REFLECTIONS ON KILGORE COUSINS REUNION 2012

The anticipation of some happening many times  is more a high than the actual event.  But in the case of our Kilgore Cousins Reunion this year, I find that not to be the case.  With all the planning, promotion, and looking forward to the gathering,  the reunion itself was a wonderful heart-warming event--a highlight experience.

I truly enjoyed all the work that went into the event.   The mail outs, e-mails, Facebook messages, the work around the Kilgore Farm, and the preparation at New Oak Grove Church, were only a small part of the effort that made the reunion a success.   The relatives traveling from all over our nation to meet in Nauvoo, Alabama certainly is the main thing that made the reunion the success it was.  There are many people to thank who helped me big time.  I'm fearful to make a list in fear of leaving someone out, but here goes:

I am appreciative to the following for their personal help with our reunion:

New Oak Grove Freewill Baptist Church and its pastor, Rev. Mickey Crane; my brothers, Mike and Ricky Kilgore for cutting the grass and bush hogging around the old Kilgore Farm;  my wife, Pat who helped me set up the Fellowship Hall for the gathering, helped with registration, and entertained the children as part of the program;  Linda Kilgore, Mike's wife and my sister, Rebecca for helping with registration; my borther, Ricky's wife, Pat, who got the food ready to serve as it came in; Sammy Carter and Patrick Connell for taking care of the drinks; Joe McKeever for sketching peoples images;  Ron McKeever for being part of the program and talking; Jeremy Allen and Natalee Briscoe's boyfriend, John for taking family picture group shots; Mike Kilgore for cooking all the wieners for the evening cookout; all you who brought food for the noon luncheon and the evening cookout; James Phelps for furnishing his grill and chairs; my mother for furnishing chairs and table for the evening cookout;  for all who gave to the three special offerings (decoration flower fund, reunion costs, and New Oak Grove offering) generously.  THANK YOU, ONE AND ALL. 

As chairman of the Kilgore Cousins Reunion, I wish to make a reporting of the finances to let everyone know what costs were incurred and where your gifts went to.  This paragraph is devoted to that end.

My cost were as follows:
           Directional Signs (6 two sided signs)          $76.90
           Name Tags and Sharpie Pens                        16.48
           Stamps for Post Card Mailing (2 times)         39.36
           *Kilgore Lineage Printout                              45.91
           Torches & Driveway Markers for cookout     39.95
           Cookout Drinks, Condiments, paper goods    39.45
           TOTAL                                                       $258.05

Contribution Received                                             $228.00

At the reunion I announced that all my expenses were covered.  The difference in the expense listing then and what is listed above, is the Kilgore Lineage Printout.  I charged $2 per hard copy and had about 8 hard copies left.  The Kilgore Lineage Printout did not appear in my original disclosure, but their cost were placed in the same box with contributions, and therefore, are listed above to reflect your purchase of the printout and of your contribution.  You were very generous to give, and I thank you all.  The church did not charge us any fee for the use of their building and even allowed us to use their paper goods and ice.  This was a big saving.  In response, you  gave an offering of $220.00 to New Oak Grove.  Also you gave over $200 to the flower fund.  This fund goes to purchases flowers for relatives who do not have living children to take care of their graves.  Carolyn McKeever Lampman and Trish McKeever Phelps takes care of this special ministry for our family.   All and all you were so very generous.   Enough about money.

The focus of the reunion was getting together.  We had around 90 people present for the event.  We probably had about half that for the evening cookout.  As one of our relatives stated, there was a big hole because we did not have any of the Chadwicks, Spains, and Gordons.  Though we missed them, for those present, it was a wonderful time of catching up.

I am already anticipating our next reunion which will be Memorial Day weekend, May, 2014.  I plan for  the reunion to be entirely located on the old Kilgore Farm.  There is a need for many things to be done for that to happen. My "wheels" are turning right now in regards to making the reunion new and fresh.  I have requested that you critique this year's gathering and make suggestions for the future.  I've had the following ideas presented as of this writing: an afternoon softball game, a watermelon cutting, doing something with the children again, singing patriotic songs.  Not that we can do all that everyone suggestions, but please don't refrain from telling me your ideas.  With new ideas, involvement from you all will be needed.  Put the event on your long-range calendar right now.  It is a matter of saying, "I plan to come no matter what."  By planning way ahead and anticipating the date, you too can realize that attending the reunion is better than the anticipation of it.  Until then, that is all we have.   Love you.

Johnny Kilgore

VIRGE AND SARAH KILGORE'S LINEAGE

                                   May, 201

                             (edited December 2015)

                                             Compiled by Johnny W. Kilgore

                                                e-mail: jwkilgore@gmail.com

The following list of descendants of Virge and Sarah Kilgore  is the result of multiple contacts and help from those listed within these pages.   I thank one and all for the help rendered on this project.  Hopefully, the result of this project will be getting to know each other just by stating names, birth dates, death dates, marriage dates, and children born. It is evident that the two big “D’s”—death and divorce-- have touched all our lives.  Death is acknowledged by stating the date of death in parenthesis.   Divorce is not acknowledged, but is properly assumed through the listing of children born to each marriage.

When compiling such a massive list of relatives, some discrepancies may appear.  It is difficult to transfer so many names and dates without making a mistake.   In acquiring the information, some dates were not known.  Also, the spelling of names sometimes would take on a life of its own, especially when it came to names ending in “y” and “ie.”   Nicknames varied according to the source giving the information. 

This listing is an ongoing, active one, which will expand in the days and years ahead as children marry and children are born into new homes.   Please notify me when there are additions and/or changes to be made as a result of marriage, birth, death and especially in case of printed mistakes.   

DESCENDANTS of JOHN WESLEY VIRGIL KILGORE and

SARAH LOUIZA MARTHA TABITHA NOLES KILGORE                              

                                                                        

 JOHN WESLEY VIRGIL KILGORE FAMILY

John Wesley Virgil (“VIRGE”) Kilgore, born on February 28, 1880, was born to William (“BILL”) Malcolm Kilgore (dob,:April 10, 1852; dod, August 12, 1931) and CORDELIA Townley Kilgore (dob: May 1852; dod 1912).  After Cordelia's death, Bill Kilgore married Alice Kilgore, born August 1883 and died March 1931.  Bill, Cordelia, and Alice are buried next to each other at Bennett Cemetery in Walker County, Alabama.

On March 30, 1902,  John Wesley Kilgore married SARAH Louiza Martha Tabitha Noles.  Sarah was born on February 4, 1883 to Thomas  (“TOM”) Louis Noles (dob, October 6, 1844; dod, February 23, 1924) and MARTHA JANE King Noles (dob, December 31, 1852; dod, December 15, 1940).  John and Sarah reared their large family on a Winston County farm located near the Walker County line on the rural mail route of Nauvoo, Alabama. They had ten children born to them. 

The first child (unnamed) of John (“VIRGE”) and Sarah died at birth and was buried in an unmarked grave at Old Union Baptist Church cemetery in Winston County, Alabama.  The remaining nine children were William GRADY Kilgore, born June 26, 1904, Lou Etta (“SIS”) Kilgore, born October 31, 1906, DOLLY Edna Kilgore, born February 6, 1909, RUBY Cora Kilgore, born October 17, 1911, JOHNIE Thomas Kilgore, born December 12, 1913, LOIS Jane Kilgore, born July 14, 1916, RUTH Mae Kilgore, born June 23, 1918, CECIL Warren Kilgore, born March 24, 1921, and Alice LORENE Kilgore, born December 29, 1923.

John Wesley “VIRG” Kilgore died on Christmas Day (December 25), 1949 at the age of  69,  two months away from his 70^th birthday.  SARAH Kilgore died on February 2, 1963, at the age of 79, two days away from her 80th birthday.

 WILLIAM GRADY KILGORE FAMILY

William GRADY Kilgore, born June 26, 1904 (deceased December 17, 1991), had four children by his wife, NETTIE Hadder , born March 15, 1911 (deceased May 7, 1990).   They are HERBERT Hoover Kilgore, born November 3, 1928, DORIS Deline Kilgore, born September 29, 1934, JIMMY Donald Kilgore, born December 18, 1946, and JERRY Wayne Kilgore, born July 10, 1950.

HERBERT Kilgore, born November 3, 1928, had three children by his wife, Alice MOZELL Frederick, born December 11, 1933.  They are  (1) VICKIE Yvonne Kilgore, born August 30, 1956,  (2) DARYL Kay Kilgore, born June 24, 1959, and  (3) REENA Diane Kilgore, born December 25, 1969.

1. VICKIE Yvonne Kilgore, born August 30, 1956, had two children by her husband, JARED Alan Briscoe, born November 20, 1956.  They are JAKE Colton Briscoe, born March 18, 1988, and NATALEE Mozell Briscoe, born December 24, 1991.  On October 5, 2013 Vickie married Dallas Tim Pounders, born September 3, 1954.

NATALEE Mozell Briscoe, born December 24, 1991 married on May 16, 2015,  Johnson (JOHN)
Dallas Pounders, born April 29, 1993

2. DARYL Kay Kilgore, born June 24, 1959, had one child, OLIVIA Rachelle Woodard, born July 16, 1987,  by her first husband, HARRY Lee Woodward, born May 12, 1957.  Daryl married Dr. JOEL Patton Hearn, born May 3, 1946.

3. Dr. REENA Diane Kilgore, D.V.M., born December 25, 1969, had one child, RANI Lee Greer, born April 8, 2003, by her husband, Dr. Curtis LEE Greer, M. D., born August 7, 1971. 

DORIS Deline Kilgore, born September 29, 1934, married Virgil BOYCE Crocker, born December 6, 1935. 

JIMMY Donald Kilgore, born December 18, 1946, had two children by his wife WANDA Lynn Johnson, born August 20, 1951 (deceased May 21, 2005).  They are (1) DONALD Trent Kilgore, born September 10, 1979  (deceased September 12, 1979), and  (2) KANDACE Nicole Kilgore, born October 4, 1980.  Jimmy married SANDRA Kaye Riley, born October 28, 1948.

2. KANDACE Nicole Kilgore, born October 4, 1980, married SAMMY Noel Carter, Jr., born July 16, 1977.  They have two children, CESLEY Nichole Carter, born January 29, 2008 and Wayln Isaac Carter, born August 17, 2012.

JERRY  ("JAY") Wayne Kilgore, born July 10, 1950, had two children by his wife, DEBRA Ann Balentine, born March 15, 1955.  They are (1) Jeffrey (“JEFF”) Wayne Kilgore, born August 15, 1978 and (2) KEVIN Blake Kilgore, born November 29, 1980.   

1. Jeffrey (“JEFF”) Wayne Kilgore, born August 15, 1978, married SANDY Reeves Hensley, born July 6, 1981.  They had one child, Jeffrey (“little JEFF”) Wayne Kilgore, Jr., born January 30, 2002.  “Little Jeff’s” half-sister is CARLY Beth Hensley, born March 14, 2008.   

2. KEVIN Blake Kilgore, born November 29, 1980, married LANE Everette Adams, born November 18, 1979.

 LOU ETTA KILGORE FAMILY (ROMANS)

Lou Etta (“SIS”) Kilgore, born October 31, 1906, (deceased April 10, 1986.)  was first married to GRADY Knoblet on February 1, 1925.  After a short time, the marriage was annulled.  “Sis” remarried Silas Jordan Romans who was born February 23, 1894 (deceased April 11, 1973).  He was known as “JERDY” Romans.  They had no children. 

    

DOLLY EDNA KILGORE FAMILY (GORDON/SHERER)

DOLLY Edna Kilgore, born February 6, 1909 (deceased May 4, 1993), had two children by her first husband, JOHNNY Gordon, born September 13, 1903 (deceased May 18, 1929):  JACQUELINE Gordon, born May 18, 1927  (deceased  February 10, 2007) and JAMES Armond Gordon, born November 23, 1928 (deceased February 14, 1999); one child by her second husband, Asbury Jackson (“JACK”) Sherer, born September 18, 1895 (deceased October 18, 1980): ALAN DALE Sherer, born September 26, 1937. 

 Jacqueline (“JACKIE”) Gordon, born May 18, 1927 (deceased February 10, 2007), had three girls by her first husband, RUBEN Cordes, born October 25, 1921, (deceased February 18, 1974). They are  (1) JUDY Cherlyn Cordes, born June 21, 1946, ( 2) Deborah (“DEBRA”) Ann Cordes, born June 1, 1950, and (3) PATTI Kay Cordes,  born November 1, 1958 (deceased April 16,2001).  Jackie married William (“BILL”) Gordon Gentry, born February 17, 1933 (deceased July 15, 2012). 

1. JUDY Cherlyn Cordes, born June 21, 1946, married Guy BUTCH Tatum, born April 26, 1946.  Judy and Butch had 2 children, Guy ALAN Tatum, III, born May 11, 1965, and MARK Tatum, born April 22, 1967.

Guy ALAN Tatum, III had two children by his wife, PATRICIA Lindsay: SAVANNAH Kay Tatum and JULI Danielle Tatum.   

MARK Tatum, born April 22, 1967, had one child, GREYSON Tatum, born May 29, 2009, by his wife, TANYA Arrasmith,

2. DEBORAH Ann Cordes, born June 1, 1950, had one child, CANDACE Lynn Wade, born August 18, 1967, by her first husband, Charles Wilmoth Wade, born December 8, 1944.  Deborah married Rocky Jerome Thomas (deceased).

CANDACE Lynn Wade had two children, Charles Macon Jace Wade, born June 24, 1989 and James Lawson Wade, born April 4, 1996.

3.  PATTI Kay Cordes, born November 1, 1958 (deceased April 16, 2001), married DANNY Lawson.

JAMES Armond Gordon, Sr., born November 23, 1928 (deceased February 14, 1999), had three children by his wife, MILDRED Wilson, born December 15, 1928 (deceased January 21, 2012): (1) JOHNNY James Gordon, born September 10, 1949 (deceased March 9, 2001), (2) Joey ("JOE") Franklin Gordon, born January 28, 1955, and (3) James ("JIM") Armond Gordon, Jr., born August 20, 1956.

1. JOHNNY James Gordon, born September 10, 1949 (deceased March 9, 2001), on May 26, 1972 married MIRIAM Louise Posey, born November 18, 1947.  They had two children: WHITNEY Nicole Gordon, born October 17, 1981 and JOHN GRANT Gordon, born February 25, 1984.

WHITNEY Nicole Gordon, born October 17, 1981, married DWAIN Churchill Denniston, born May 19, 1981.  Whitney and Dwain had one son, James GORDON Denniston, born April 6, 2009 and one daughter, CHARLOTTE Hill Denniston, born October 9, 2012.

2.  Joey (“JOE”) Franklin Gordon, born January 28, 1955, married on November 20, 1976, BRENDA Kay Clark, born July 26, 1954.  Joe and Brenda had two girls: JAMIE Leigh Anne Gordon, born January 2, 1978 and Laura BETH Gordon, born November 20, 1985.

JAMIE Leigh Anne Gordon, born January 2, 1978, had two children by her husband, Samuel (“SAM”) Latham Bailey, born August 16, 1979: BRAELYN Scott Bailey, born September 7, 2006, and Samuel DRAKE Bailey, born August 16, 2009.

Laura BETH Gordon, born November 20, 1985, had two children by her husband, Jeffrey LYLE Guthrie, born July 8, 1983: Alexis (“LEXI”) Guthrie, born February 18, 2002, and Camille Elizabeth Guthrie, born September 4, 2013.

3. James (“JIM”) Armond Gordon, Jr., born August 20, 1956, had one son, BLAKE Armond Gordon, born March 5, 1988 by his wife, SONYA Humphries (divorced).

ALAN DALE Sherer, born September 26, 1937 (deceased January 7, 2017), married CAROL Yvonne Key, born May 3, 1938 (deceased July 17, 2003).  Alan Dale and Carol had 1 child,  (1) PHOEBE Carol Sherer, born April 24, 1959.   Alan Dale married SONDRA Jo Andrews, born November 18, 1940.

1.   PHOEBE Carol Sherer, born April 24, 1959 married on December 14, 1991 to DONALD Eugene Lewis, born September 6, 1954.  They have 1 child, BRIDGER Alan Lewis, born March 18, 1993.

  

     

RUBY CORA KILGORE FAMILY (CHADWICK)

RUBY Cora Kilgore, born October 17, 1911 (deceased November 17, 2001), married

JOHNNY Elias Chadwick, born May 12, 1908  (deceased October 15, 1993) on May 6, 1933.  Ruby and Johnny had 4 children, William (“BILL”) Raymond Chadwick, born February 20, 1934 (deceased July 8, 2009),  Mary Elizabeth (“BETTY”) Chadwick, born January 13, 1936, BARBARA Ann Chadwick, born August 7, 1937, and NELDA Joan Chadwick, born December 19, 1940.

Dr. William (“BILL” or “BILLY”) Raymond Chadwick, D. C., born February 20, 1934 (deceased July 8, 2009), had two girls by his wife, BETTY JEAN Cox, born October 7,1938:  (1) LEAH Suzanne Chadwick, born February 25, 1965, and (2) RACHEL Elaina Chadwick, born May 19, 1974.

1.     LEAH Suzanne Chadwick, born February 25, 1965, married Glenn Patrick Graham, born November 23, 1961.  The Grahams had 2 children, SARAH Elizabeth Graham, born April 6, 1997, and William ISAAC Graham, born September 24, 1999. 

2. RACHEL Elaina Chadwick, born May 19, 1974, had one child, HALEY Rae Riggins, born May 21, 1993, by her first husband, Cecil Tyrone (“TY”) Riggins, born November 25, 1970, and five children by her second husband, Douglas MARK Tilley, born October 12, 1965: KARLI Elissa Tilley, born January 29, 2002, Kennedy (“KEN”) Clark Tilley, born July 12, 2004, MARSHALL Brennan Tilley, born February 23, 2006, Angeleah (“GIGI”) Monroe Tilley), born January 24, 2008,
and SHEPARD Tilley, born December 29, 2015.

HALEY Rae Riggins, born May 21, 1993 married Joshua (JOSH) Matthew Moses, born March 10, 1991 on September 10, 2015.

 Mary Elizabeth (“BETTY”) Chadwick, born January 13, 1936, married on December 28, 1955 to Hal Jerry Powell, Sr., born September 3, 1927 (deceased August 9, 1996).  They had one child,  (1) Carolyn Regina (“GINA”) Powell, born March 4, 1957. Betty has one step son, Hal Powell, Jr., who has one son, Michael Ross Powell, born May 8, 1983 by his wife, Sara.

1. Carolyn Regina (“GINA”) Powell, born March 4, 1957, on July 18, 1981 married Thomas (“TOM”) Wayne Lee, born August 23, 1957.  They had two children, ADAM Chance Lee, born August 21, 1984, and AUSTIN Powell Lee, born October 27, 1986.

On June 9, 2012, AUSTIN Powell Lee, born August 21, 1984 married Amy Lynn Noesser, born July 24, 1987.  They have one child, Hudson Powell Lee, born October 5, 2015.

BARBARA Ann Chadwick, born August 7, 1937, had three children by her first husband, Charles Nicholas (“NICK” or “NICKY”) Prosch, Sr, born November 17, 1936 (deceased April 25, 2011):   (1) Charles Nicholas (“CHUCK”) Prosch, Jr., born October 9, 1958,  (2) Jonathan SCOTT” Prosch, born November 20, 1960 (deceased May 1, 2011), and  (3) AMY Marie Prosch, born November 30, 1966.  On March 30, 1979, Barbara married JERRY Spencer Calloway, born October 7, 1941.  

1. Charles (“CHUCK”) Nicholas Prosch, Jr., born October 9, 1958, had two children by his wife, Dardanella LYNN Heiser, born May 18, 1957: Charles (“little CHUCK”) Nicholas Prosch, III, born August 16, 1988, and CIMARON Nicole Prosch, born June 14, 1993. 

 2. Jonathan SCOTT Prosch, born November 20, 1960 (deceased May 1, 2011), had four children by his first wife, Cynthia (“CINDY”) Seginski, born November 18, 1961: Jonathan (“JON”) Spencer Prosch, born July 7, 1988, Christopher (“CHRIS”)  Scott Prosch, born February 21, 1990, William TYLER Prosch, born July 31, 1993, and BARRETT Joseph Prosch, born October 16, 1996. 

Jonathan (JON) Spencer Prosch, born July 7, 1988  married  Cassandra Leigh Koubek, born October 9, 1989 on December 12, 2014.

3. AMY Marie Prosch, born November 30, 1966, married on May 23, 1992 to Thomas (“TOM”) Newcomb Shober, born June 17, 1963.  Amy and Tom had three children, Samantha (“SAM”) Cates Shober, born June 6, 1997 and twins, RICHARD Spencer Shober and Charles  (“CHARLIE”) Thomas Shober, born November 28, 1999.

Dr. NELDA Joan Chadwick, Ed. D., born December 19, 1940, married on January 29, 1966 to Kenneth (“KEN”) Paul Schultz, born May 20, 1939.  Nelda and Ken had three children, twins,  (1) John Chadwick (“CHAD”) Schultz and  (2) HEIDI Leigh Schultz, born September 25, 1967 and  (3) Christopher (“CHRIS”) Paul Schultz, born February 4, 1973.

1. John Chadwick (CHAD) Schultz, born September 25, 1967, on May 8, 2015, married Catherine (CATHY) Leigh Postman, born March 6, 1979.  

2. HEIDI Leigh Schultz, born September 25, 1967, married on October 6, 2001, James LEE Adams, born April 10, 1965.  Heidi and Lee had two children: twins, Norah Leigh Adams and Mason Smallwood Adams, born November 30, 2003.

JOHNIE THOMAS KILGORE 

JOHNIE Thomas Kilgore was born December 12, 1913.  At the age of 25, he died the 29th of March, 1939, as a result of a motorcycle accident.  Johnie was not married.  Additional information
may be found on Johnie in the following link: 

http://kilgorecousins.blogspot.com/2012/07/remembering-johnie-thomas-kilgore.html

     

LOIS JANE KILGORE FAMILY (MCKEEVER)

LOIS Jane Kilgore, born July 14, 1916 (deceased June 2, 2012), married CARL J McKeever, born April 13, 1912 (deceased November 3, 2007).  Lois and Carl had seven children, Ronald (“RONNY”) J Mckeever, born August 16, 1935, GLENN Dale McKeever,  born August 15, 1936 (deceased February 6, 2014), Patricia (‘TRISH”) Anne McKeever, born February 27, 1938,  Hugh Francis McKeever, born March 25, 1939 (deceased March 25, 2939), JOE Neil McKeever, born March 28, 1940, CAROLYN Sue McKeever, born May 25, 1942, and Charles (“CHARLIE”) Wayne McKeever, born  March 4, 1944 (deceased April 8, 2006).

Rev. Ronald  (“RON” or “RONNY”) J McKeever, born August 16, 1935, married DOROTHY Lavonne Steele, born August 12, 1938.  Ron and Dorothy had four children,  (1) Steven (“STEVE”) Ronald McKeever, born September 15, 1956, (2) NANCY Kay McKeever, born October 12, 1958, (3) LISA Fay McKeever, born March 26, 1960,  (4) JERROD Allen McKeever, born August 22, 1974  (adopted).

1. Steven (“STEVE”) Ronald McKeever, born September 15, 1956, married Debra (“DEBBIE”) Kay Martin, born November 29, 1955.  Steve and Debbie had two children, Steven Micah McKeever, born August 17, 1987 (deceased April 5, 2014) and Lindsay Grace McKeever, born October 27, 1990.

2. NANCY Kay McKeever, born October 12, 1958, married Michael David Streetman, born March 5, 1958. They had two children, Maci Leigh Streetman, born January 1, 1981, and Haley Beth Streetman, born August 20, 1984. 

Maci Leigh Streetman married Thomas Robert Hill III, born October 12, 1979.  The Hills had two children, Taylor Alyssa Hill, born November 30, 2000 and Bailey Cameron Hill, born October 8, 2006.  In 2012 Maci married Todd Willis.

Haley Beth Streetman married Aaron Dale Sharit, born March 23, 1981.  The Sharits had one child, Levi James Sharit, born March 24, 2011.

3.  LISA Fay McKeever, born March 26, 1960, married Jesse Paul Hollingsworth, born

July 9, 1958.  They had two children, Jessica Brooke Hollingsworth, born December 4, 1983, and Jordyn Rebecca Hollingsworth, born October 1, 1993. 

Jessica Brooke Hollingsworth married Matthew B. Morris, born June 27, 1985.   Jessica and Matthew had two children, Ciarra Isley Morris, born January 6, 2004, and Chloe Isabella Morris, born April 17, 2008.

4. JERROD Allen McKeever , born August 22, 1974, married Kerry Lynn Rhodes, born December 3, 1971.  Jerrod  McKeever has one step-son, Hunter Blake Rhodes, born May 20, 1995.

GLENN Dale McKeever, born August 15, 1936 (deceased February 6, 2014).  On January 30, 1963 married PEGGY Ann Jacobs, born September 28,  (19xx).  Glenn adopted Peggy’s children from a previous marriage and they are (1) JOHN Jacobs McKeever, born October 28, (xxxx) and  (2) MARGARET ANN McKeever, born August 8, (xxxx).

1, JOHN Jacobs McKeever, born October 28, (xxxx), had three girls by his first wife, Bitsy Hoagland:  Laynee McKeever (married a Smith), Natalie McKeever (deceased) and Olivia Kathleen McKeever.   John had one child, Silvia Ann McKeever, born June 23, 2004 by his second wife, Sheila Clem.

2. MARGARET ANN McKeever, born August 8, (xxxx), had two girls by her first husband, Bill Vineyard.  They are Wendy and Jennifer Vineyard.  Wendy and Jennifer married two Chafin brothers, Wendy to Bill and Jennifer to Bobby.  Wendy and Bill Chafin had 1 daughter, Kelly Chafin and 1 son, Bobby Chafin.  Jennifer and Johnny Chafin had 3 boys, Johnny Jr., Joey, and Jeremy. Margaret Ann McKeever’s second husband is Jimmy Taylor. 

Patricia (“TRISH”) Anne McKeever, born February 27, 1938, married JAMES Everett Phelps, born October 19, 1936.  They had two children,  (1) James (“JAMIE”) Everett Phelps, Jr., born November 15, 1958, and  (2) Deanna (“DEE DEE”) Karen Phelps, born October 6, 1960.

 1. James  (“JAMIE”) Everett Phelps, Jr., born November 15, 1958, had one child, James Daniel (“DANNY”) Phelps, born October 1, 1980, by his first wife, Melinda Gale Manasco, born January 6, 1964, and one child, Jennifer Nicole Phelps, born October 3, 1984, by his second wife, Alisa Lawson.

 James Daniel (“DANNY”) Phelps married Reagan Ashley Hodge, born August 19, 1978.  They had three children, Madison Bri Phelps, born April 6, 2000, Kaleigh McKenna Phelps, born January 20, 2004, and Payton Grace Phelps, born June 5, 2005. 

Jennifer Nicole Phelps, born October 3, 1984, had one child, Alyssa Diane Hallman, born July 30, 2004, by her first husband, Michael Hallman, and one child, Lexi Ann Hackney, born January 19, 2009 by her second husband, Billy Hackney.   

2. Deanna (“DEE DEE”) Karen Phelps, born October 6, 1960, had two sons by her husband, Robert Wallace Cagle, Jr., born October 21, 1960.  They are Joshua (“JOSH”) Todd Cagle, born April 20, 1979, and JON Wesley Cagle, born April 30, 1981. 

Hugh Francis McKeever, born March 25, 1939 and lived for only a few hours.

Dr. JOE Neil McKeever, D. Min., born March 28, 1940, married MARGARET Ann Henderson, born June 9, 1942 (deceased January 29, 2015).  They had three children, (1) Joe NEIL McKeever, Jr., born February 6, 1963, (2) John Marshall (“MARTY”) McKeever, born May 27, 1966, and (3) Carla JINOKE McKeever (adopted), born in Korea, February 9, 1969.

1. Joe NEIL McKeever, Jr., born February 6, 1963, married JULIE Ann Gatwood, born October 8, 1964.  They had three children, GRANT Waller McKeever, born May 30, 1994, and twins, ABIGAIL Rebecca McKeever and ERIN Elizabeth McKeever, born November 26, 1996.

2. John Marshall (“MARTY”) McKeever, born May 27, 1966, married Temisha (“MISHA”) Haynes Bynum, born April 16, 1970.  They had two children, Darilyn Samantha McKeever, born July 18, 1997, and John Marshall McKeever, Jr., born February 15, 2002.

3. Carla JINOKE McKeever – Peters, born February 9, 1969 in Korea (adopted by Joe and Margaret), had four children, Leah Carla Peters, born October 25, 1989, Jessica Mae Peters, born April 1, 1991,  JoAnne Lauren Peters, born November 15, 1997, and Kylie McKeever (given up for adoption), born born August 7, 2007. 

CAROLYN Sue McKeever, born May 25, 1942, married Martin “VAN” Lampman, Sr., born August 8, 1944.  Carolyn has two step-children, (1) Lisa Michelle Lampman Atcheson, born November 30, 1967 and ( 2) Martin Van Lampman, Jr., born July 2, 1973.

2. Martin Van Lampman, Jr., born July 2, 1973, married Stephanie Sligh, born November 27, 1974.  They had two children, KARLI A. Lampman, born January 25, 1999, and Martin Van (“TREY”) Lampman, III, born June 23, 2007.

Charles  (“CHARLIE” and to some, “TOG”) Wayne McKeever, born March 4, 1944 (deceased April 8, 2006), married CAROLYN Louvene Martin, born November 15, 1947. They had three children, (1) Robert PATRICK McKeever, born January 25, 1966, (2) Russell (“RUSS”) Phillip McKeever, born September 12, 1968 (deceased April 22, 2010), and (3) Christopher (“CHRIS”) Shane McKeever, born September 7, 1972.

1. Robert PATRICK McKeever, born January 25, 1966, had one child, ASHLEY LaShae McKeever, born April 1, 1986, by his first wife, Katherine Darlene Berry, and one child, HALEY Cheyanne McKeever, born June 3, 1999, by his second wife, Kimberly Sue Haley.  Robert PATRICK married Erena Alice Silva, born December 19, 1963.

ASHLEY LaShae McKeever, born April 1, 1986, had one child, Abigail  (“ABBY”) Kay Johnson, born October 16, 2010, whose father was Larry Michael Johnson, born October 16 (xxxx).  Ashley has two stepchildren, Alexis  (“LEXIE”) Lashae Johnson, born June 12, 2004 and Ethan Michael Johnson, born January 27, 2006.

2. Russell (“RUSS”) Phillip McKeever, born September 12, 1968 (deceased April 22, 2010), had one child, Charles Domnic (“NIC”) McKeever, born July 20, 1998 by his wife, MARGIE E. Willis, born September 4, 1973. 

3. Christopher (“CHRIS”) Shane McKeever, born September 7, 1972, married Cynthia DARLENE Waldrop, born January 29, 1973.  They had triplets, Sydney Erin McKeever, Katie Malia McKeever, and Logan Andrew McKeever, born March 9, 2001.

    

RUTH MAE KILGORE FAMILY (SPAIN)

RUTH Mae Kilgore, born June 23, 1918 (deceased July 5, 1983), married TED Spain, born October 9, 1916 (deceased August 1, 2004).  They had four girls: Sarah FRANCES Spain, born February 14, 1937, ANNETTE Spain, born May 24, 1940, CELIA Spain, born May 31, 1942, and JOAN Spain, born July 8, 1944.

 Sarah FRANCES Spain, born February 14, 1937, had five children: two children by her first husband, Henry Clifton Smallwood, born April 28, 1937 (deceased October 1984): (1) KATHY Lynn Smallwood, born April 11, 1956 and (2) SHARON Kay Smallwood, born October 18, 1957; three children by her second husband, Joseph Randolph Williams, Sr., born April 12, 1938 (deceased 1989): (3) DENISE Ann Williams, born February 2, 1961, and twins, (4) Joseph (“JOE”) Randolph Williams, Jr. and (5) Sandra (“SANDY”) Jean Williams, born November 30, 1963. Frances married Rudolf (RUDI) K. Walther, born February 21, 1937 (deceased 2007).

1. KATHY Lynn Smallwood was born April 11, 1956. Her husband is Douglas (“DOUG”) Morrison Cooke, born September 11, 1958. Kathy had one son, James Edward (“EDDIE”) Brown II, born March 15, 1973, by her first husband, James Edward Brown, Sr.

Eddie married Ashleigh Kristen Luck, born June 24, 1972. They had three children, Michael Evan Brown, born May 20, 1990, Haley Elizabeth Brown, born July 10, 1991, and Anna Katherine Brown, born December 4, 1993.

Michael Evan Brown, born May 20, 1990 married Rachel McDuffie, born February 18, 1991. They have one daughter, Gemma Catherine Brown, born June 25, 2013 and one son, George Evan Brown, born October 7, 2015.

2. SHARON Kay Smallwood, born October 18, 1957, is married to Billy (“BILL”) Ray Faircloth, born August 24, 1951.  Sharon had one son, KEVIN Snelson, born May 30, 1977, by her first husband, Robert Snelson, and a daughter, Kimberly Weston Shafer, born November 14, 1984 (deceased June 1, 2007), by her second husband, Charles Weston. Kimberly was married to Michael Shafer when she passed away. They had one child, TATEM Shafer, born July 26, 2004.  Grandmother, Sharon is raising her. KEVIN Snelson married to Danielle Snelson, is the father of son, LEVI Snelson, born July 28, 2014 and daughter, Elyse Abigail Snelson born in 2016.

.3. DENISE Ann Williams, born February 2, 1961, married DEAN Meyeraan.   They had two children, Brett Meyeraan and Adam Meyeraan. Adam Meyeraan and his wife, Teresa had two children, Briana and Braxton Meyeraan,

4. Joseph (“JOE”) R. Williams, Jr., born November 30, 1963, and his first wife, Leslie, had one child, CANDACE Williams, born August 2, 1987. Joey married SANDI Tau, born August 5, 1971.

5. Sandra (“SANDY”) Jean Williams, born November 30, 1963, married Douglas (“DOUG”) Wade Hill, born November 1, 1961. They had three children: Jared Hill, born September 10, 1998, Jesse Wade Hill, born October 11, 1987 and Jacob Wesley Hill, born October 18, 1990.

ANNETTE Spain, born May 24, 1940, married Milford Allen (“CHUCK”) Walters, born September 13, 1940 (deceased June 22, 1985).  They had two children, (1) Robert (“BOBBY”) Allen Walters, born January 21, 1964 and (2) Karen RENE ‘ Walters, born May 27, 1968.

1. Robert (“BOBBY”) Allen Walters had two children, Karen Annette Walters, born September 25, 1992 and Jacob Allen Walters, born February 22, 1990.

2. Karen RENE’ Walters had one child, Emily Victoria Jenkins, born March 18, 1993 by her first husband, Charles Jeffrey Jenkins, born April 8, 1969.  On June 28, 2000, Rene’ married Paul Nicholas Biddle, born January 15, 1972.

CELIA Spain, born May 31, 1942, married HARRY Rayburn Johnson, born October 4, 1928 (deceased August, 1990). They had two sons, (1) MARK Walton Johnson, born June 29, 1962 and (2) CLAY Scott Johnson, born September 28, 1963. 

1. MARK Walton Johnson, born June 29, 1962, married CRISTINA Patricia Brito, born February 6, 1967.  They had two children, Jeffrey Alexander Johnson, born August 21, 1986 and Kenneth Scott Johnson, born March 25, 1992.

2. CLAY Scott Johnson, born September 28, 1963, married Mary “Karen” Appleton, born July 13, 1965.

JOAN Spain, born July 8, 1944, married BRYANT Onzlow Irvin, born April 10, 1941.  They had three children, (1) Debra (“DEBBIE”) Leigh Irvin, born July 24, 1961,  (2) Kimberly Ann Irvin, stillborn on July 31, 1962, and  (3) JASON Bryant Irvin, born January 29, 1971. 

1. “DEBBIE” Irvin, born July 24, 1961, married Ricardo (“RICHARD”) Canez, Jr., born September 1, 1961.  They had two children, DUSTIN Richard Canez, born March 7, 1986 and Christina Joan Canez, born March 15, 1991.

3.  JASON Bryant Irvin, born January 29, 1971, married Keely Megan Quinn, born December 16, 1974.  They had two daughters, Kenly Kate Irvin, born April 2, 1996 and Evana Elizabeth Irvin, born May 14, 1998.

    

CECIL WARREN KILGORE FAMILY

CECIL Warren Kilgore, born March 24, 1921 (deceased April 12, 2012), married on March 16, 1942, Beatrice (“BEAT”) Elizabeth Manasco, born December 4, 1924.  They had five children born to them.  On November 23, 1943, the first infant son was still-born and was buried at Bennett Cemetery near his grandparents and his uncle Johnie Kilgore.  The remaining four children were JOHNNY Warren Kilgore, born December 10, 1944, James Michael (“MIKE”) Kilgore, born July 2, 1947, Rebecca (“BECKY”) Ann Kilgore, born December 26, 1948, and RICKY Deland Kilgore, born June 20, 1953.

Rev. JOHNNY Warren Kilgore, born December 10, 1944, married on January 21, 1967 to Patricia  (“PAT”) Trussell Colvin, born April 10, 1944.  They had two children, (1) Lee Elizabeth  (“LEE BETH”) Kilgore, born June 26, 1975 and (2) Dr.  John McCoy (“JOHN MAC”) Kilgore, Ph. D., born April 20, 1979.

James Michael (“MIKE”) Kilgore, born July 2, 1947, married LINDA Carol Kennedy, born December 27, 1949.  They had three children, (1) KELLY Lennee’ Kilgore, born August 9, 1974, (2) Michael SHANE Kilgore, born April 7, 1976, and (3) James RYLAN Kilgore, born July 7, 1982.

1. KELLY Lennee’ Kilgore, born August 9, 1974, married Thomas (“TOMMY”) Allen Treadwell, Sr., born July 17, 1974.  Kelly and Tommy had three boys, THOMAS Allen Treadwell, Jr., born May 13, 2002, SAMUEL Frazier Treadwell, born July 5, 2005, and JAMES Daniel Treadwell, born December 22, 2006.

2. Michael SHANE Kilgore, born April 7, 1976, had one child, Michael WILSON Kilgore, born June 4, 2005 by his first wife, ERIN Marie McKelvy, born October 18, 1975.   Shane married Melanie SHANNON Motley, born February 26, 1976.

Rebecca (“BECKY”) Ann Kilgore, born December 26, 1948, had one child, (1) JEREMY Ryan Allen, born July 26, 1976 by her first husband, Carl Leonard (“RIP”) Allen, Jr., born August 13, 1950 (deceased January 23, 2011).  On July 9, 1983, Rebecca married MABRY Belton Smith, Jr., born April 29, 1939.   Rebecca and Mabry had one child, (2) JENNY Rebecca Smith, born May 14, 1985.    

(1) JEREMY Ryan Allen, born July 26, 1976, married REBECCA Leigh Sweeney, born March 2, 1979.  Jeremy and Rebecca had three children, CAYDEN Samuel Allen, born May 20, 2009, SAWYER Wray Allen, born June 29, 2011 and GRAHAM Isaac Allen, born April 21, 2014.  

RICKY Deland Kilgore, born June 20, 1953, married Patsy (“PAT”) Ann Shubert, born December 17, 1956.  They had two girls, (1) HOLLY Bess Kilgore, born March 27, 1985 and (2) KATIE Jordan Kilgore, born September 27, 1990.  On November 5, 2011, Holly Kilgore married Christopher (“CHRIS”) Lane Prince, born July 11, 1982.  On August 3, 2013, Katie Kilgore married PATRICK Charles Connell, born May 7, 1992.

    

ALICE LORENE KILGORE FAMILY (MCKLEROY)

Alice LORENE Kilgore, born December 29, 1923 (deceased July 18, 2007), married ORDIS Laughton McKleroy, born January 22, 1923 (deceased March 7, 2012).  They had five children, MARY BETH McKleroy, born January 26, 1945, SANDRA FAYE (“SANDY”) McKleroy, born February 13, 1947,  SARA ANN McKleroy, born June 1, 1950,  SHARON Yovette McKleroy, born November 7, 1952, and MICHAEL Ray McKleroy, born December 24, 1957. 

MARY BETH McKleroy, born January 26, 1945, had two children by her first husband, David Ross Bartlow, born February 25, 1943.  They are (1) Stephen Michael Bartlow, born October 22, 1970 and (2) John  (“JOHNNY”) Albert Bartlow, born October 26, 1973.  Mary Beth married Charles MacGill Bridges III, born November 22, 1948.

1. Stephen Michael Bartlow, born October 22, 1970, married Kathryn (“KAT”) Steele Harris, born April 17, 1971.  They had one child, DYLAN Ross Bartlow, born January 24, 2011.

2. John  (“JOHNNY”) Albert Bartlow, born October 26, 1973, married Jessica Dawn Anthony, born June 17, 1979.

SANDRA FAYE (“SANDY”)  McKleroy, born February 13, 1947, had two children by her husband, Robert Lee Hunter, born September 8, 1944.  They are (1) LISA Lorraine Hunter, born April 6, 1970 and (2) AMY Marie Hunter, born January 7, 1972.

1. LISA Lorraine Hunter, born April 6, 1970, married RANDY Earl Layton, born August 9, 1964. Lisa has two step-children, Chaz Michael Layton, born November 22, 1988 and Ian Zachary Layton, born February 1, 1990.  Chaz Michael Layton married Caitlin Santiago.  They had two children, Landyn Michael Layton, born December 29, 2011 and Liam Nathaniel Layton, born November 25, 2013.

2. AMY Marie Hunter, born January 7, 1972, had one daughter, MICHELLE Lee Kanke, born December 21, 1993, with Anthony Allen Kanke, born April 26, 1968 (deceased July 7, 2000) and one son, BRADEN James Tautkus, born January 21, 2002 and adopted by Bob and Michelle Tautkus. Amy married MICHAEL Andrew Coury, born December 30, 1974.

SARA ANN McKleroy, born June 1, 1950 married Santosh Nayak, born March 6, 1946.  Sara Ann had two children by her second husband, Gregory Marchiafava,, born July 14. 1957.  They are (1) Timothy (“TIM”) Alexander Marchiafava, born September 22, 2004, and  (2 ) Rebecca Elizabeth Marchiafava, born August 22, 1983.  On September 24, 1993, Sara Ann married Lloyd Riley Milner, born September 2, 1949.



SHARON Yovette McKleroy, born November 7, 1952, had two children by her first husband, William Rakowski, born March 6, 1951.  They are (1) ELIZABETH Ann Rakowski, born January 16, 1978 and (2) JOHN Laughton Rakowski, born November 24, 1979.   Sharon married James (“JIMMY”) Claude Frick, III, born January 30, 1956.

1. ELIZABETH Ann Rakowski, born January 16, 1978, married Jonas Michael Shawanesse, born August 9, 1980.  They had two children, Jack Joseph Shawanesse, born July 22, 2004 and William Laughton Shawanesse, born December 8, 2010.


MICHAEL Ray McKleroy, born December 24, 1957, married TRACY Annette Bishop, born August 23, 1966.  They had two children, (1) Michael Laughton McKleroy, born September 16, 1985 and (2) Kelly Andrew McKleroy, born September 10, 1989.

 

A SMALL CARD WITH BIG INSTRUCTIONS

My Daddy, Cecil Warren Kilgore worked for the Alabama Forestry Commission for many years as Forest Ranger of Winston Co., Alabama.  Since his death,  April 12, 2012, we have been going through drawers, closets, clothes, and old papers discovering all kinds of kept items.  One such item is a card found among some calling cards on file entitled SALESMANSHIP FOR FORESTERS.  The instructions are appropriate for all of us and so I share them now in tribute to the way Daddy treated people and the kind of person he was.

THE ELEVEN KEYS TO DEALING WITH PEOPLE
by Eliot W. Zimmerman

1. Accept people just as they are.
2. Help people to be right.
3. Use a professional approach.
4. Be confident.
5. Put people at ease.
6. Retain your poise.
7. Be brief in conversation.
8. Be consistent, sincere, courteous, and friendly.
9. Help people to feel important.
10. Know your subject well enough to sell it.
11. Use the indirect approach.

On the back of the instructional card was a worn-off heading. All I can make out is RELATIONS POINTS TO MEMBERS with a sub-title of OVER-ALL RULES:

1. DO IT FIRST.    2. DO IT RIGHT.  3. REMEMBER THE KEYS.

A. Ask questions to win cooperation. Ask for favors, opinions.

B. Be brief to clear up trouble.  Use your ears.

C. Confidence in yourself to control others.

D. Directness to reach people.  The shortest distance between two points is still a straight line.

E. Earnestness to arouse enthusiasm.  Be sincere.

F. Friendliness to overcome opposition.

G. Good-Finding to uncover ability.  Ability withers under faultfinding and blossoms under good-         finding.

H. Harness Criticism to win cooperation, not resentment.

I. Increase self-esteem in others.  Make people feel important and they love you; unimportant, they hate you.

J. Jingle Praise to get best effort.  Give a pat on the back.

K. KNOW PEOPLE. People are interested in you only when you are interested in them.


Aren't the instructions on that small card to the point and simply stated? They remind me of the Proverbs found in the Old Testament. It would be a better world if we all would adhere to the wisdom found within each simple statement. I would sum it all up by saying we should follow the Golden Rule: "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you."  Go out and practice the KEYS.

SING-cerely,
Johnny Kilgore

Cecil Kilgore Tribute

TRIBUTE TO MY DAD (Revised)

(Eulogy written and shared by Johnny Kilgore, oldest son at the funeral, April 15, 2012. A big jug of well water and two caps were placed on top of the pulpit at the beginning of the Eulogy. An asterisk indicates additions to the Eulogy since the funeral.)

My Dad lived a long life HIS WAY.  Some people might say he was curious and peculiar because he didn’t follow the norm.  But the Bible mentions that we as Christians should be a peculiar people.  I would prefer to say that Daddy was just different in the most wonderful ways.  His way adds to the legacy of memories for his children and grandchildren.  Some adjectives that describe Dad are consistent, conservative, unchanging (emphasis on the "c"), committed, calm and caring.—all begin with “C” for Cecil. 

Not in particular order of importance I wish to share with you some of the things Dad loved.

1. Daddy loved his family.  His love for mother was not what you would call demonstrate in our eyes, but it was shown in the old fashion way.  And that was by providing a home, security, and commitment. Daddy was always there for our mother.  They were married for 70 years which speaks for itself in this day and time.  He displayed his love for his children by demanding respect and obedience.  He did not spare the rod, nor spoiled the child.  He was a consistent rock in our lives.  He saw that his family went to church and grew up in church.  All his children are personal followers of Jesus Christ and serve in churches. 
2. He loved music.  When we get together at Christmas one of the fond memories is Daddy singing “O Beautiful Star of Bethlehem” a cappella.  I can recall as a child seeing Dad play his guitar as he and mother sang a duet.  We were a musical family, singing in churches, playing instruments, playing in school bands and serving churches on staff in the area of music.  Dad encouraged studying and being involved in music.
3.  Dad loved the idea of going to school and getting that degree.  He saw that all this children attended college.  He valued schooling and what it could do for you.  Therefore, the University of Alabama, Auburn University, Jacksonville State University, Samford university, University of Alabama, Birmingham,  Auburn University, Montgomery, University of Montevalo, Middle Tennessee State University, Snead College, Beville State, Walker College, and the University of California are schools that his children and or his grandchildren have degrees from.  From Bachelor degrees, Masters degrees, and one Ph D,  Dad receives the credit for instilling in us the value of a college education.
4. Daddy loved the land.  He lived and owned the land of his Father.  He left his children the legacy of the land.  He always said it was important because they are not making any more of it.  He cared and farmed the land on the side as he worked for the Alabama Forestry Commission.  There would be a big garden, a pea patch, a cornfield, or a watermelon patch.  Daddy has left us the land and he always emphasized the importance of it staying in the family.
5. He loved work.  Daddy would create work.  He was never idle.  We knew he was sick if he was just sitting there.  He instilled a strong work ethnic in his children.  He was determined, task oriented.  He didn’t have a lot of patience with people who were lazy.  But he would do things he would not let his children do - like climbing the tin roof of Granny Kilgore’s old house at age 88.  He was a man of work always finding something to do.
6. Dad loved caps.  He has over 30 something caps in his bedroom.  Many of the caps were given to him from his nephew, Jimmy Kilgore of Kilgore Hardware and from my brother, Mike.  Dad was always sharing his caps and I have quite a few he has given me.  The last time I saw him is asked, “Do you need a cap?”  Daddy had already given me quite a few caps.
7. Daddy loved the Lord.  He was saved at a young age in a cornfield.  His salvation experience was very real and vivid.  He told us on more than one occasion that he was ready to die because he was going to go to a better place. His church membership was at New Oak Grove Freewill Baptist Church in Nauvoo, Alabama. Daddy would sit in his lounge chair next to a table and lamp reading his Bible in his private devotion.   He left us with a Christian legacy.  We each have a strong faith.  The Lord has been good to the Kilgore family.  Dad trained us up in the Lord and as we have grown older we have not departed from that teaching. 
8. * He loved this country.  Daddy served in the Army of the United States during Worship War II. He was honorable discharged in October, 1945.  He was called up that last year of the war.  His training was in Camp McCoy in Wisconsin.  He never did have to go over seas because the war was over in August, 1945.  Daddy was always concerned about the direction the country was going.  He never frowned on the amount of taxes he had to pay because he said our country needed the money in order to function.  He was always up on who was running for office in the local, state, and national elections and always went to the polls to vote for who he considered the best man for the position.  
9. * Daddy loved the Masons.  He became a Master Mason in 1947 and served for over 65 years in the Double Springs, Lamon Chapel, and Black Creek Masonic Lodges.

Of the many things Dad loved, there are things he didn’t like.  I want to share some of those with you.

He didn’t like crowds.  I’m surprised he would even showed up today for his own  funeral.   It         didn’t matter if it were a family reunion or a homecoming, after making his appearance, he would fade away.

 He didn’t like going to the doctor.  Going there might make you sick.  We could not get him to go to a doctor for any reason when it fell or when he was having problems with his throat.  He would always doctor himself.

He didn’t like taking medicine.  Therefore at Age 91, he wasn’t taking any thing.  That is something you don’t hear of this day and time.

He didn’t like fancy food.  Peanut butter and crackers were his staple.  He could put away a good banana pudding though.

He didn’t like wasting money.  He shopped for a bargain and he was very good at it.  When he bought his last car he went to various cities for the best deal and finally found it at Jim Skinner Ford in Birmingham near where I live, paying cash for it.  He didn’t like credit because it meant paying all that interest.  He was thrifty.

*The last day I saw him alive was Tuesday prior to his death on Thursday, April 12.  During the Tuesday visit, I showed Daddy my new plaid shirt jacket I had purchased from Walmart for $3.00.  He said, "You got that for $3?"  Mother was going to Jasper for a doctor's appointment.  He could not get the $3 jacket off his mind.  He asked Mother to go by Walmart to buy him a shirt like mine.  I told him he could have mine.  He said, "Oh, no, I don't want to take yours."  I told him that I purchased two jackets and that he could have this one because I didn't need two.  That satisfied him.  At the end of my visit, I mentioned that I was leaving him the plaid shirt jacket because I don't need it.  He was pleased.  But personally, I don't know if Daddy like the shirt jacket or if he liked the idea it only cost $3.  It was quite a bargain.  Daddy never got to wear the shirt before he died.  

He didn’t like calling on someone else fixing things around the house when he could do it himself.  He was very good at fixing things.  He even would tell a professional plumber how to put in a toilet because he could do so much.

He didn’t like “city water.”  Water was important to him.  His day, my grandfather was a jack of many trades—one was digging wells.  On many an occasion Daddy would talk about the different wells we have had through the years.  He attributed his good health to drinking good well water.  He would carry his well water with him to work.  He would provide us his well water in plastic jugs.  There was a ritual in drawing the well water. This will be one of our fond memories because we did this together in the last years of his life.

* He didn't like litter on the roadways.  He would walk a mile on both sides of Winston County Road 21 in front of the old home place, picking up trash that people discarded.  He would easily get two bags full of trash from that road side.  His back problems did not deter him, even at age 90 from picking up the trash. He had a special tool he used to assist him, but he still had to bend over low to the ground. Picking up the trash was very important to him and one the activities he made sure was done.  It was something we did together in his last year of his life for which I will always remember.
  

Daddy left us with many wonderful memories.  He was a good Daddy.  He was a man of reason, a man of integrity and a man of determination and strength.  He is loved by his children. 

I wish to thank New Oak Grove Freewill Baptist Church, Pastor, Brother Mickey Crane for all the church has done.  I wish to thank all those connections through the relationship of the children, my church, Ridgecrest Baptist Church of Trussville, my sister’s church, New Prospect Baptist Church in Jasper, my brother, Ricky’s place of work, and my brother, Mike’s connections through his work at ALFA for all the kindnesses shown.  But most of all I want to thank my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ for what He has done for this family.  The Lord has blessed us so during Daddy's life and now in Daddy’s death.

I sign off now.  The oldest son, Johnny Kilgore

MY AUNTS, MY UNCLE, & MY DAD

Uncle Grady and my Dad, Cecil were surrounded by female siblings.  Because Lou Etta was the oldest, she was called "Sis" by all.  She was much like a second mother to all of her brothers and sisters.   She was a very good mother, too. 

During one of our visits to Muscle Shoals, Alabama, Sis gave the Cecil Kilgore family a beautiful Samoyed puppy.  We named the dog, Snowball because it looked like a snowball--white, round, and soft.  The dog grew into a beautiful animal and enriched our lives.  We were heart-broken when Snowball was killed as a result of chasing a car down the road in front of Granny Kilgore's house.  Sis's generosity and the love of a dog,  gave us many playful and precious childhood experiences that I will never forget.

Aunt Dolly was always a gracious host and a wonderful cook.  Not long after my wife, Pat and I married, we met up with Mother, Daddy, Ricky and Rebecca at Aunt Dolly's house.  Pat and I had just come from a big dinner and were not very hungry at all.  Dolly was insistent that she prepare some food for the family, and of course, us too.  She fixed hotdogs with all the trimmings. I forced one hotdog down.  My wife being resourceful took the hotdogs, wrapped them in a napkin, and placed them in her purse. Aunt Dolly didn't know and we thought it quite humorous.

Aunt Ruby lived in the big city which I wrote about in a previous blog post.   There was a time when Uncle Johnny and Aunt Ruby decided to move.  They moved to Crestwood in another part of Birmingham, but further from the city center.  I can recall Aunt Ruby telling us about the swimming pool in her backyard.  Not ever seeing the pool, the backyard, nor the house itself, I imagined a "Hollywood pool" setting.  At some later point, we did visit their new home and to my surprise, there was the swimming pool--a Walmart wading pool for little kids.

Aunt Lois was a home body who made her home warm and inviting.  I can recall the day that her home burned to the ground, and nothing was savaged except a big family Bible which came out of the ashes.

It was a sad day, but the Bible was a sign of God's providence.  Friends and neighbors assisted, and the home was built back bigger and better. I can recall all the animals around that "bigger and better house,"  especially the guinea hens and the tame turkeys freely roaming the backyard around the old well.  There was always something going on around Aunt Lois' house, and most of the time it involved her kitchen stove and sitting around the big dinner table.

Aunt Ruth loved to laugh.  She always had a joke to tell because she enjoyed the funny things in life. I can recall when Aunt Ruth and Ted first moved to Guntersville, Alabama they lived in a house located on a high cliff overlooking the road that went to the Guntersville State Park.  There was no yard, just a dropoff.  It was safer in the house than outside.  Ruth cooked us a wonderful dinner during the visit.  There was one catch to the menu--She and mother attempted to tell us children that the meat was country fried steak smoldered in gravy.  I took one bite and spit it out.  It was liver!

Aunt Lorene was the baby of the family.  She lived in Birmingham during my teenage years and then she and the family moved to Miami, Florida.  My dad let me visit Aunt Lorene's home in Eastlake for an entire week one summer. I experienced a real "Hollywood" swimming pool--the Cascade Plunge. That was the biggest swimming pool I had ever seen.  It was like something you only saw in the movies.  There were people everywhere.  The experience was definitely different from swimming in creeks and water holes of Winston County.

My "one moment memories" of the Kilgore sisters move on now to the two boys--Grady and my dad, Cecil.  Grady was a working man.  My dad was a working man.  Both men, the oldest and the youngest, had very similar traits.  The one exception is that Grady also knew how to relax.  My dad's relaxation was working.  

My "one moment memory" of Grady is his staying away from home to work on the railroad and when he got home there were cores to do around the house.  I recall his plowing the field with his old mule.  He liked to share the chocolate cakes that his wife, Nettie made for the family.

My Dad's memory is quite different than what you would know and expect of him.  There was a time when we did not go to church on Sunday nights. One Sunday night, my brother, Mike, and I begged Daddy to take us to church, but to no avail.  I had a little pedal car at the time, so we told our parents that we would just go to church any way and we would go in the pedal car.  It didn't matter to us that it was nighttime and it was very dark outside.  We were probably 5 and 7 years old at the time.

Daddy told us to go ahead, and so we did!  I would pedal a while and Mike would be behind the little car pushing.  Then Mike would pedal while I pushed.  As we were approaching Granny Kilgore's house, Mike and I saw a faint figure down the road ahead of us.  We could not make the figure out, but it was making some scary sounds.  Instead of running away, we pressed on down the road, pushing and pedaling.  We soon saw the figure clearly--a ghost, white sheet and all.  We just pedaled faster and pushed harder, hoping to quickly pass the ghost so we could get to church.  The ghost, seeing that we were not changing course, took the white sheet off, and said, "Come on, boys!  Let's go back home."   It was Daddy. We turned the little car around and headed home, relieved that the ghost was friendly, but disappointed that we had not been able to get to church!

In summary, our life has been enriched through the visits and the meals shared around the tables of the John and Sarah Kilgore children--my aunts, my uncle, and my dad.  I have been blessed to have such a family.  

  

A Tree

There is a well known poem written by Joyce Kilmer (1886-1918) entitled TREES.
The poem goes like this.

I think that I shall never see
A poem lovely as a tree.


A tree whose hungry mouth is prest
Against the earth's sweet flowing breast;


A tree that looks at God all day,
And lifts her leafy arms to pray;


A tree that may in summer wear
A nest of robins in her hair;


Upon whose bosom snow has lain;
Who intimately lives with rain.


Poems are made by fools like me,
But only God can make a tree.


Many of us recall the stately and majestic trees on Papa and Granny Kilgore's old home place.  The enormous old oak trees that graced the landscape around the old house were beautiful.  They also served as shade through the years and even recreation as we swung from a rope in a rubber tire hanging from one of the large branches.  Just as we have gotten older with our aches and pains, so likewise, the trees of our childhood have resulted in signs of old age.

Over two years ago the worst happened when the large tree closest to the old house split open and a hugh part of it landed on the tin roof of the back portion of the house where the old kitchen was originally .  The structure was not damaged, but the roof sure was.  When I heard the news, I was heart-broken.  At first, my Dad mentioned burning the house down, but after some discussion and persuasion, he agreed to have someone cut the tree up and then repair the tin roof.

You can see the evidence of that great tree because the base remains next to the house.  Though the tree had looked strong, it was truly weak.  The tree was infested with carpenter ants and had a hollow inside core.  This can also be true with people's lives.  Just know that only God can make a tree.  Certainly it is God who can only make our hollow lives, full and complete.  Trees are a part of God's creation and do point to Him.  But even more so, our family is also God's creation and I pray we all will point to Him.  I leave you with that thought.

CHILDHOOD MEMORY OF VISITING THE BIG CITY

One of the greatest comedians of all time, Bob Hope would end his TV shows with the song, "Thanks for the Memories."  Memories hold images of our past, both good and bad. They are also more than just images.  They are our "back to the future."

I have asked on our recently established "Kilgore Cousins Facebook Group Site" to reflect on  the past at Granny and Papa Kilgore's old home place.  Some cousins have written about their thoughts around Uncle Grady, Granny and Papa Kilgore, and the farm (in Winston County) on what was Route 3, Nauvoo, Alabama during my growing up years, but reassigned as  Winston County Road 21 in recent years.   Different addresses; same location.   Today, County Road 21 becomes Poplar Springs Road when crossing the  Winston-Walker county line.  Same road, different designations.   We as people traveling down the same road have different memories which project on our mental movie screens.  The old gospel song, "Precious Memories" speaks of how they linger and flood our soul.

I share with you one such memory as a young boy from the country visiting the big city. Being from Nauvoo and never going anywhere far from home, it was always a special treat to go to the big city of Birmingham to visit relatives. Birmingham was a different world from my simple life in the country.

Old Birmingham Highway, US 78 was a two lane road filled with curves and extremely different from our present age of interstates and straight four lane roads.  To a young boy, it seemed to take all day to get to the big city.  When the family got there,  it was evident that life was different.   My eyes took it all in.   So many cars, all traveling so fast --  the electric street cars in the middle of the streets filled with passengers going to work or going shopping --  the sky reflecting a flaming red color on the night sky,  filled with smoke both day and night.

My sight was not the only sense actively taking it all in.  My nose took in the smell of  the city as well.  The scent of gas exhaust from all the cars -- the smell of factories producing pig iron -- and in contrast, the sweet fragrance of fresh bread being baked down the street.

All the differences, except the fresh bread (there was a store down the street with fresh bread), went away when we arrived at 16th St., North Birmingham to visit Uncle Johnny, a big city policeman and my Aunt Ruby, one of daddy's sisters.  This was the home of my cousins, Billy, Betty, Barbara, and Nelda. Whether right or wrong, I looked up to them because they were my big city cousins.

The Chadwick home was beautiful.  It was a multi-level dwelling.  The top level, flush with the front street,  was home to renters which supplemented the family income.  The renter's entrance was in the front of the house at street level where the side walk was.  The middle level was partially under ground with its entrance on the side. There were windows above ground on this level to let the natural light in. The steps to this entrance had four or five descending steps with a retaining wall on each side.  This middle level is where Uncle Johnny, Aunt Ruby, and my cousins lived.  Then the bottom level was a basement which you could not see from the front or the side, but was completely above ground from the the back of the house. When Billy was older the basement became his bedroom and living area.  It was like a "man cave."  Basements were foreign to me, and it was as though I was going deep underground into a cave as I descended down the circular stairs into a large space where Billy lived.

As you can tell, my Aunt and Uncle's home was so different from the small one level farm house I lived in. One eye-catching difference was the side yard with its beautiful flowers and shrubs.  A landscaped yard was something we didn't have in the country.  But the main feature catching the eye was the fish pond filled with goldfish and  green lacy water plants.  Another difference from my small house was the actual size of  Aunt Ruby and Uncle Johnny's living space.  I recall the living room with its nice furniture.  It was a room we only passed through to get to the rest of the house.  There was the wall-to-wall built in china cabinet and high ceiling of the formal dining room.  The family gathering place was in the kitchen area and a small room off from it. I don't recall much about these spaces.  I do remember that for one of our meals Aunt Ruby fed us the tastiest hot dogs with frozen orange juice concentrate, water added and mixed to drink.  It was the first time I ever had frozen orange juice.

As I grew older, my world enlarged and my view of things expanded.  I discovered even with the differences we experience, life is made richer because of our differences and the different places we live.  I now live in the big city of Birmingham.  The home in which I live has a basement that is totally underground.  What was new and big has now become common place.  But there is one thing that bridges the gap between childhood and present day -- country and city  -- MEMORIES.

Johnny Kilgore, contributor