Hard Times

Two of the most difficult moments in his early life were when his brother Jack and his mother Ruth passed away.

Jack was working hard to make a living. He had plowed a garden for a local farmer, Arthur Caley. The next day he was riding a bike he had borrowed from his brother Kenny. He was going to Foxy Johnson’s to see about using his male hog since he had a sow in heat. While he was on his way, he was struck by a vehicle driven by Arthur Caley. A classmate had told Carl he had witnessed the accident. Jacks body was airborne and he landed on his head. This happened on June 2nd at 6 pm and he passed away June 9, at 6 pm. He was only 17 years old. Carl was 13 at the time so he wasn’t allowed to go to the hospital to see his brother. Years ago hospitals had the rule that anyone under 14 wasn’t allowed to visit a patient. His parents wouldn’t let Everette go see Jack either since Carl wasn’t allowed. Kenny & Wilma watched the two younger boys while their parents stayed in the hospital with Jack. Carl was 11 when Kenny and Wilma married so they were around them a lot. It seems so cold hearted to not let these young boys say goodbye to their brother. Jack was buried at Star of Hope. It’s in the country between Huntington and Markle. He can remember a small grocery store offering to do anything they could to help the family.

Carl remembers the night that his mother Ruth got sick. The evening before, she had cleaned 2 bushels of beans that she sold to a neighbor for $2 a bushel. There weren’t any signs of what was to come during the night. Around 2 am she woke up “making a fuss”. She tried to talk but her speech was slurred. They figured out she was trying to say “purse”. It turns out she had some money hidden in her purse and she wanted to make sure that the family knew about it. They called in a Doctor to look at her and he said there wasn’t any hope for her. She died the next day. Jasper went to the bar directly after they had the viewing. Carl and Everette sat on the sidewalk waiting for their dad to leave. I can’t imagine the pain that these boys were in at this time. Just a year earlier they had lost their older brother and now the parent that was left was drinking away his sorrow. Carl can’t remember any of their neighbors bringing in any food.