Chapter 12 - Children
David
David in the 10th grade
David, the oldest, is old enough to remember life at Tuttles. A project he and Jeff had there was feeding young calves I had bought at auction when only a day old. The calves were in a small shelter I had built. David would often get up to feed his calf before Mary Ellen and I were awake. Sometimes he would lock himself out of the house. He would wake us up to let him back in. After this happened a few times, we told him that if he locked himself out again to hoe the weeds in the garden until we were up. The next morning we woke up to see him hoeing weeds in the garden.
Of course, David and Jeanie went to public school while we were in Massachusetts. One day David came home all upset because the teacher reprimanded him for saying, “Yes Mam” in answer to a question. In the North, “Mam” is reserved for black ladies. I wonder what would happen if he said; ”Yes Sir” to a man teacher?
David was able to bring a pony, Spark, to NC. His Granddaddy Myers had given it to him before we left VA.
While David was 14 years old, he had saved money from working in tobacco and bought a 1930 Model A Ford. It would run, but it was pretty much a basket case. By time he was 15 and had his driver’s license, he had taken the car apart, repaired, reassembled and painted it.
Some old cars David collected Like myself, David has worked many jobs. While in high school he worked in tobacco, at a restaurant and as a carpenter‘s helper.. He has worked as a helper setting up mobile homes and set up a business, with a friend, doing just that. He was unable to get through the red tape for a permit to move wide load mobile homes. He and his partner had already bought a tow truck for that purpose. His partner’s name was also “David” so they called their business “Davids’ Mobile Home Service”. It just didn’t work out. Other ventures of David were setting up mobile homes in Florida, hauling tires to South Carolina for Whites Tire Service, driving tractor-trailer for Hackney Truck Bodies and other companies before buying his own Tractor and leasing to Legon of Kentucky. David with his truck and rented trailer
The truck was old and costing more in repairs than he made. He gave it up and started doing carpentry work with his friend, Lee Smith. He later went out on his own and is now building barns, decks, garages, etc. He has one helper, Greg Batts. He has had other helpers that did not pan out. David keeps busy and seems to be doing quite well. David’s first marriage didn’t work out. He later married his high school sweet-heart and previous neighbor, Ruth Ann Holster. Her first marriage failed, also. Ruth Ann is a nurse at Wilson Memorial Hospital and raises goats, on her small farm, for a hobby. She has about 50 goats, all with names and they are all pets. Neither David or Ruth Ann have any children. Ruth Ann and some of her goats
Jeanie
Jeanie, about 12 years old
Instead of working in tobacco, as the other children did, Jeanie did baby-sitting especially with Tammy Tant who had Cystic Fibrosis and was about 6 years old. Jeanie did very well in high school and only needed English to graduate after her Junior year. She was able to use college English for her high school diploma - thus, she enrolled in Appalachian State University in Boone, NC after her junior year in high school. Jeanie at ASU
Jeanie has always been a dedicated Christian. She once said that she wanted to be a missionary. (She is now very much an unofficial home missionary). While at ASU she became involved with a church that encouraged her missionary desire. She met David McDaniel there, whom she later married. Jeanie transferred to Mayland Tech. at Spruce Pine, NC and studied Child Care. I let Jeanie use my 1973 Hornet for transportation while at Mayland. The car had over 100,000 miles on it. She polished it up so it looked new. One of her friends noticed the odometer and commented, “Only 6,000 miles. It is new!” After Mayland Tech., Jeanie wound up in Southern Pines, NC, staying in a boarding house sponsored by Calvary Memorial Church. David McDaniel was a member of that church, by now, too. Needless to say, they married. Bill, Mary Ellen, Jeanie, David, Joyce Rose (David’s Mother), Olive Myers (my mother)
The union of Jeanie and David has led to a large and wonderful family of nine children. After several moves, they now live in Albemarle, NC. Jeanie home schools her children. The oldest, Kristen, has graduated from Bob Jones University in Greenville, SC. The whole family is very active in Cornerstone Baptist Church. The boys are active in Little League baseball.
Alyssa, Leah, Stefan, Kristen, Cara Beth Jeff His 3rd grade picture
Jeff liked to eat bananas, read catalogues and stand on his head under water. I said I would like to see him do them all at the same time. He learned to ride the unicycle by holding onto a limb of the apple tree. Once, before I-95 was open past Wilson, Jeff was riding his unicycle across US-301 to get a soft drink at the convenient store. Traffic was so heavy he had to wait in the median for a while. He rode in circles while motorists threw quarters to him. Jeff also had a pony that he enjoyed. Music was his thing. He played the trumpet in the school marching band. He still plays keyboard and guitar with a group most Friday evenings. Jeff worked in tobacco and later in restaurants, including the Wilson Country Club. He learned some gourmet cooking. Jeff, in the Air Force
After several years in the air force servicing flight simulators, Jeff did service work and later programming for several companies. Sheila & Jeff at their wedding ceremony
He married a co-worker, Sheila Howell, and started a computer sales, service and software business together. The business didn’t take off too good and soon folded. While working for a company in Rocky Mt, NC, Jeff developed a program for remote fueling stations that received much recognition. The copyright is in Jeff’s name. The program is widely used throughout the US. Jeff and Sheila now live near Kenly, NC with their two Labrador Retrievers. Rusty & Sandy
Nancy
Nancy in 1st grade
Nancy is a Tomboy. She would play ball with the boys and climb trees. She also learned to ride the unicycle. We usually had a wading pool. As the children got older, we put in a 15’ X 40’ above ground pool. Swimming was Nancy’s thing. Once I stopped counting after she had swum 100 laps. The Elm City Basketball Team came for a Swimming Party.
You can tell from the picture that Nancy was a basketball player in high school. In fact, as I mentioned earlier, one of her team mates bought our house. Elm City High School changed to a Middle School the year Nancy was a senior. She had to go to Fike High School in Wilson. It wasn’t the same. Nancy didn’t like it. After High School, Nancy took a beach job on the NC Outer Banks. Her job as waitress was unappealing to her but she loved the beach. She got a puppy from the dog pound to give her company and another interest. The dog tag number was 007, so she named her Spy. Nancy & Spy
Later, Nancy moved to Southern Pines - to the same boarding house Jeanie had lived in. There, she met Tommy Wall. She trained to be a Respiratory Therapist, married Tommy and worked in a hospital in Fayetteville, NC. Nancy & Tommy Wall
Tommy worked in the construction industry, sometimes for himself. They moved around some, including to Elm City. Nancy continued to work, (and still does) sometimes part time, in a hospital near where they lived. Her last move was to Grandville, MI where Tommy had friends living near by. They have four children, Sandell, Karen, Travis and Kevin.
David, Jeanie,
Nolan, Chase, Hope, Braden,
Karen, Sandell, Tommy, Nancy,
Travis & Kevin.