Kay Manning (Elrod)

As we get older we might feel we aren't needed so much anymore. I wanted to share a story that happened yesterday that made me realize everyone needs someone and we should try a little harder to reach out to people.  We have new neighbors - a very young couple from California with a 4-month old baby girl.  When they moved in a few weeks ago we went over to meet them, as did several of the other neighbors. We took them some vegetables from the farmers market in a basket we purchased at Harris Teeter. They were so happy to be settled in the neighborhood where they have met several couples their age.  While I was out of town this past week, she returned the basket which my husband accepted. Neither party knew whether it was meant to be a gift to the new couple.  Yesterday, I took the basket back to her and told her it was meant for her. They could keep toys in it or even diapers. She thanked me then began to tell me how she had to call our other neighbor last week to come help her. Her baby was upset and wouldn't stop crying and she, the mom, had to eat something or she was going to pass out. She began to cry. Her husband travels with his job, she is out here in NC without any family or friends, the air conditioner had broken down (it was extremely hot in her house), and she doesn't know where to go or how to get there in this big city.  She said she just didn't know what to do that day. She thanked me several times and said she felt much better.  It was clear to me that she was very anxious and sad and I had not even thought about how lonely she must feel. I offered my help in any way I could and told her to reach out at any time when she was feeling sad or helpless. I would be happy to show her around town. We often say those words, but rarely back them up. I vow to check on her frequently and make sure she has what she needs. Friendship is a gift at any age. Let us all be aware that someone needs us.

George Crow

Well done, Kay.  A Good Samaritan you are indeed.  Real love cares--with listening hearts & friendly feet.

Kay Manning (Elrod)

Thank you George. That means the world to me coming from you. I get sad thinking about her. There were some lonely times when my little girl was a baby and my husband traveled. Planning a day was unheard of, something would always happen to change the plans. It was hard to find time to eat and sleep was elusive. Bless her heart - she is so young and I'm sure somewhat frightened by all the change in her life these past few months. But I tell you, that baby is a little precious budda baby!

D. Anne Bagley (Elliott)

This story is so familiar. thirty five years ago we moved to Kingwood,Tx, our second move to Houston.

I was very homesick for RH family and friends.

Two gals were walking and asked me to join them . I boo hood the entire walk,and they took me into their friendship that day . Thirty five years later we are best friends and along with three others we have girls weekend every quarter,we are the Middle Creek 6, named for our old street.

Good job Kay 

Kay Manning (Elrod)

Thanks Anne. I think all of us mothers have been in her shoes. Our papas have probably felt as lonely being away and not being able to help. Friends are made by shared experiences. It would be great if we all could be connected to those who share our experiences, but I find it hard to know how to meet them in our shut-in/shut-out society. Thanks for sharing your story.

Jimmy Vick

The ways things should be, but usually are not!! I spent most of my young years in a little country area (Van Wyck) and it was automatic that if you needed something the neighbors were much closer than the store, that's the way it was. My sister and I had picked blackberry's all day one day and had 4, 1gal buckets & the scratches to prove it. We were walking down the road when a not so well liked(by us kids) neighbor stopped and gave us a ride home. She said I need 3 of those buckets & gave us a quarter and said thanks. I was happy as that would buy more Jacks Cookies than I could eat in a week. I took the other gallon to another neighbor that always had cookies & other treats for us(sometimes just a cold drink of water). and gave them to her, she said what did you do with the rest of them I saw you walking down the road with 4. I have a church bazar next week and could really use them. We proudly told her we sold them to Mrs Thomas for a quarter. She said get in the car, so we did thinking she was going to go and buy them. We pulled into the yard and Mrs. Thomas came to the car with a dollar bill.........she knew why Aunt Sweetie had brought us. Neighbors didn't let anyone mess with the kids.  

George Crow

Now that's a great story, Jimmy!  Thanks for sharing.

Kay Manning (Elrod)

Jimmy: Blackberries, church bazaars, Aunt Sweetie - I can taste those pies now. Great story! Great memories.  Our neighborhood is much like that in the fact that we watch out for each other. There are 40-year-old kids who once lived here that still call me "Old Lady Elrod".   When our children were small or teenagers we all would "turn them in" to their parents for all kinds of stuff. Once my across-the-street neighbors' boys and the two-doors-down neighbors' boys were caught smoking pot down at the creek behind my house.  My daughter and the neighbors on the other side who have a daughter her age - they would sneak out of the house at night and do whatever they would did. They certainly were "turned in". That girl still hates me, but she's not in jail and she is alive and well. They all were turned in for speeding down the road because other neighbors had smaller children they feared for.  It takes a village as they say.  I like your world better with the pies and Aunt Sweetie - scratches and all!

David Sealy

Brings back some great memories Jimmy and Anne. My wife, Wylie Ann, is from Chester and we have taken the Chester News and Reporter for 48 years. She would relish every single word of print every time to just stay connected to her roots. We raised our children in Norfolk Virginia, Virginia Beach, Barbers Point Hawaii, Groton Connecticut, Gautier Mississippi, Goose Creek SC, Summerville SC, Mandan North Dakota and Rock HIll. 

It is good to be home in Rock Hill. I didn't plan it that way. It is a God THING. Praise God.

Now I do most of my visiting with some of my children, grands and great grands on Facetime and Facebook and the occassional road trip. 

I am taking Caleb and Miah picking muskydines and scuppydines this Saturday. Making memories with the great grands before they don't have time for me anymore.

Thomas Carter

David:

You have us beat. We raised 4 kids in Columbia SC, Henderson KY, Albuquerque NM, Stratton Me. Covington Va. and Las Vegas, NV. I am currently working in Beulah ND.

Jimmy Vick

Still beats you Thomas, but in fairness looking at David's towns he was a career US Navy man-which is great, but also forced moves...........and my bet a Bubble Head also. I was an Airdale the reason I guess this

ABSOLUTELY NOT TAKING AWAY FROM YOUR GREAT SUCCESS AT RAISING A FAMILY. In fact, bragging on it as any carear military person knows, all those moves are extremly hard on children!!!!

David Sealy

Thank you Vets for your service. You are correct Jimmy. I spent 4 years on surface craft, 3 years at CINCPACFLT staff, 10 years on Submarines and 7 years teaching and school adminitration at FBMSTC and SUBTRAFAC CHASN. Retired in 1990 and worked as a Bi-vacational Church planter for the South Carolina Baptist Convention and then as a missionary in North Dakota in Mandan and the Standing Rock Indian Nation. We have been home since 1999 serving Calvary Baptist Church in the country outside of Chester SC. We live in Rock Hill.

David Sealy

Oh yeh, Arthur Vick served with me in Chester at Wesley UMC

Jimmy Vick

As a not-to-common name, most people with the name Vick from this area are at least distant kin. I don't know Arthur, but with a last name like that he almost certainly was a fine man(hehehe). Most of my family came from the Lancaster/Pageland area.

Becky Armstrong (Helms)

Everyone,

Below is an email message to me about Sadie Maree Therrell's obituary sent from Cheryl Bumgarner Pope. We would like to make sure this is our fellow classmate before adding the information to our in memory section. Does anyone recall Sadie and when she passed away? If you know anything about Sadie, please post it here or email me directly.

Thanks,

Becky

******************************************************************

Message from Cheryl to me:

Hi Becky,

Kenneth Reid Hinson

I remember Sadie as a very loving young lady. She called me Sky King because at that time i was taking pilot lessons in Rock Hill. I have often wondered what happened to her and this is a shock and a heartache to hear that she has passed on.  She always had an eye on me in school and I have never forgotten her beauty and smile to me. God has her now in His hands.     Ken Hinson

Ruth McAteer (Lockridge)

I remember Sadie Mae.  Her last name (maiden) was Marie.  She went to Ebenezer Ave. Elem. School and graduated from there same year I did.  She had one sister.  She (Sadie Mae) died of brain hemorrhage, I believe.  I remember being so shocked when I heard because she was so young.  She lived in the Arcade Victoria Mill area.

Ruth McAteer (Lockridge)

Becky,  Can you post the obit for Sadie Mae?  I searched for it when I heard about her passing but could never find it.

Becky Armstrong (Helms)

Ruth and Ken, thanks for your messages. It appears this is our Sadie so I will post the obit soon.

Also, Terry Wingate just lost his wife. He has not joined our website but if anyone would like to send him a card, here is his address:

Rev. Terry Wingate

1039 Norman Drive
Rock Hill, SC 29732

Nancy Arnold Noel was able to go to the visitation on Friday.

Thanks,

Becky
 

Becky Armstrong (Helms)

All,

We owe Randie and Jean  and their families a big apology. We had both classmates listed in the In Memory section. This has been corrected. Thanks to Cheryl Bumgarner Pope for communicating with family members and setting the records straight.

I thought some of you would want to know the good news that they are still with us. Also, we are posting an update on Jean in Prayers & Gratitude regarding her health.

Becky

9/1/2015 Email:

Hi Becky,

I talked with Kathy Hall (Smart), again. She said it would be alright to request prayer for Jean Wolfe (Smart). She said most people know her situation with the stroke.

Also, I talked to Randie Lorene Warren's (Fisher) brother. She is not deceased.  Randie is listed "In Memory" under "Deceased Year Unknown"   and in "Bearcat Profiles"; it indicates that she is deceased.  I'm wondering if someone got her mixed up with her sister, Ricki. Ricki was killed in an auto accident in January, 1966, but she was not in our class.  

Cheryl

Kay Manning (Elrod)

This one is for the girls; however, some of you guys may feel the same. 

In our search for our classmates it disturbs me that the women are lost forever.  If they are not using their maiden names there is really no way to find them.  If a woman has married multiple times you can forget ever finding her. Why can't we have just the one name throughout our lives?  Why must we give up our identity when we marry?

Cheryl Pope (Bumgarner)

Good point, Kay. I tried to get my husband to change his last name to Pope when we married. But as you can see, that didn't happen. lol

Kay Manning (Elrod)

Thanks Cheryl for your comments. I wonder if you and Joe have shared one of these conversations. (This has nothing to do with the previous subject of last names.)  This happens to us all the time. Obviously, one of us is losing HIS hearing.

Me:  "Honey, Simpson's is setting up the pumpkin patch at Carmel Commons."

Him:  "They're selling what at Costco?"

In all fairness to him, I was in the other room when I shouted that at him.  The fact is, we don't need TV or the funny papers to amuse ourselves.

Kay Manning (Elrod)

About names:  It's not only bad to lose your identity when you marry by having your last name stripped from you, sometimes the first name gets a little confusing too.  For the longest time after marrying my sweet husband I thought my first name was "Ruth", but I could not for the life of me remember anyone else calling me that in the past.  He was getting used to going by "Paul" until one day we decided to go generic. We have been happily married for 30 years now and quite comfortable with our generic names - honey, sweety, old man, old lady (the latter used on days when we are out of sorts).

Cheryl Pope (Bumgarner)

The hearing problem is true with us, also. When we're out in public, my husband is always saying,"what did he/she say". The funniest is when he doesn't hear me. He says, "what mam". Oh, the good times of getting "older". You noticed I said, "older" not "OLD".