year or so ago.

The Kellys and Scotland Friends

For several years now, I have exchanged e-mails with Sandra Ward of Scotland; she and her family are close friends with Dr. Charles Kelly and his wife of Fulton, and recently the Wards have purchased a vacation home in Monroe County on the waterway.

Dr. Charles Kelly is the grandson of Troy Kelly and the son of Charles Kelly, the younger brother of J. C. and Eddie Wayne Kelly.

Charles Kelly Jr. and Sr. and their wives and family along with their Scotland friends are in this picture taken on July 4th.

Plantersville Cemetery Memorial

The annual Plantersville Cemetery Memorial will be held Sunday, October 11, at 3:00 p.m. at the cemetery; in case of rain, the Memorial will be at the Plantersville Methodist Church.

Plantersville Youth Council

The Plantersville Youth Council along with adult volunteers donated newspapers to the Tupelo-Lee Humane shelter recently.

Clinton's Mayor

Yesterday, Carole attended a meeting where the guest speaker was Clinton's mayor, Rosemary Gibens Aultman who mentioned that she had recently been in Lee County and visited with some of her Plantersville friends.

Rosemary's mother, as many of you know, taught for many years at Lawhon School.

Bob Jackson

I express sympathy to the family of Bob Jackson who died Wednesday in Birmingham. Bob was a classmate who I visited with at the 50th class reunion last year. Bob was married to Mitzi Morris whose father, I believe I am correct, was the principal at one time at Plantersville School.

Mrs. Wages Country Store and Erskin Dacus Drug Co.

Can anyone share any information on either Mrs. Wages Country Store or Erskin Dacus Drug Co. located in or around Tupelo.

I attended school at Tupelo High School with Glenn and Alicia Dacus whose family owned the drug company, I think, but do not remember where it was located or what products they made there.

I don't recall a Mrs. Wages Country Store.

Comment:

There was a Dacus Drug in the area of Bissell. They made products such as
pickling spices, salts, other spices. Somehow the Wages may have been
connected with this.
Not sure this is what you are asking about, but this comes to mind
Lynette P Brown
Plantersville

Thanks Lynette

Jackson Square

Carly with her boa and her pet stuffed rat and Jackson Square in the background. The church is Saint Louis Cathedral.

Driving the Buggy

Our family was on vacation in New Orleans this past weekend; here's Carly with the reins for the buggy which took us on a tour of the French Quarter.

Trio

Our granddaughter, Carly in the center, with two of her best friends, Bailey and Camille. The three of them were at our house this past Sunday, and we're still recovering.

Actually, we went to a movie and spent the rest of the time playing computer games. They are growing up way too fast.

The three of them and their parents are at a church retreat at Roosevelt Park this weekend.

Cameron Kelly Chennault

Our daughter, Cam, stands in front of Roselawn Terrace Apartments in Starkville. We lived in the apartment at the top of the stairs when we brought her home from the hospital a few years ago. Cam was born while I was in graduate school at Mississippi State.

As many of you know, Cam became seriously ill last December and was sick for about four months. As you can tell from this photograph, she is healthy now.

Duet

Two of the members of the THS class of 1959 who became well known for their singing ability. Plantersville's own Price Harris on the left is a musical evangelist, and Guy Hovis is probably best know for his singing on the Lawrence Welk Show.

Memory Walk

This Memory Walk team is making plans for the annual Alzheimer’s Memory Walk in the Jackson area that is set for Saturday, Oct. 10, at Trustmark Park in Pearl. From the left standing are Carole Kelly, Alzheimer’s Mississippi Chapter board of directors secretary; Sara Murphy, formerly of Harrisonburg, Va., who recently joined the Alzheimer’s Chapter staff; Kevin Jones of Hospice Ministries, Memory Walk chair; seated from left, Donna Meadows of Humana; Pam Wilson, Alzheimer’s board of Directors; and Jamie Raspberry of the SilverSneakers Fitness Program, Memory Walk publicity chair. Dates for Memory Walks across the state are Oct 3 in Meridian; Oct. 10 in Amory, Biloxi, and the Jackson-Pearl area; Oct. 17, Tupelo and Greenwood; Oct. 31, Oxford; and Nov. 7, Columbus and Hattiesburg.

Statistics indicate that a case is diagnosed every 71 seconds. Because of family and friends who have faced this brain-destroying disease, we take part in the Alzheimer efforts for research, support groups, education, Medic Alert, Safe Return, resources and referrals. Information about Alzheimer’s disease is available at 601-987-0020 or info@msalz.org. The 24/7 Helpline is 1-800-272-3900.

Gwynne McFarling Daniel

Gwynne's Tupelo High School Class held its reunion in May.

Miss Katherine Rogers

One of Miss Katherine's former students at Milam posted this on the Internet.

Carole Tackett Kelly comments:
Miss Rogers, my dear fifth grade teacher, what vivid memories this photo brings back. I still remember in particular her English classes, still use the grammar rules she taught. Classmates: Ruth Delene Richardson, Sally Cunningham, Joe Crouch . . .Surely there were more than four of us.

Pictures and a Federal Law

I sometimes think there should be a federal law mandating that all pictures must have information written on the back of the picture. Carole and I have inherited a myriad of pictures from Aunt Grace, Aunt Johnnie and my mother as well as from Carole's aunt and grandmother, and many of them are pictures of folks we will never be able to identify and that's a shame.

Plantersville High School 1950-51 Graduating Class

Last week's Lee County Courier ran a picture of the 1950-51 graduating class. Included in the picture were Alvin Alred, Grady McCaskill, James Roden, Lawrence Weeks, Reed Presley, James Roy Russell, Jesse "Shorty" Davis and J. B. Berryman. The girls were Martha Kate Ellis, June Johnson, Elmonta Alred and Guillene Kelly who submitted the picture to the paper.

Since newspaper pictures are copyrighted, I can't copy it and besides newpaper pictures do not transfer well; however, if Guillene or someone would sent me a copy of the picture, I would love to post it on the blog.

Mrs. Lilyan Rogers

Carole and I express sympathy to Bubba, Rodney and Barbara on the death of their mother, Mrs. Lilyan Rogers and to all of her family as well.

Update on Laney Sims

Laney Sims, who was injured in an accident in Starkville several weeks ago, is back in the Starkville Hospital with an infection.

Laney, as most of you know, is the wife of Paul "Tip" Sims who served as interim pastor at First Baptist Plantersville between Brother Sam and Brother Danny, and Laney is Carole's first cousin.

Mississippi State Social Work Advisory Board

Her honor, Gloria Holland, is pictured in the center of the first row with other members of the Social Work Advisory Board of Mississippi State University.

Ellen and Don Wall, George and June

Winnie, Steve and Gloria