Grand and Great

Grand to Great Grandparents for Generations

Erica, Grandpa, Marsha, Grandma, Kimberly

5 Generation

Grandma Leavitt, Emily

Shaye, ??, Grandma Leavitt, Emily

Dutch's Boat and Fire

Dutch built a boat down in the basement. We only had one light down in the basement. He went to move that boat or something, anyway the boat fell and split. He was working out on the highway and some of the guys told him how to fix that, so he put it on saw horses and done what they told him to do and then he painted it with what they told him to paint it with.   Bunker and Alma Hunt came and were ready to go to work. Dutch says, I want you to come down into the basement and see my boat all fixed, it’s all done and painted and everything, it’s just got to dry, of course he had that sitting on saw horses and he couldn’t see where that was from the light so he struck a match to hold up and it went up like a bomb just like that. The stuff he painted it with had Banana oil in it and it just blew the whole damn thing.   They came up out that basement and when they came up legs where flying and hollering fire. In no time at all I had the kids in the car and up the street. I told them to stay in the car till I come after you and don’t you get out.   I went back and I got everything in the house except my stove.  It was gas and I didn’t dare. Even my big piano, I got that out and it took 6 men to put it back in.  That was about the end of the store. It about ruined everything that was in there. I told him as far as I can see we have the store and ya still have to go out and find a job. Might as well forget the store and let the job do it. So that’s what we done.
 

Memorial Day

When Memorial day cam. We take our chairs up and set in the shade. It was just like being on Vacation. When the ones who would come from out of town to put flowers on the grave we would sit around and visit awhile.   I would leave the flowers on the grave for 3 or 4 days. And then I would take the real flowers and throw them away and I would gather up the others and put them in a big box, then the next year I would put them out again. It was funny that I could remember the biggest part of them. What grave I took them off from then it got where there was enough of them that every grace had something.   David as just a little thing and I would take him to the commentary. And this one day he said, Mom I’m tired of my entire Grandmas’ and Grandpa’s being up in the cemetery I want a grandma and Grandpa. I said then pick someone in the town to be your Grandparents. And he picked Washington and Beth. Everyday he had to go see Beth and Washington and I had to have something for him to take too. He wasn’t going to go empty handed he wanted them to have something. But that was his grandpa and grandma.   I was cutting the lawn at the cemetery and I picked up all the trash and stuff and putting it out on the outside of the fence so I could bun it. It just got going good and I seen 4 boys coming up the rode. And I thought I shouldn’t had burned that out there. The first thing those little boys would do is go out to that fire. And so those big bushes that are all along there I was watering those with the hose. And I thought I’ll just stay here and watch and if they get playing with it to bad I’ll just tell them to leave it alone. They did they all came up to the fire they all picked up a stick to move that fire around. And one said. Do you remember that bible story about that burning bush? Ya, they remembered that all at once the little boy spoke up one of Thela Mules the oldest one spoke up. Hey, does the same woman own the cemetery that owns the church? Ya, then he says no remember mama said she don’t own it she just thinks she does. That was worth a million dollars. Those two same boys every Sunday I had to pull out of the curtains down that made the class rooms. Every Sunday had them two little boys to pull out of them curtains they would get themselves all tangles up in them and they couldn’t’ get out. Nope she doesn’t own it she just thinks she does.   When you have a job like that you need to think you own it to keep it clean. Everything he was speaking in our word he would come over and everything he would mention the same thing he said I went just like this over everything today and how good it was not to have any dust. I don’t think he ever liked me very much but that one thing he always said about me.

David

David

When Gloria and I got home with David, her husband Jeff was in the service in California, so she was going to move to California and take him down there. When she got down there Jeff didn’t want him or her. So she called Dutch and he told her, “Ill be right there to pick you up.”  I knew that Gloria would never get him without ever being married; I wondered how she was going to take care of him and work too.  She was working all the time. I had the biggest part of the time. It would be up to Dad and me to do it I guess.   I knew that the minute we started home. I said Gloria; I’m telling you right know I’m going to be the one who raised this baby.’ She said, “I don’ think so mother” I said, “I know so” I was the one that got up with him back at Uncle Ace’s. Every time that baby cried I was the one that got up to take care of him.

Those big black eyes followed me where ever I went. And it was the same thing on the train home. I was the one that took care of the baby and the same thing, those black eyes watch me. He never cried, those black eyes just watched me every minute. I told Gloria I’m going to be that one that takes care of that baby.

    Going out to get David was my first and only airplane ride. When Gloria and I went to go pick David up it was hot here. When we left we took a receiving blanket but as far as a heavy blanket we didn’t and we didn’t take coats either.  When we got there and got started we got up in the air we got in the damnest snow storm you’ve ever seen when we got to Denver you should see the tree’s everything was loaded down with snow when Ace came and picked us up we got out to his place and they went out to pick that baby up the next day we went back to get on that plane all right. Then pretty soon some guy came up to Gloria and asked her how old the baby was and she said 3 days. I’m sorry he can’t go on the plane. He was too little something could break his ear drum, so we had to get off the plane. Ace had to come pick us up. We went back to Ace’s stayed all night and then went and got on the train. But I didn’t like the train anymore than I liked the airplane. I said well I made two trips in one.   

They have tried to get me on the plane so may times. When ken died I just about did. I was saying all the time no, no, no. I told Dixie he says well leave her go pick up Aunt Amy then go on up Mosses Lake. I about made-up my mind I could do that just before I was to leave here.  Cecil was to take me to Cedar, Dixie called and said Aunt Ethel our flight is over, we can’t fly today the weathers not any good and they won’t let anyone up. I said goody oh goody.


When Gloria and I got home with David, her husband Jeff was in the service in California, so she was going to move to California and take him down there. When she got down there Jeff didn’t want him or her. So she called Dutch and he told her, “Ill be right there to pick you up.”  I knew that Gloria would never get him without ever being married; I wondered how she was going to take care of him and work too.  She was working all the time. I had the biggest part of the time. It would be up to Dad and me to do it I guess.   I knew that the minute we started home. I said Gloria; I’m telling you right know I’m going to be the one who raised this baby.’ She said, “I don’ think so mother” I said, “I know so” I was the one that got up with him back at Uncle Ace’s. Every time that baby cried I was the one that got up to take care of him. Those big black eyes followed me where ever I went. And it was the same thing on the train home. I was the one that took care of the baby and the same thing, those black eyes watch me. He never cried, those black eyes just watched me every minute. I told Gloria I’m going to be that one that takes care of that baby.

Myrna

Myrna

Then Myrna before she was ever born I was sick. One of Dee Hughes boys were going to get married. Demar Hughes came and wanted to know if Dutch and I would play for it. I said, no.” I was too sick to worry bout a wedding I don’t care if anyone gets married or not. I remember I had my bed out on the front porch. I was so sick I couldn’t raise my head. I said he’s got some nerve to come ask me something like that. Andy every time I see him I think the same thing. He sure had his nerve. He couldn’t talk me into it and Dutch knew better.