with Patsy Nobles Jones
“Keep remembering – to me you were the morning and evening star.” – unknown
Our community expresses sympathy to eight families – Floyd Hayes Mayfield (10-18-28 to 5-27-21) – Estes; Bonnie Marie Roland Hooper (10-17-28 to 5-25-21) – Hickory Corner; Linda Carol Nicholson Hartman (11-3-44 to 6-3-21) – TN State Veterans Cemetery at Parkers Crossroads; Barbara Jean Holmes Crowell (8-11-52 to 6-6-21) – Milledgeville; James “Jimmy” Roy McCombs (10-13-43 to 6-6-21) served in TNNG – Woodlawn; W. T. Roland (9-4-34 to 6-7-21); Joy Daniel (incomplete); and Jimmy “Jim” Allen Ruth (4-11-38 to 6-2-21) – Blackburn Cemetery in Pikesville.
Tenderly remember Brad Franklin (7-18-76 to 6-3-15) an employee at Lexington Progress. Be comforted in your sadness and grief. You will see your precious loved one again in heaven. Blessings….
Also, Bobby Joe “BJ” Thomas (8-7-42 to 5-29-21) 1960’s singer of “Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head”; he was the 6oth member of Grand Ole Opry. We saw BJ Thomas and Billy Joe Royal (4-3-42 to 10-6-15) “Down in the Boondocks” in Germantown at a concert sitting with Willadean Maness Thrasher. It was a trip back to the 60s for me. Those singers left too young but left us with a “Hooked on a Feeling.”
Two furry friends have left paw prints on our hearts. Boss Hoss LaCross (5-27-21), age 10, was Mary Curtis’s furry family and body guard. His barking definitely got your attention. Bella Greenway (5-30-21), age 11, was a darling small Yorkie. She was little, but mighty. She lived long enough to see Megan graduate as Chester County High School Valedictorian.
There were 73 present at City Hall to honor those who sacrificed lives during the wars on Memorial Day. It was the best program with two good televisions showing segments of each branch of service and wonderful inserts of tribute. The singing of Star-Spangled Banner was so nice from the voice of a young girl to a choir and onto other singers. It was a very moving program. I did sadly notice many veterans that are always there in sunshine or rain were not present. That meant they were not able to attend. If you know your community veterans, check on them and do a kindness. Soon those old soldiers will fade away. I know Keith Ross (Korean War) died March 17. What veterans have we lost in 2020 and first part of the year in 2021?
Sunday, June 6, was D-Day during World War II on Normandy Beaches. Deaths totaled 19,000 – Allied 10,000 and 9,000 Germans. Walter Ehlers (2-20-14 to 5-7-21), age 92, was the last of Medal of Honor recipients in D-Day attack. Melbern Jones followed footsteps in the Normandy Beach sand. He did his part in driving trucks over dangerous areas with gunfire. Hearing the sound of fast bullets must have been unsettling; seeing the beaches, very hard. Melbern is a 1925 model, so salute when you see him.
Flag Day is June 14. It commemorates the adoption of the flag of the United States on June 14, 1777 by resolution of the Second Continental Congress. The U.S. Flag has nicknames – Old Glory, The Stars and Stripes, The Red, White and Blue and The Star-Spangled Banner are the most popular nicknames of the US Flag. Does our history teach this? Ask a student or look at a history book. Do you own and display Old Glory? Many have died for that flag. Many caskets are covered with Old Glory. Ducks Market has nice flags. Consider buying one before Flag Day and for sure before July 4. Pray we do not lose our freedoms. Are you watching the changes in America? Stand up for your rights before all are taken away. Use your freedom to vote. At least we have Freedom of Speech and the right to print this newspaper. Think about this…Freedom was NOT free! Go to a TN State Veterans Cemetery, and you’ll agree.
Jacks Creek has a new business – Grill and Go run by Tony and Debra Moody. It is located across from Christ Community Church.
Birthdays – June 4, 2021, “Lili” Lilibet Diana, daughter of Prince Harry and Meghan. Their son, Archie, was born May 6, 2019 makes a Family of Four.
Important birthday – Prince Charles Malone shares his birthday with the late (2019) Steven Johnsey on June 3.
Wedding anniversary – Steven and Malorie Pusser Watkins hitched June 9, 2012.
Ten war tidbits: (1) Hershel “Woody” Williams, age 97 (10-2-1923), is the only living Medal of Honor WWII recipient. It is the highest U.S.A. military decoration for valor during Battle of Iwo Jima on Feb. 23, 1945. He weighed 3.5 pounds at birth (http://www.hwwmohf.org/woody-williams-bio); (2) Medal of Honor Recipient number in all wars totaled 3,508; (3) Only one woman, Dr. Mary Walker, has been awarded the Medal of Honor; (4) Civil War – 1,523 Medals of Honor; (5) WWI – 126 Medals of Honor; (6) WWII – 472 Medals of Honor; (7) Korean – 146 Medals of Honors; (8)Vietnam – 262 Medals of Honor; (9) Afghanistan – 18 Medals of Honor; and (10) Iraq – Seven Medals of Honor. (www.cmohs.org/medal/faqs)
SOMEONE CARES IN 2021 – John Rucker from North Carolina was an English teacher. He realized his dogs (Boykin spaniels) have an unusual skill. They find box turtles and place them gently at his feet. Now John and his dogs are saving turtles. Biology teachers reached out to have students put transmitters on the turtles to study them. Several years later wildlife veterinarians and zoologists were studying turtle population. Twenty years later, Rucker’s spaniels are in high demand to sniff out box turtles. His beloved seven gentle spaniels are Jenny, Lazarus, Ruger, Yogi, Scamp, Skeeter and Rooster. They track turtle populations and identify diseases and threats across the country. They are trained with golf balls and bacon grease. Let’s face it – all they want is a pat on the head and a treat. They just want to please their master. John Rucker cares about the ecosystem. The box turtles help disperse seeds and eat vegetables. God made no mistakes in His creations.
