My Female Siblings

Louanna Pearl Walker and Betty Mae Walker

Pearl

Pearl is on the left.  Probably taken in 1926, the year that Ed was born.

I have no memories of Pearl since I was just past three when she passed away.  My earliest memories of her family include her widower, Carl, and their three children, Carolyn, Carl David (Corky), and Glenda.  Glenda was the only one younger than me yet I was their uncle, go figure. 

This is Pearl but I am not sure who the guy is.  It is not Carl.

 The picture on the left is back row: Glenda, Edith (nanny type), and my mother.  Front row is Carolyn, Corky, and me.  Picture on the right is Carl, Carolyn, Glenda, me, and Corky.  I believe this was taken at our house in Seminole but not sure.  Would be after Pearl's death.

During my growing up years, most summers Carolyn, Corky, and Glenda would spend the summer vacation with us at our house.  It was almost like having temporary brothers and sisters and I have nothing but fond memories of those years.  Some of the best times were swimming in the old farm pond while keeping an eye out for the snakes.  One famous or infamous memory is when Corky and I had a slight disagreement.  I threw and hit him with a baseball and he threw a fist and hit me in the nose.  I learned quickly and never had another fist fight although I never landed a punch on him.  When I had to have a septoplasty (nose surgery for a deviated septum) years later, I mentally blamed in on that punch in the nose.  I would also travel to see them in Phillips, Texas on occasion and memories include the carbon black plant, the canyons, and their house which reminded me of a barn because of the shape.  I remember that Carl built the house himself and on some visits it was still being added on to and ended up being two story.  Carl later remarried and that union produced two children, Charlotte and Charles.  Charlotte died at about age 10 from surgery complications and Charles is still living and resides at a nursing facility in Poplar Bluff, Missouri.

This is an early picture of Carolyn and an old B&W from her wedding to Don Harris which produced five children, Danny, Debbie, Tony, Valerie, and Donnie Jo.  She later married Ken Webb and he passed away several years ago.  She currently lives in Borger, Texas.

 This is Corky.  His first wife was Sudie and they produced Carla, Charlotte, and Dewayne.  The first picture contains a woman and two kids that were part of his life for a while but I am not sure if they were married or not.  I only recall seeing them on two occasions.  The bottom picture is his last wife whom he married in November, 1983.  Corky died on heart problems in 2006 or 2007 and was living in South Dakota at the time.  If I had to use one word to describe Corky, it would be 'adventuresome'.  He even lived in the boonies as a prospector during one phase of his life.  One of my most vivid memories of Corky was probably in the 1970's.  Joyce and I were visiting in Phillips and Corky was excited about Jesus Christ and was going to be preaching at a small church and invited me to come hear him that Sunday.  Carolyn's husband, Don, was an avid golfer and I was a novice but he had invited me to play golf with him that Sunday at the Borger golf course and I opted for that.  Corky never said anything but over the years, I always carried a load of guilt.  Many years later, I unloaded that guilt with an in-person apology laden with tears and Corky said that he carried no grudge and forgiveness was not necessary.  Only the love of Christ whose spirit indwelt Corky could heal so quickly.  We probably only saw each other every three to four years during our adult lives, but there was always a bond there than transcended bloodlines, it was the spirit of God and I miss Corky but I am assured of another meeting on the other side.

This is Glenda and her daughter Tami. You can find them on Facebook at Glenda Boles and Tami Boles Atchinson. One outstanding memory is a visit in Borger to Glenda's house and Corky and his kids were there. The oldest one, Carla, drank some lighter fluid and I drove her and Corky to the emergency room using Dillard's car (Glenda's first husband). What caused the most difficulty was that the emergency brake was on for the entire trip. Corky kept telling me to go faster and I told him I had the gas pedal touching the floorboard and it wouldn't go any faster. Carla survived and I think she now lives somewhere in Ohio and has had several children.                                                                            

 This is a current picture of Glenda with her husband Travis, her daughter and son-in-law, one grandson, and one great-granddaughter.  Travis passed away in June from complications of a stroke and cancer.  Glenda has undergone treatment for lung cancer and lymph node cancer and needs everyone's prayers.  She currently resides in Williamsville, Missouri.  Be sure to contact Glenda and Tami on Facebook.  They are very special people to me.

Betty

This is Betty.  She was sixteen when I was born but I saw her more times in my life than any of my other siblings.

I believe that these were her high school graduation pictures from Seminole High School in 1944.

 Betty's first marriage was to Paul SchonerSchoner's grocery at the corner of Hwy 9 and Hwy 270 in Seminole and I remember meeting them there amidst a lot of tears.  No one was injured but I felt so terrible for them.  A good memory is that Paul gave me a Remington bolt-action .22 with a 9? shot clip.  It is the only gun that I ever owned and I have no idea what happened to it but I did enjoy it.  Mainly used it to shoot tin cans, I'm certain I never killed anything with it.  Another pleasant memory was getting to drive the 1957 Plymouth Fury that they owned.  I drove it once by myself and once with Paul and Betty along.  Both times the speedometer passed 100 MPH but that is all I'm going to say about that.  Betty's second marriage was to Lloyd Dial and he preceded her in death.

Betty, Paula, and Pam and the Plymouth Fury.  Think this was in Hobbs, NM.

Probably the hardest thing that I ever had to do was to go to Seminole and tell my mother that Betty had died.  Betty was living in Seminole about two miles from mother at the time.  She was in Presbyterian Hospital due to complications from emphysema.  Paula had just been up from Texas for a visit and the doctor said that she was doing well and so Paula went back home.  I remember the phone call from Pam and exactly where I was standing which was in the kitchen at the house on the acreage between Tuttle and Newcastle.  She said words to the effect "We lost momma".  I had also visited her in the hospital a day or so before she died.  I'll always remember her dachshund, Beanie.

 This is Paula and her son Paul Peepers, and Pam and her daughter, Jamie Porter.

Other memories would include visits to see Betty and family in Kansas, New Mexico, and Texas.  She also lived in Louisiana for a time.  I remember a little black and white terrier-type dog named Midge that used to scare me a lot.  Don't know that I ever was bitten but I always felt like I could be her next snack.  I remember both Paula and Pam were wild about horses as they were growing up.  I don't think either one ever outgrew that love for animals and especially horses.  I know for certain that Pam is heavily involved with them as well as her daughter.  Last time I saw her, she was on a horse.  She lives a few miles north of Seminole with her husband, Jack Hamilton.  Paula lived in Lindale, Texas last time I saw her (if memory serves me correct) and she was married to Don Raley.  Her son Paul lived in Norman the last time I saw him. I always thought Paul was one of the best looking kids I ever saw and had the potential to be a great football player.  I'm not sure he possessed the killer instinct or desire to pursue that type of life. For sure, he is one of the nicest guys that I have ever met.

Below is a very amateurish video, the first I had ever taken with my new Ipod.  It was taken around Memorial Day, 2010.  Please ignore the poor quality and focus on the subjects.  I promise to do better next time.

This is Maple Grove cemetery in Seminole, Oklahoma.  These graves are located in the very southeast corner of the cemetery.  My brother Ed is buried in the same cemetery on the front row of the military section.  Well, that sums up the two tales of my brothers and sisters.  I look forward to seeing them again.  I will close this blog with another great (aren't they all) passage, this one from the book of Psalms.

Ps 139:23-24 Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me and know my anxious thoughts; And see if there be any hurtful way in me, And lead me in the everlasting way.