WHEN IT COMES TO FAMILY, A WOMAN HAS A NATURAL SENSE TO HOLD IT TOGETHER EVEN WHEN YOU’RE KIDS ARE GROWN! MY DAD HAS TOLD THE STORY THROUGH THE YEARS OF A TIME WHEN, IN THE 1930’S AND TIMES WERE TOUGH IN OKLAHOMA AS EVERYWHERE, HIS DAD DECIDED TO SELL OFF THEIR TEAM AND WAGON AND THEIR IMPLEMENTS, BUY A CAR AND TRAVEL TO ARIZONA TO WORK IN AN UNCLE’S ORCHARD WHERE A PROMISE OF A BETTER INCOME AWAITED. GRANDPA WAS A TENANT FARMER IN WEST LIBERTY, OKLAHOMA AND PROBABLY EAGER TO POSSIBLY IMPROVE LIFE A LITTLE! NOW, WITH ALL THE FAMILY’S MEAGER BELONGINGS STRAPPED TO THEIR NEW 1935 CHEVROLET SEDAN, MY GRANDPA DROVE THE SHORT DISTANCE TO STIGLER, OKLAHOMA TO TELL HIS MOM (MY GREAT GRANDMA ETHEL) WHAT THEIR PLANS WERE AND TO SAY GOODBYE.

AS THE STORY GOES, GREAT GRANDMA ETHEL WAS VERY UPSET, BEGGING HER SON TO STAY AND NOT TAKE HER GRANDCHILDREN AWAY. WHEN MY GRANDPA TRIED TO DRIVE OFF, GREAT GRANDMA HELD ON TO THE CAR, CRYING AS HE TRIED TO DRIVE OFF. WELL, THEY DID NOT GO THAT DAY AND NEVER LEFT OKLAHOMA! GRANDPA SOLD HIS NEW CAR THAT HE WAS SO PROUD OF, BOUGHT A USED CAR, ANOTHER TEAM AND IMPLEMENTS, RENTED A TWO ROOM FARMHOUSE ON WEST LIBERTY ROAD AND PUT HIS HAND TO THE PLOUGH ONCE AGAIN.