CHAPTER TEN

THE LATER YEARS

On January 9, 1955, Kay went to Lubbock to assist Ronnie in purchasing his first automobile--a black 1951 Ford--for $600.00. The Lemleys were now living in Lubbock and Kay asked Norman to give his opinion as to the road worthiness of the vehicle. Ronnie wrote a check on his account in Lubbock.

General Crude Oil Company was pumping lots of dollars out of the ground, and abundant taxes were flowing into the county and school district coffers. Jayton began construction of a new school complex, starting with a new gymnasium that spring. Summer jobs were always sparse, and General Crude gave priority to the children of employees. Rose Construction Company of Abilene didn't have a problem finding workers for the gym project. Ralph and Arylene were now living in Jayton and both he and Ronnie went to work for $1.00 per hour. They were limited to 40 hours per week, which meant Ralph was taking home about $38.00 and Ronnie $36.00. Ronnie earned $269.00, which suggests that the job, mostly foundation work, lasted about seven weeks.

A good crop year was in the making, which meant a lot of rain and plowing. The first bale from the Lindhorst lease was ginned September 30 and harvest continued through October, with scrapping finished December 9. Ralph worked at the gin that fall and issued Ronnie his government-required marketing card. The 38-acre crop made 26 bales at a time when 1/3 bale per acre was considered good. It grossed $1951.76 less costs. This assured college expenses, which were about $1100 per year, and allowed for some clothing and a new $90 Remington portable typewriter.

Marie had grown weary of commuting to town every day, of listening to noisy birds at daylight on "Mockingbird Hill," and "never seeing a soul pass down the road except the mailman" when she was home. She recalled, "Our roads had gotten so bad, and there was no chance of getting them improved out around our little ranch place. We had a big problem in the fall when it rained. So we bought a lot in Jayton, close to the store, and had our big house at the farm moved into town. It cost $1000 to have the house moved and set on the new foundation. We left the furniture in the house during the move."⁽¹⁾

Marie enjoyed the daily interaction with the store customers and it might be safely assumed that she did not want to acquiesce to the solitude of country living. Kay, on the other hand, surely preferred to be standing on farm soil when the sun came up each morning. They had spent considerable resources in the fall of 1950 making the farm home livable, but essentially spent 1953 renting a house in town, before moving back to the farm in January of 1954. The problem of town versus country was permanently resolved in the fall of 1955.

The "Caldwell house," as they would continue to call it, was located due west of the store, on the northwest corner of the next full town block. Kay had also bought the vacant lots between their house and the Fred Jones house on the southwest corner of that block.⁽²⁾ That November (1955), Gordon and Joyce bought Junior Harrison's interest in the grocery store and renamed it "Morin's Food Market." Marie continued to work in the store.

On December 18 Ronnie had mastoid ear surgery at Saint Mary's Hospital in Lubbock. He came home December 23, and was able to return to college when the new term started. It had been a hectic Christmas for Marie.

Around the first of the year Dan Gallagher offered to buy the store stock and rent the building and house. Marie and Gordon were both tired of the grocery store. Marie figured that she and Kay could buy their groceries with the store and house rent money, so they accepted Dan's offer.

Gallagher was a classmate of Ronnie's and had been working at the Safeway Store in Hamlin, Texas since high school. Dan took over the store on Monday, February 27, 1956.

Kent's Cup Runneth Over

Efforts to move the county seat from Clairemont to Jayton had failed in 1921 and 1923. The two-thirds vote was successful in 1952 (after a court contest). In 1956 construction of a new courthouse was completed, at a cost of $400,000. A new post office was also built. That same year, Kent County State Bank was organized and located in the old bank building.

The oil dollars continued to flow into the school system each year. Twenty years later, in the "Parade" supplement to a Texas September 5, 1976 Sunday newspaper, a Mobil Oil Corporation advertisement stated:

After the crops were well underway that year, Ronnie worked for USDA's Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service measuring cotton allotments. That and his ten-bale cotton crop provided enough money for another year at Tech.

Earlier in 1956, the Morin family had moved to the Arlington-Grand Prairie area. They leased a Phillips 66 gas station on US 80 and operated that for a while. Meanwhile, two farmers, Lynn Schafer and Joe Yocham, were operating the grocery/Gulf station across from the gin. Their store was not doing well, and Gordon got the grocery itch again. That fall he bought Schafer's interest and they moved back to Jayton, also purchasing the Mason house on the east side of town.

Selling Spuds on the "North Side"

The Morin-Yochum partnership did not work well and, in early 1957, Gordon persuaded Kay and Marie to buy Yochum's interest. In announcing the change of ownership, an undated Jayton Chronicle clipping states, "The store is undergoing extensive remodeling this week. The partition separating the store from the service station is being removed to enlarge the store's quarters. When completed, the remodeling will leave the store with much more room for the extensive stocks of groceries and the large market facilities."

The Chronicle also reported that the Brantners and Morins "are completing a project that has included doubling the floor space of their grocery and market, remodeling of both the interior and exterior of the store, enlarging the stock, and the installation of new checking counters and shelves. The front of the building has been modernized with the installation of large plate glass windows, and the exterior, when completed, will be white stucco. The owners state that the store will be closed all day Friday, Feb. 22, and will be open for business Saturday. Free White Swan coffee and cake will be served in the store Saturday."

The modernized Jayton Grocery and Market had their Grand Opening a month later on March 15 and 16. The full-page ad included drawings for prizes on Saturday. Coffee was 97 cents per pound; T-bone steak, 49; round steak, 59; and ground beef was 29 cents. Store-made sausage went for 49 cents per pound.

They had a good business on the north side, as Dan Gallagher was not doing well in Kay's store building on the south side of town. In late 1957 Dan finally closed and turned the building and house back to Kay.

In 1958 Joe and Reba Thornton moved from Afton to Azle, Texas--closer to Lavon and Mildred who were living in Fort Worth. Joe had spent 24 years operating the Red Lake Camp of the Matador Ranch, starting in 1933.

Ambrose Lee Brantner, 5 April 1863 - 30 October 1958

In 1958, the Jayton Chronicle wrote,

"A. L. Brantner of Girard was honored upon the occasion of his 95th birthday Easter Sunday when all of his children and grandchildren gathered at the home of Mr. and Mrs. John Brantner. Mr. Brantner has been a Kent County resident for 58 years moving here from (Robertson) County in 1900. Besides the host and hostess, guests present for the celebration were Mr. and Mrs. Carroll Williams, Tommy and Ricky of Idalou, Mrs. Nelson Fry and Dwain of Stead, N. M., Mrs. Reba Thornton of Azle, Mr. and Mrs. J. L. Thornton and Betty of Fort Worth, Mr. and Mrs. Bobby Houk and David Preston who is Mr. Brantner's great, great grandson, of Fort Worth. Also Mr. and Mrs. K. P. Brantner and Chas. of Jayton, Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Brantner of Jayton, Mr. and Mrs. Gordon Morin, Sherry and Bonnie of Jayton, Mr. and Mrs. M. C. Rankin and John Calvin of Spur, Mr. and Mrs. W. N. Lemley, Gary and Leta from Lubbock, Mr. and Mrs. Doyle Fry, Arnold Lee and Doylene of Post, and Mrs. Ruth Fry of Clayton, N. M."

The family knew that it probably would not be long before they lost this pioneer and patriarch who had lived in a large part of two different centuries. That happened about six months later.

The Jayton Chronicle wrote in part, "The death of A. L. Brantner Thursday morning (October 30) meant life's end for one of Kent County's oldest residents. A resident for 58 years, Mr. Brantner died yesterday in Spur Memorial Hospital of a heart attack. Two weeks ago he fell and broke his hip. It was set at Methodist Hospital in Lubbock and he was brought to Spur recovering from the operation. Death came suddenly at 10:30 yesterday morning. A member of the Girard Church of Christ for 55 years, his funeral will be held there at 3 o'clock this afternoon (October 31). C. L. Smith of Abilene will officiate, assisted by Robert A. Bankhead of Spur. Interment will be in the Red Mud Cemetery." Listed among his survivors were 18 grandchildren, 25 great grandchildren, and one great great grandchild. Grandsons served as pallbearers.

One of those grandsons wrote in part:

On August 23 Ronnie graduated from Texas Tech. He began work in Hartley, Texas as assistant manager of a farmers cooperative on September 15. And on October 3 he married Billie Smith of Cisco, Texas, who had been living in Lubbock. Billie brought a son to the marriage; Clarence Ray, age two, who was adopted four years later.

No. 2 Fancy on the South Side

Another store change occurred in 1959. Marie recalled, "Kay told Gordon and I that, if we wanted to stay in the grocery business, he would tear our old building down to the ground and build a modern building and we would close the store that we had bought from Yochum. We did that and bought good, modern fixtures to go with what we had. Gordon owned half-interest in the stock. His parents came from Fort Worth and helped paint inside, clean all the fixtures, and get ready to open."⁽⁴⁾

The Jayton Chronicle stated, "A salute to a Jayton firm that is undismayed by the drouth or other apparent prospects. Brantner's Grocery and Market hope to have their enlarged and modernized store ready for business Saturday. The size of the store building has been doubled and the front of the structure remodeled to make this one of the largest and most up-to-date stores of its kind in town."

They moved the stock from the other store and had a big grand opening on March 27 and 28. The full-page ad headlined "Grand Opening of Our New Store at its New Location, Featuring the Del Monte Garden Show." Easter hams, whole or half, were 49 cents a pound and bacon was 39 a pound. A 12-bottle carton of Dr. Pepper went for 39 cents. Flour was still sold in big bags, and a 25- pound bag of Gladiola was $1.69. The opening was just before Easter Sunday. They received gifts of pot plants, mostly Easter Lilies, from friends and from the wholesale companies. Marie thought the store was "beautiful inside."

The new store was a big thing in Jayton. Folks appreciated the fact that the store was as modern and as large as could be expected . It was also appreciated because there was only one other grocery store in Jayton (and essentially the whole county) at that time--a small store built by Roy Short on the highway north of town (who sold it to Mike Owens the next year).

Ada Belle Embry Hoover, 15 September 1886 - 23 July 1959

She was the 16-year-old bride to be, who slipped out of her bedroom window with shoes on wrong feet to elope with her 21-year-old suitor. She was the still-young mother who gathered and bundled six children and made the arduous and adventurous wagon trip to West Texas. She gave birth to 14 children and raised 12 of them to adulthood while gaining a legacy as faithful wife, loving mother, outstanding cook, and immaculate housekeeper. But she was much more. To Kay and Marie's children, Grandma Hoover was the only grandmother they had ever known.

Ada Belle Hoover had always been relatively healthy, but very hard working. In her later years she was treated for heart trouble. She succumbed to congestive heart failure in her home in Spur on July 23, 1959.⁽⁵⁾ Her 72 plus years had been bountiful and blessed. The grand lady, who had every reason to complain of her hardships and losses, is remembered for her joyous spirit as she chose to accept the Lord's "more excellent way."

Ronnie and Billie had returned to Lubbock in 1959. On December 10 Ronda Renee was born at Methodist Hospital. In the following spring, May 27, 1960, Joyce gave Sherry and Bonnie a little brother, Gordon Matthew, who would always be called Matt.

That June, Ron and Billie moved back to Jayton and lived in the Caldwell house and he worked for Gordon and Marie in the store. They later rented Ralph Brantner's house (the old Gardner house on the school road curve) for $40 per month, so that Kay could sell the Caldwell house. They eventually moved to a house behind the school next to the Elbert Cox home. On February 28, 1961, Ron drove Billie through a sizeable snow accumulation so that she could keep an appointment with her baby doctor in Lubbock. The doctor advised her not to leave town, so they spent the day with the Lemleys. Debra Ruth was born later that night.

Kay sold the Caldwell house on June 1 to James Henry and Oleta Mae Smith for $3100. Kay held an installment vendor's lien note with $756.68 interest at 5%. James paid $35.71 for 108 months, starting July 15, 1961.

Kay actively participated in USDA's soil conservation programs during the entire period that he owned the Caldwell farm. He put his most sloping cultivated land in the "soil bank" and planted permanent improved grasses on it. He tried mesquite spraying in the 50s and began placing screen wire and brush in his washes and draws. A deep canyon that originated on the place crossed the county road, which had an aging wooden bridge that was about 25 feet above the ground. Through a cost-sharing arrangement, Kay had a large dam built which also replaced the bridge. With the first rains, the canyon became a small lake, but the earth did not hold and the dam washed out. The county rerouted the road around the west and north sides of the place and Kay built an access road through the pasture from the southwest corner, as well as from the county road due north of the windmill. He eventually had all the mesquites "dozed" and built a stock tank in the draw that fed the big canyon. The USDA Soil Conservation Service asked him to serve as a District Supervisor for his Soil Conservation District. The June 15, 1961 issue of the weekly Jayton Chronicle carried a picture of Kay, as District Supervisor, presenting a certificate of accomplishment to John Montgomery for his conservation efforts.

In late December Ron and Billie moved to Austin where he had accepted a job with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Joyce and Gordon sold the store stock and fixtures to Gerald and Sue Fincher, who signed a March 1 lease with Kay on the building for $81.70 per month. The Morins moved to Rochester and operated a grocery store.

On Sunday, January 13, 1963, Dean Young, Howard Goswick, and Kay were installed as Elders in Jayton's Church of Christ. Appropriately, the flock looked among themselves for men who were already doing the work, and gave them the "office."

In early 1964 Marie brought Ronnie's son, Clarence Ray, to Jayton to stay while his mother was having so much illness. He finished the second grade under Margaret Hall (Ronnie's fifth-grade teacher) and stayed with Marie through June. Marie spent most of July in Austin while Billie went through two kidney surgeries. Joyce and Marie kept Ronnie's little girls for a period of time that fall.

Ralph tried out Kent County politics in 1964. In the May 2 Democratic Primary, however, he lost the Sheriff's race to Bobby Ted Gallagher. Bobby Ted appointed Ralph as his office "tax" deputy when he took office January 1

Joyce and Gordon bought the store stock back from the Finchers in 1965. Kay let them have the house by the store to live in and Kay lived in a rent house. Later that year Kay bought a small stucco house on two lots from Merle Jay. They lived in the little house and began building a house on the adjacent corner lot. It was a "nice brick home," as Marie called it, and she bought her first color television . The house was across the street on the north side of the Baptist Church and faced the street on the west that used to be called "Silk Stocking Street," signifying that it was the only paved street other than the highway, and also that the more affluent lived on the street. By 1965 the street had long lost that distinction and was, at the time, better know as "Pothole Street," as the little town had no street maintenance capability. They moved into their new house in November of 1965 and sold the small house next door to Velma Cheyne. She was to pay them $39.83 each month until 1978.

In January 1966 Ronnie was transferred to Washington D.C. and the family moved to Manassas Virginia. They tried to persuade Kay and Marie to come see the Nation's Capitol, but Marie could not coax Kay into making the trip, either by flying or driving, and she wouldn't go without him.

Alonzo Marion Hoover, 9 April 1881 - 15 February 1968

Lon quit the laundry business about 1943, but he continued to work--at the Palace Theater until his retirement. Later, as a widower, he moved into an apartment. In 1968 he developed an aneurism in his groin and had a successful operation in Lubbock, but died from other complications on February 15. Lon, 86, was buried alongside Ada Belle in the Spur Cemetery.⁽⁶⁾

In the late 1960s Kay's heart started bothering him and the doctor put him on digitalis. In 1970 the doctor advised him that he needed to give up his farm activities, which primarily were seeing to his cows. He sold the cows and calves that spring, and they put the farm up for sale. He also was experiencing the early stages of cataracts. At the end of the year Marie had arranged for him to see an eye specialist in Abilene, and she was lining up a doctor in Lubbock to attend to several cancerous places on his ear, nose, and face.

Kay and Gordon had a serious disagreement regarding the store finances in 1970, which resulted in the store being closed. Kay and Marie sold the remaining stock and put the building and house on the market.

On the Monday after Christmas they put big sign across store window "Close Out Sale, 20% Discount." Arylene help them some as they tried to move the remaining stock..

Ralph thought about buying the farm but never finalized an offer. Kay considered leasing him the grass and keeping the conservation reserve (soil bank) land, as several had made that proposition to Kay. However, that also did not come about.

When they got the news in February (1971) that Ron and Billie were moving to Florida, Marie immediately began plans to visit. She knew she would never get Kay to fly, so she mapped out her car route, knowing that this might be her only chance to see Florida.

Kay and Marie both became quite despondent over the downturn in their financial affairs. Their whole life was up in the air. They had their farm, store, and two houses for sale. They were waiting to hear about the insurance money on the store building fire. And they were trying to decide what to do with the rest of their life. They both wanted to leave Jayton. Marie said that she even considered moving to Houston or Florida, but it can safely be assumed that she would have had a hard time convincing Kay of that. They were getting feelers on all of the properties they had for sale, but were just waiting for something solid to develop.

Kay had the facial cancers removed in February and began helping Bill Vencil at Norris Lumber Company one day a week. He enjoyed having something to do to get his mind off his problems. Later, he and Marie ran the lumber yard about three weeks while Bill and Glennis were away with her mother' illness and death. Marie wrote, "He (Kay) is doing real good. Just doesn't let himself get tired out like he used to. And he lets those people wait on themselves at the yard and he writes and figures it all. I answer the telephone and sell to the women."

Kay and Marie had been dealing with some other disturbing news. Jimmy Morin, their much-loved brother-in-law had come home from his mission work in Germany to be treated for cancer. Earlier, Jimmy and Eurena had been living in Brownfield, where he worked as a brick mason before they decided to work as missionaries in Germany. Jimmy had surgery in Dallas as Kay was having his facial cancers removed. They eventually lost Jimmy on December 16, 1972

Ron and Billie made their move from Manassas, Virginia to Winter Park, Florida in March. Joyce and Gordon began operating a store in Levelland, Texas. On April 1, Ralph resigned as Deputy Sheriff and, that same month, moved to Stratford, Texas. Deanie (Arylene's sister) and Jimmie were already at Stratford, as was Charylene, who had received her degree at San Angelo State and was teaching school.

In May Ada Lou Joiner, who was closing out their dry goods store, combined her remaining stock with Marie's and they worked together to get rid of it. Kay had given up on his store sale prospect, but Mike Owen had expressed an interest. About this time, the sale of the farm also looked promising.

Kay and Marie looked at some houses in Spur, but Marie said they were "crummy." Following the Sixth-of-June reunion at Red Mud, they got a call to see a house in Spur and decided to take it. Aaron and Pat Bennett agreed to buy the house at Jayton, and expected to get their money from FHA about June 25. Kay and Marie were now hoping to simply move their furniture into their Spur house and then head out on their trip about June 26 or so.

It was not to be that easy. Ray Lillian had to have surgery, so they decided to stay in her house until things settled out some. They finished moving on June 30 to their new home at 314 East Third Street in Spur.

On July 9 they finalized the sale of the farm to Wilford "Sonny" Arthur. Marie wrote on the back of a farm picture, "Sold in 1971, $39,000, 12 equal payments, 5.5% interest, first payment due July 9, 1972." The house sale to the Bennetts finally closed on July 15. Marie declared, "I will never sell anything else through FHA."

Kay and Marie finally got away in late July, and drove to North Little Rock to visit Doris and Carl. Then they headed on to Florida, spending the night in Meridian, Mississippi.

On their return trip, Kay and Marie came back through Meridian and stayed in the same motel. After passing Selma, Alabama, the battery cable shorted out, and a black man helped them get going. They got back to Spur on August 10. In her August 11 letter, the first that Marie wrote from her new home, she remarked, "I thought it was odd that four different blacks stopped to offer help, and not the first white person, and cars were coming by in a solid stream."

Full Circle - Back in Dickens County

Kay and Marie liked the house on East Third. It had plenty of room, but there were lots of things that would need changing--projects that would keep them both occupied, physically and emotionally. Kay had a little shop at the rear corner of the house. Out back was a little two-room "apartment" with some storage attached. Kay had a nice garden spot that he would enjoy, along with some fruit and plum trees, and a grape arbor. And he soon added a carport, which was something that he did almost everywhere they lived. He occasionally would go to Jayton to help the Vencils at the lumber yard.

In September Kay got the best report on his heart that he had received since his problem began. His doctor said that it was due to getting away from the worries of business and taking a vacation. His eye doctor said that one eye was ready to operate on, but one was still okay for a while.

In early November Kay was coming home from working at the lumber yard in Jayton and, at Girard, a woman came from a side road and collided with him. He was not hurt and Marie remarked later that he had handled it well, because it was not his fault. She noticeably commented more about Kay's emotional state during this period than at anytime previously.

The year of 1971 would be viewed in hindsight as one of the most pivotal of Kay and Marie's life. It ended with them going through a significant reevaluation of their dreams, aspirations, and goals. They were adjusting to significant financial loss and relocation--unsettling changes in their life at an age when most people want routine, continuity, and above all else, financial security. Objectively, they (especially Kay) needed to be rid of the farm for health reasons. Their little church had struggled for decades. They had no relatives in Jayton, and among all their acquaintances, did not actually have many close friends. Thus, they would eventually overcome the financial loss, and realize some benefits from living in Spur.

The year would not pass before it dealt Kay another lick. "Son" McKay, his childhood (second) cousin, his teenage cowboy buddy, and his brother-in-law in adulthood suffered a stroke on December 29. Son, who was one year younger than Kay, would not fully recover, and would spend the remainder of his days in the Spur Nursing Home. Son and Era had been living in Whiteface. Era moved into Kay's little apartment and would eventually buy a home in Spur.

The year of 1972 held promise that things would get better. The Spur Church of Christ received them warmly and Marie wrote in her March 26 letter that they had several people coming by every Sunday. She added, "It sure beats sitting around all day Sunday with nobody coming by, like we did at Jayton." That month they sold the grocery store to Mike Owen for $4200. Most of that was obligated for debts and taxes against the fixtures, but they were glad to have it off their mind.

Kay finally took up fishing. Elmer Cross had a nice stock tank and Kay caught a big catfish in May. That same month he built a carport onto the house. He was quoted as saying, "There are enough widow ladies' porches and door screens in need of repair to keep him busy the rest of his life."

In July Kay had a case of appendicitis, but got over it. His eye doctor had decided to delay surgery for six more months. In August they went to Ruidoso to enjoy some respite from the summer heat. John and Ilene Dunaway, and Lewis and Norma Arnold had cabins there; also, Ray and Jean Hoover were now living and working there.

Kay was doing much better. They had lots of rain and Kay enjoyed having an abundance of produce from his garden to give away to neighbors, friends, and relatives. And Marie was doing significantly better, as Mike and Sherry Seago presented her with her first great grandchild, Traci Leigh, on August 16.

On September 20, Elmer Cross, in an uncharacteristically careless moment, hitched his tractor to something, hooking the chain high up under the seat. He pulled the tractor over backwards and was caught underneath. He survived the accident, but never did regain good health.

That October Kay caught another big fish in Elmer's tank. Kay had commented while fishing in Florida that he had never caught a big fish in his life (especially as he didn't fish much). Marie related that Kay baked himself an apple pie while she was at Graham visiting her Aunt Myrtle. Kay was still working some at Vencil's, but decided to forego that during the winter months.

Jim Morin had been through a series of surgeries in his bout with cancer, but it was too severe to overcome. In December he began to fade quickly and Marie helped with the constant care that was necessary in the final days. She wrote that Jim "died in her arms" on Saturday, December 16. Burial was in Spur on the following Tuesday.

Early in 1973 Kay began to experience a number of health problems. He knew that the time was about right for his cataract surgery. In February his blood pressure was fine but he was experiencing a "swimming head," which they thought might be an inner ear problem. Marie also made him an appointment to see his skin specialist, as his skin cancers had reappeared. In late March Kay made six trips, one every other day, to get the "rooted-down cancers off and to have radium treatments." This left his face very sore.

Marie was worried most about Kay's heart. He had poor circulation in his arms and was taking lots of nitroglycerine--carrying it with him faithfully. He would get up several times during the night and sit up for a while, and was resting off and on during the day. Never-the-less, he was trying to stay busy with the early spring "to-dos" and with getting his garden started.

Elmer, meanwhile had remained in ill health since his accident. They found a tumor on his brain, and an operation on April 9 revealed that the cancer was deep-rooted. His heart remained strong for several days after his brain gave out. He was buried in the Spur Cemetery on Sunday, May 6.

Kay assumed that he was having trouble with his gall bladder or something similar. Dr. Sayago admitted him to the Crosbyton Clinic Hospital in late April and conducted exploratory surgery. Irene, Ralph, and Doris came for the surgery. Sayago found abdominal cancer in an advanced state, but neither he nor the family told Kay. Kay returned home May 3, with treatments scheduled to begin in two or three weeks. Kay could sleep, and was able to walk outside, but he could hardly eat.

On Monday, May 7, Kay went for a checkup. The doctor had the biopsy reports and told Marie that Kay couldn't last over three months, if that long. Never-the-less, they would begin treatments in two weeks.⁽⁷⁾

Kay was unable to eat and could not tolerate smells such as the cooking of food, or cigarette smoke. In Marie's May 15 letter, she said, "Dad swallows his milk or juice real fast so that he cannot taste it." Kay was losing weight very fast. He had lost ten pounds since the surgery and was down to 150 pounds. Marie added, "I have never felt so low in spirit as tonight, but I am determined not to let him know."A few days later she added that Kay would get nauseous and break out in perspiration, and she thought he would faint. He ate a fresh orange, but told her that he didn't think he would ever get well. She still thought that he didn't know that he had cancer.

The previous December, Irene had initiated plans for Kay and Marie's fiftieth wedding anniversary, but Marie didn't want to discuss it because the family was in such a disarray. The subject was dropped after Kay became ill. May 23, 1973 passed without recognition.

Ron and family came in June to spend three weeks while Kay still could get about. It was an awkward period of time because Kay didn't feel good, he tired easily, and too much commotion bothered him. Ron suggested to his mother that they discuss his imminent death with him--as there was so much to say and share during this precious piece of remaining time. But she wouldn't think of it. Thus, there was a void of sorts in the conversation. It was as if he knew, but didn't want the family to know--and the family knew, but didn't want him to know. Ron and he talked about gardening, fishing, and other easy topics. Ron returned to his job, but Billie was to stay until the inevitable.

Kay Parrak Brantner, 20 October 1899 - 3 July 1973

Irene returned about mid-June to stay with Marie; Doris and Ralph came to his bedside toward the end. Typically, Kay endured some significant pain and discomfort as the body struggled with its insidious invader. Ron was called when the time came. He took a 4 a.m. flight out of Orlando and reached Lubbock about eleven. He arrived at the Crosbyton hospital in time for his father to give a brief gasp of acknowledgment before Kay gave up his broken terra cotta shell body and returned to his Maker the breath of spirit that he had been given some 73 years before. He was ready.

The Lubbock Avalanche Journal obituary for Wednesday morning July 4, 1973, read:

"Services for K. P. Brantner, 73, who died at 11:55 a.m. Tuesday in Crosbyton Hospital following a lengthy illness, will be at 2 p.m. Thursday in the Spur Church of Christ. Officiating will be Jim Chism, assisted by Ben Pectol of New Home. Burial will be in Spur Cemetery under direction of Campbell Funeral Home. Born Oct. 20, 1899, in Robertson County, he married Marie Hoover May 4, 1923, in Dickens. He was a retired stock farmer and retail grocer. He lived in Kent and Dickens Counties from 1900 until 1970 when he moved to Spur. Survivors include his wife, Marie of Spur; three daughters, Mrs. Irene Lemley of Houston, Mrs. Doris Maness of Little Rock, Ark., and Mrs. Joyce Morin of Levelland; two sons, Ralph of Stratford and Ronald of Winter Park, Fla., one brother, John, of Girard; three sisters, Mrs. Ray Rankin of Spur, Mrs. Reba Thornton of Fort Worth, and Mrs. Ruth Fry of Texline; 13 grandchildren, and one great-grandchild."

As the family entered the building for the service, a chorus group from Lubbock Christian College, which included Kay's niece, Carol Morin, was singing Ronnie's requested hymn, Lead Me Gently Home, Father, by Will L. Thompson. Among the other hymns presented was Kay's favorite, Jesus, Rose of Sharon, by Ida L. Guirey.

Cards and memorials to the White Creek Bible Camp kept coming after the funeral. Marie sold Kay's pickup to Ruby Branch. Ruth Arthur brought her the first annual payment on the farm note. Marie became active in the art guild and in August she began planning a visit to Houston and Winter Park in the fall.

Marie wrote that Kay's cousin, Jeff Smith, died on September 9. He had gotten sick about the same time as Kay. Jeff lived around the corner from them and Kay had enjoyed their relationship.

In early October Marie bought a headstone for Kay's grave. Later in the month she went to Houston to visit Irene and family. While there, Irene arranged for an extensive physical. Marie sent Clarence Ray money to fly out to Houston on November 23 to drive her on to Florida for an extended visit. C. R. drove her back to Houston where she visited a few days. She left for Spur on Thursday, January 17, joking that she wanted to drive home before the Texas speed limit dropped to 55 miles per hour the following Sunday.

Living On West Harris

In February of 1974 Marie began attending an art class in Jayton each Friday. She found another house that she liked, located across town on West Harris. It was close to Norma and Leeoma, and the Sampson's lived on the street behind it. The couple who had lived across from her on East Third moved back from Lubbock to teach and wanted to buy her house. In March she finalized the two house deals, selling her house for $9000 and buying the little house at 711 West Harris for $4500.

Marie wrote, "I knew I could never take care of the big place (314 East Third) by myself so I sold the place in March 1974 and bought my present home on 711 West Harris in Spur. It has a smaller house and a smaller yard to take care of, and I have three sisters and two brothers, and several nephews and nieces here which I enjoy and love." Marie moved what she could in the car as she waited for someone to help her with the furniture. She immediately went to cleaning around outside the house on West Harris before she was able to move in, and commented, "If you are going to live on West Harris, you have to keep your home looking nice."

It was worrisome for Marie to contend with the Jayton property situation. She still had not sold the house beside the store, and Mike was getting behind in his payments on the store. She was somewhat frustrated that she and Ralph could not agree on how to work out an arrangement with Owen.

Following her birthday on September 18, Marie wrote:

"These birthdays remind you that you are one year older now than you wanted to be. But I try to make the most of each day for myself, as no one can do it for me. I can't have things like I used to. My children all have to go out into the world and make a life of their own. And God wanted my companion, so I will do the next best thing with God's help. I'll still have a good life if I put forth an effort on my own."

And she did. She kept busy in the fall doing some caulking, nailing, and other winterizing around her place. She fretted, however that she could not find anyone to paint her house or to build her a carport. In October she went to see the Bob and Gladys Beck in Lubbock, and also saw Bobby and Olga Beck and their children. She also went to a funeral in Sudan.

On November 12 she drove to Houston to stay with Irene, who had undergone surgery. It was about a 10-11 hour trip from Spur. She returned home November 30.

Marie decided to spend Christmas with Ralph and Arylene. She went on the 24^th and returned on the 27^th. They were having Christmas at home as William and Charylene's baby, Christy Lyn, was too little to travel. She had commented earlier that it would not be as "sentimental" as her first Christmas without Kay a year ago, or as two years earlier when they lost Jim Morin. She looked forward to seeing her second great grandchild, born a month earlier on November 18, just five days before her third, Misti Deann Seago, who had arrived on November 23.

Marie wrote in February of 1975 that she had taught the Wednesday morning Ladies Bible Class at church. She was uncertain about making another trip to Florida, but finally flew there in March. She had no hesitation about flying, but changing planes at the large terminals was a challenge. She wrote that a stewardess at Dallas helped her find her Lubbock flight, and Norma and Leeoma met her there. She added, "I can never express my thanks for a very nice visit with you all. You will never know how much it means to me to be with all of you and enjoy home life with you. And I love you so much for sharing so much with me."

In April her next-door neighbor, Una Ward lost her husband. Marie and Una became very close after that and provided a lot of mutual support. Marie tried to keep close tabs on her grandchildren and was a prolific letter-writer. In May she finally found her a house painter. He was an odd-jobber and she had to pay him $2.00 per hour, which she said was "unheard of." He also put in her washing machine and did some other things around her place.

In June Marie kept Traci and Misti Seago in Spur and accompanied them to Vacation Bible School. Ray Lil was now 82 and Marie was glad to hear that John Calvin was moving to Lubbock so that he could be of more help with his mother. Edd and Elizabeth Fry visited her and related that Gene and Ruth were both in poor health. John Brantner was also in declining mental health, enduring what was generally called "hardening of the arteries." Marie went with Leeoma and Era to Graham to see their aunt and uncle--Myrtle and Pete Kendall--and on to Mineral Wells to see John and Ilene Dunaway, who had moved there from Ruidoso. .

On July 2 Marie wrote, "Well, dear old Dad will be gone two years this week, the 3rd., but it sure doesn't seem that long. I still think and cry a lot for him. It gets so lonesome sometimes. I can see why any man or woman would get married again. When you go two or three days without talking to anyone you get awfully lonely. But I sure don't think I would ever find a man I could put up with at my age, or ask him to put up with me!" These words aptly expressed both her loneliness, and the sense of humor that she maintained.

On a late Saturday afternoon in October , Red Mud claimed another old timer. Robert Eugene "Gene" Fry was laid to rest on October 11. Gene had died the previous Wednesday, October 8, and the funeral was held at Texline on Saturday, followed by the late afternoon interment in the red clay where he had lived as a young man. Ruth followed him in death a year later--almost to the day--on October 18, 1976. Gene and Ruth Imogene lived in Garza County, near Red Mud before moving to Clayton, New Mexico. Of their ten children, eight boys and two girls, four of the boys preceded them in death. Ray Lil, Reba, and John survived her.

Marie and Leeoma took a chartered tour in late October of 1975. They departed from Brownwood and visited Eureka Springs and Hot Springs in Arkansas and the Johnson Library at Johnson City, Texas. She spent this Christmas with the Hoover clan in Spur, which she always enjoyed.

There was a tragedy that impacted the extended Brantner family in 1976. On Sunday, February 22, Camille Maness was murdered in Independence, Missouri by an ex-boyfriend, who in turn, committed suicide. Camille, 22, had moved to Independence in 1975, where she managed a retail store. The funeral and interment were held on Thursday, February 26 in North Little Rock. There are never adequate words to describe or explain the loss of a beautiful young woman who, at the beginning of a promising career, was taken by such an unthinkable act..

Marie said she had felt bad all summer. A sudden need for gall stone surgery in late September clarified the reason. Irene came for the surgery and stayed until Marie was able to get around the house. She wrote on Thursday, September 30, " I am still sore but get along pretty good. I have a bed on the couch and a big chair and watch TV, read, and have a right smart of company. My biggest problem is telephone calls. Aunt Ray (age 83) calls from two to three times a day and says, 'Now Marie, I am interested and want to know how you are.' I told her, 'Well, I was slow getting to the phone.' She said, ' That's alright, I'll just let it ring until someone answers.' Bless her.!"

In 1977 Marie spent the month of February in Florida and wrote on March 1 that it had been "the best trip of all." On April 27 she had Sherry take her to Lubbock and she took a straight-through flight to Houston to celebrate Gary's marriage to Mary Dvorak of Yochum, Texas. At the same time, Robbie Jo Hoover, Marie's sister-in-law, was in Houston for cancer surgery. In early May, Marie rode with Irene back to Spur, and later that month, she attended the Hoover reunion at Graham.

The man was "Uncle John" to all of Ambrose's grandchildren. To most everyone else in and around Girard and Spur he was known as Johnnie Brantner. In addition to his ranching activities, John and his partner, Preston Blackwell, were well-known cattle buyers. In his later years, John suffered with hardening of the arteries which affected his mental health. He would have good times and bad times, and eventually became increasing difficult for Opal to manage, and he was admitted to the Spur Nursing Home. In May of 1977 John took pneumonia, and eventually the body joined the mind in its losing battle. He died about 8 p.m. on August 26. An unidentified newspaper clipping carried this obituary:

"Funeral services for John V. Brantner, 71, Kent County rancher, were held at 3 p.m. Sunday (28^th) in the Girard Church of Christ. Don Dawes, minister, officiated at the service. Mr. Brantner died August 26 at the Spur Care Center. He had lived most of his life in Kent County. He was a member of the Church of Christ. Survivors include his wife, Mrs. Opal Mae Brantner, Girard; two foster children, Mrs. V. O. Murray, Lubbock and Mr. John R. Booth, Fairfield; two sisters, Mrs. Ray Rankin, Spur and Mrs Reba I. Thornton, Ft. Worth. Nephews served as pallbearers. Burial was in Red Mud Cemetery."⁽⁹⁾

Lavon and Mildred "Mickey" Thornton had brought Reba to attend the funeral of her younger brother. Unfortunately, Reba was displaying the symptoms of the same problem of hardening arteries that had plagued John. They visited with Ray Lillian at Marie's.

Dick Sampson's 88 years finally caught up with him. He became very sick that fall and was hospitalized at Crosbyton. Marie did not know at the time how prophetic her comment would be when she wrote, "Seems like an old person has a hard time getting out of this world now since they have so much of this modern medicine to keep you alive, even after you are dead in spirit and don't know anything." Dick finally was able to escape that worn-out shell on October 5. The cowboy-turned-rancher had been liked by many and loved by not a few. A good number of young rodeo ropers would remember how Dick showed them "the ropes." It always seemed that a piece of the history of the time was lost when folks like Dick (and later Norma) were put underneath the sandy West Texas sod that they loved.

Marie and Leeoma left October 6 on a tour to New York City and through the New England area, returning on the 13^th. Marie was not reluctant to travel and was especially impressed with getting to stay in the Waldorf Astoria in New York City. Later in the month she went with Sherry to Brownwood to see Bonnie Kay and the newest great granddaughter Kayla Vae. Marie continued with her painting, off and on, but her rheumatism robbed some of her enthusiasm for the hobby.

In late July, when Ron and Billie and girls transferred to Little Rock, Marie immediately planned another trip--first to Houston, and then on to Arkansas for Christmas. She was especially anxious to see the latest "great grand," Sara Camille, born to Melissa and Andy Dean in North Little Rock on November 25. Sherry went with her to Snyder to shop for traveling clothes and Christmas presents and she was on her way in early December. She flew home to Lubbock on December 27, having made an unremarkable connection in Dallas where she visited with some other folks heading for Lubbock. Marie had become a seasoned flyer by this time, but getting from Lubbock to Spur was a problem for everyone. Fortunately, Travis was one of several who looked in on her and did things for her when she was at home, and checked on her house when she was traveling. He had her heaters going for her, and he and Stacy met her at the Lubbock terminal.

Buddy and Robbie Jo Hoover had been on the same plane as Marie, returning from Houston. Earlier, Robbie Jo had shown remarkable response to her cancer treatments, but the problem had returned. She was now returning home to spend her final days with her family. The inevitable came in February of 1979 and she was buried on March 1. Robbie Jo had been a "favorite" of all her Hoover brothers- and sisters-in-law.

That spring Marie carried Ray Lil to the Red Mud "Sixth of June." Ray was now 86 and hindered by diabetes, but her desire to walk the old paths had not diminished. The roads in the cemetery were now such that Marie could drive the car close to the graves, and Ray could visit them by using her walker.

In late August Norma Arnold drove Marie to Lubbock to visit Gladys Beck. Bob had begged her to come and she was shocked to learn that Gladys was in bad shape with cancer. Bob was 80 that year, the same age that Kay would have been. These two families had been through a lot together, and had not let time or miles diminish their concern for one another.

Marie stayed busy that fall selecting brick at Lubbock to veneer her house. She went with Sherry to Matt's wedding shower. She made a three-day visit to Graham, and took the lead in obtaining an oil lease on the Brantner place. They had been offered $35 per acre for five years, but Marie held out and got $50 for three years. She was proud of her business acumen.

In early February of 1980 Marie rode the Senior Citizens bus to Methodist Hospital in Lubbock to see Gladys Beck again. Marie said, "Gladys is still bad, but I know she could last a long time if her heart is pretty strong. But they are having to feed her liquids thru a tube in her nose. I hope when the good Lord gets ready for me I'll go in a minute's time--that the old heart will just quit. Guess that is wishful thinking."

Marie was hanging onto her sense of humor. Regarding the drought, she said, " Of course old women like me haven't got much to worry about with a good cooling system--just about who they are going to vote for!"

In late October Marie stayed with Traci and Misti while Sherry went through surgery. She eventually brought the little girls to Spur for a few days and carried them trick-or-treating on Halloween. She made another trip to Arkansas during Christmas. Buddy Hoover met her plane at Lubbock on the return trip.

The year 1981 was just 30 minutes old when a heart attack took Marie's uncle, Pete Kendall, at Graham. The doctors called the relatives and Marie and Leeoma went to Graham the next morning, with some of Myrtle's other relatives following soon afterward. Pete's nephew also came. The funeral was held the following Sunday evening. Marie and some of the others remained in Graham to meet with the lawyers. Less than a month earlier, Pete had updated his will, leaving everything to Myrtle, but also declaring her incapable of taking care of herself. Later in the month, the judge had Marie sworn in as administrator of the estate and he designated Robbie Briscoe to oversee the care of Myrtle, who would be moved to a nursing home at Levelland. The family eventually sold the personal property, and by March had sold the real estate, except for a six-acre plot in West Virginia, which was Pete's old home place.

The trips back and forth to Graham had taken a toll on Marie, who would be 77 in September. She was concerned about being responsible for so much money and it would bother her increasingly so as time went by. She skipped the spring Hoover reunion but carried Ray Lil and Norma Sampson to the "Sixth of June" at Red Mud.

In late August Marie and Buddy Hoover went to Dublin to "put stones on the children's graves." Presumably, this was referencing Troy Edgar's and Ester Winona's graves in the Hanson Cemetery at Proctor. Marie began experiencing a kidney infection and the Crosbyton doctor suggested a spinal problem also. Irene persuaded Marie to come see the doctors to Houston and she went in October. After four days of tests as an inpatient, it was concluded that her spine was okay, but she did have some kidney and colon infection, plus some shingles on her stomach and hips.

When someone said "Aunt Ray," everyone in the extended family knew of whom you were speaking. Even Marie, her sister-in-law, called her that. Ray Lil, six years older than Kay, and the oldest daughter of Ambrose and Lugenia, had served as the family matriarch when Lugenia died and Ambrose became crippled in his mind . She was one of the last children to marry, and she "mothered" each brother and sister as they started their own families. She was unique in so many ways. Ray Lil, ten years older than Marie, was that older sister that Marie never had, being herself the oldest child in her family. There was this strong bond of both devotion and obligation between them, and in the later years, Marie was all the family that Ray had close at hand. Ray's heart and mind held strong to the end, somewhat in contradiction and uniqueness to the rest of the family. Her diabetes, primarily, eventually took its toll. On November 26 her sweet, sweet spirit rose in a gentle farewell to the old Brantner sand hill that shines like a smiling face on the Red Mud Cemetery. Ray Lil, who as a young girl, had played among the cemetery stones, had now assumed her place of honor among them. An unidentified newspaper obituary read:

"Spur (Special) -- Services for Ray Lillian Rankin, 88, of Spur will be at 2 p.m. today at Highway 70 Church of Christ with Bob Brandon, minister, officiating. Burial will be in Red Mud Cemetery under direction Campbell Funeral Home. She died at 4:15 a.m. Thursday in Crosbyton Hospital after a brief illness. She was a native of Robinson (sic) County and moved to Dickens County at an early age. She came to the Red Mud community in 1903. She married Melvin Rankin Dec. 25, 1928, in Dickens. He died in 1962. She was a member of Highway 70 Church of Christ. Survivors include a son, John of Arlington; a sister, Reba Thornton of Fort Worth; and three grandchildren."

Reba Brantner Thornton survived all of her brothers and sisters. When Joe retired from managing the Red Lake camp of the Matador Ranch, he and Reba had moved to Azle, Texas to be near Lavon and Mildred. Reba passed away December 7, 1990 at the age of 96, and was buried in Fort Worth.

Sherry and Mike had moved to Clarendon after Brandi was born and Marie missed "having one of her chicks nearby." She limited her Christmas shopping to Spur and complained that seeing to the Kendall business was keeping her occupied, but that Robbie was very helpful. And of course, Travis continued to assist her. She saw Mike Seago after Christmas and he indicated they might move back because of their isolation from the schools.

Early in 1982, Marie and Travis began meeting with a tax man that came to Spur from Abilene once or twice a week, to get the Kendall estate handled. In addition to this, Marie was worried about her sister Era's sad state of mental health. Era couldn't remember to eat or to go the bathroom. Marie wrote, "I hope I never see another person like she is." Marie developed another kidney infection and Irene tried to get her to return to Houston, but Marie saw the Crosbyton doctors and cleared it up.

The Hoover family became concerned about Marie's handling of the Kendall estate--that she was getting some things mixed up. They tried to help her as she would let them, and it was suggested that she turn over the administration to someone else. Marie resisted this, thinking that the cost of a new bond would be prohibitive. She complained of having to see to the estate, but would not relinquish it.

On April 26 Norma Sampson passed from this earth. She was the same age (88) as Ray Lil and had outlived her by about half a year. Another of Toby and Mattie Smith's children was laid to rest.

"I have the news on the TV and it sounds like we are going to have war before we can get ready for it. I am going to refuse to worry about it. I did all that one time and there is nothing good comes out it."⁽¹⁰⁾

Gordon and Joyce had left Levelland in the fall of 1978 and moved to East Texas and operated a store at Dawson. In September of 1980 Gordon was diagnosed with cancer, and underwent surgery and subsequent treatments. There was some reprieve but Gordon never realized complete remission. The end finally came on July 6. He was buried the next day in Mexia.

Marie spent the Christmas holidays in Phoenix with Ron and Billie and enjoyed the mild weather. She especially enjoyed getting to see Ben and Jimmie Pectol. Ben had preached at Jayton and helped conduct Kay's funeral. The Pectols were helping a new congregation get started in the Phoenix area. Marie returned to Texas with Debra Brantner, who was living in Midland.

In April of 1983 Marie, age 79, wrote that she had been asked to lead prayer at a special Ladies Day function. She sent Ben Pectol in Phoenix a check to help with their congregational efforts; they were meeting in a rented school multipurpose room. Ben said, "The check she gave us enabled us to pay our rent for one month. We were one month behind. The Lord 'truly does provide.'"⁽¹¹⁾

That fall, Marie indicated that Travis was actively helping her with the Kendall accounts and signing her name on the checks when she told him to. Irene again encouraged her to come to Houston for a checkup and she agreed. In November she was doing her Christmas cards early and staying inside. She arrived in Houston December 5 and Irene had her an appointment the following week with an eye doctor.

Marie returned home from Houston in early 1984 and Sherry met her at the airport. Sherry and Mike were now living at Crosbyton, following stays at Clarendon and near Abilene. Marie was sick with a cold in January, but missed the siege of flu that went around and filled all the hospitals. Travis was going over every day to see to Marie and take care of any Kendall business. Her Aunt Myrtle had succumbed to pneumonia in early February, and Marie was anxious to have Myrtle's affairs settled so that she could be freed from her legal responsibilities.

In April Lucille Fox and daughter Lois came by to see Marie. Lucille was a neighbor and church member during the time they lived at Sudan, and Lucille's several children paralleled Marie's in age. In June she attended the Hoover reunion and was looking forward to seeing the Pectol's again during a forthcoming gospel meeting at Jayton.

It was probably in 1984 that Marie began her gradual descent into that mental journey that was known as, and presumed to be Alzheimer's disease. It began innocently--the usual symptoms of old age. Marie became more forgetful. She wrote fewer letters. Increasingly, the family became more concerned about her driving in traffic, although she limited herself to Spur, with occasional trips to Jayton. Significantly, perhaps, Marie began showing less concern for her personal appearance--a striking contradiction to all who knew her well.

In the early stages of the disease, Marie would typically move back and forth between rational behavior and a forgetfulness that increasingly triggered odd or irrational behavior. In phone conversations, she admitted to a normal forgetfulness, but hinted that she knew something else was happening in her mind. Symptomatically, she would not respond to suggestions from her brothers and sisters or her children, and would become belligerent to those closest to her.

It became obvious in early 1986 that Marie could no longer safely live alone, and some other arrangement needed to be made. That summer she was placed in the Cimarron Nursing Home in Boise City, Oklahoma, which was near Ralph's home at Keyes. Her children had agreed that they had waited too long to take this step--always a difficult one to make. Marie would continue to have coherent periods, but her mind would fade away to some obscure place--a place known only to God. Eventually, she lost all recognition of those around her. A few years later, she was transferred to the Kent County Nursing Home, an outstanding facility in Jayton.

Marie was always healthy and strong. She could put in an eleven-hour day, six days a week, working on concrete floors, and then do her cooking, cleaning, washing, bookkeeping, bible study, and letter-writing as fill-in work. She often remarked that she had never experienced a single headache in her life. Years of lifting groceries, especially canned goods, out of grocery carts had given her bursitis in her shoulders, and arthritis in her fingers. Her gall stone surgery was perhaps her only experience with incisions and stitches. She was the one who always cared for others. How she would have detested her final state--a shrunken little wad of a body with a mind adrift, but a strong heart beating on--in contradiction to the rest of her.

Her words of 1977 come to mind, when she said, "Seems like an old person has a hard time getting out of this world now since they have so much of this modern medicine to keep you alive, even after you are dead in spirit and don't know anything." Now it was her big heart and not the medicine that would not let her leave.

Marie had offered her prayer of thanks many times to her Maker for the abundant life He had given her. If she could offer one final prayer in her own behalf, it might be this:

"Father, if it be Thy will, come Lord Jesus."

Then she probably would say to herself with mischievously smiling eyes:

"And if not now--well, I'll just continue to wait!"

ENDNOTES

1. Marie Brantner, Family History.

2. This was the west half of lots 14-18 in Block 64.

3. Brantner, C. R., And I Held His Hand As We Said Goodbye. (Unpublished poem, 1987). See appendix.

4. Marie Brantner, Family History.

5. Wooten.

6. Wooten. Clay and Bass.

7. The biopsy conducted April 28 officially stated the problem as "adenocarcinoma metastatic in liver and in mesenteric tissue." The report noted the samples of dermatofibroma (hard knots all over his body) as unremarkable.

8. C. R. Brantner, And I Held His Hand As We Said Goodbye.

9. The pallbearers were John Rankin, Ralph Brantner, Lavon Thornton, Edd Fry, Erit Fry, Gene Pollinger (son-in-law of Janiece Booth Murray).

10. Marie Brantner to C. R. B. April 27, 1982

11. Ben Pectol to C. R. B. April 21, 1983.