My Family

Charlotte's Web Site

I have always believed in the value of personal relationships and that your family is the most important relationship anyone can have. I was the youngest of four children -- the only girl. We always had family time and later on--family reunions. When you needed someone to help you could always count on your family to be there for you! I would proudly like to introduce you to my family.

The picture collage, above, captures the memory of two beautiful people in my life -- my fantastic parents. I would not be the person I am today without the security of their endless love, morals & values and their wonderful personalities, sense of humour and passion for life. I miss them every day of my life. They have left a large void in my life.

MY MOTHER was always there for me to support me anyway she could. We did so many memorable things together and always had a great time going to garage sales`shopping, traveling, camping, music festivals. We laughed together and could always count on one another to share good times and bad. Mom was an excellent seamstress and made most of my clothes. She is mostly known for her beautiful hand-made quilts.

My beautiful mother, Irma, was born in Xenia, Kansas in 1920. She died at the age of 79 in her home on September 28th , 1999 in Emporia, Kansas the consequence of cancer.

DAD -- My comedic father was a fun loving man for many years. He was always talking to people and telling jokes. He had an infectious laugh. He spoiled me in a good way. My dad use to play games with me and taught me how to have fun. My father taught me to dance because he and mother were excellent dancers and loved music. He could always be heard playing his harmonica, whistling or humming a tune. Dad loved to watch baseball -- his favorite team was the Cubs. My father loved the outdoors and would rather sit on his front porch than stay in the house. He always knew what was going on in his neighborhood. My loving father, Raymond, was born in Bronson, Kansas in 1918. He died at the age of 82 in Emporia, Kansas at the Holiday Resort nursing home on April 13th, due to congestive heart failure.

BUFFORD - My only living brother is a big-hearted, guy who would give the shirt off his back. Like my family, makes friends easily and has a fun-loving personality and an ability to make people laugh. He's a natural entertainer (known to wear costumes and clown around). My memories with him are of spending time on his farm in Kansas where he has held "oldtime" music festivals, hunting for wild strawberries or "tar babies" in the pasture, fishing in his pond, feeding cows, traveling together in his camper bus he converted and riding around on his Moped.

MAX -- the youngest of my three older brothers. Max a.k.a. "Puckett" was 13 years older than me. He use to tease me mercilessly but I loved it! It was his way of showing how much he loved you. He was more quiet than the rest of the family but when he had something to say you would know it. He always reminded me of my hero John Wayne. He was known for joking, teasing and playing quiet little tricks on you, he loved his wife, kids and grandchildren and football. Cancer took him in March of 1995.

HAYLIE and COLEY, my blessings. This picture was taken when they danced together at my wedding.

My daughter has a remarkable, hidden creative side of her...very artistic and a gift for being straight-forward. She has a beautiful spirit and a compasionate heart. Though we live miles apart use to talk on the phone every week, now the cost of long distance has limited our conversations but we are very close. Having your daughter for your bestfriend means you can now talk about anything and encourage each other. She has lived in a variety of interesting places: Hawaii , Colorado, Texas and currently lives in Kansas.

My son is one of the funniest people I know personally. He has a talent to make people feel comfortable and at ease; a charmer, compassinate with a giving, loving spirit. Famous with his family and friends as an entertainer of impersonations.

COLEY is married and living in Vancouver, Washington with his wife, Fawn. He is building his career in the coastguard. Coley has grown into an excellent young man following his dreams. I know I can always count on Coley to be there for me. He is a good husband to Fawn. She has been going to college and has a steady job also. They have a dog named Sierra.

Dedicated to the memory of two wonderful people, my parents Ray & Irma - married 62 years.

Irma left this world Sept 28, 1999. Ray followed just six short months after. He died of a broken heart. He didn't know how to go on without his "Irmy". They had been together since they were kids. We will miss them always and forever until that day when we see them again in Paradise.

MY MOTHER was the second oldest of 7 children. She grew up knowing hard work and how to care for others. I'm sure by the stories of her life, she knew how to be a mother at an early age. Kids those days were usually born at home and not in a hospital. In fact, the oldest probably helped deliver babies at an early age. Mom knew how to cook, clean, raise children, milk cows, feed pigs and basically work the farm.

Mom was born at home on the farm. She was delivered by old Doc Cummings and her grandmother, Emma Meek. When Mom was born she already had a two year old sister, Ione, waiting there. She already lost a baby brother who only lived seven months. She was 1 1/2 years old when her sister, Bonnie, was born, delivered at home 15 minutes before the doctor arrived.   Mom was three years old when her brother, Junior, was born.  My grandmother gave birth to four children, raising three of them all within five years time. They also packed up everything and all the kids to move to another farm. I can't imagine what it must have been like to have few conveniences, have several children, pack up and move to another place. I know how much work it is to move in modern times much less in that situation. Somehow my grandparents managed it.

Doctors made housecalls back then, when it was necessary to use a doctor. Most of the time you were expected to treat yourself and just see it through. My mother fell when she was 10 years old and had a serious injury that could have kept her from having children. She was hurt so bad she was actually taken to the hospital in their old Model T car by the family. There were no ambulances to come to her rescue.  I'm very thankful she didn't die then or was kept from having children because I wouldn't be here to tell her story. Amazing when you think about events like this. How one life could affect so many.

When someone was dying, they usually died at home with family gathered round. Mom said she went to her first funeral when she was 9 years old when Aunt Molly died. Then my great-grandfather (Mom's grandfather) died when my she was just 10 years old.  This was the year my aunt Retabess ws born.

Schooling was either done at home or in a one-room school house with kids of all ages. One teacher taught them all, unless you were old enough to go to high school. I picture it very much like "Little House on The Prairie".   Mom started high school when she was 14 years old, of course not like the high school we remember today.

At 15, Mom was going through 8th grade while her youngest sister was just in her first year of school.  Mom's youngest sister was about to be born one month before Mom's 16th birthday.  I don't know exactly what happened but in October that year, my mother and her cousin, Richard, decided they would hitchhike from Kansas to California. I wish I had written down all the stories she told me about that experience. I guess they set out on this adventure together and made it to California unharmed, only by the grace of God. Of course, in 1936 there wasn't as much craziness in the world but people are still people and anything could have happened to them. My grandmother was worried sick about her and with just having a new baby I'm sure she must have been beside herself.  Mom wasn't there to help her but was off on a dangerous journey across the states.

My mother said she remembers sending postcards to let Grandma know she was alright and eventually they tracked her down and mom came home. I know it was wrong of her but I'm glad my mother had something of an adventure like that. It was one of her memories of doing something wild and crazy, something that was just about her and nobody else. I imagine she got tired of helping take care of the family and the home, going to school and working the farm in a small town in Kansas during the "Dirty 30's" -- dust bowl days.  The Depression was hitting everyone hard and farmers were having it really rough. It must have been a hard life to live.

I think this is why my mother was the hard working soul that she was. She never had it easy at all. I am so very proud of her and I'm glad    I know my family history.