Life History of Joyce Eggleston

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Dedicated To Main Page Life History Project

1. Tell about your favorite uncle.

Uncle Wally Archard was my favorite uncle, because he was always good to me and made me laugh. He taught me how to shoot a rifle. He had a beautiful flower garden.

2. What changes have you seen in technology? (Indoor plumbing, water, telephones, computers, cars, etc.)

Written by her daughter Heidi MacDuff

My mom wanted to share a few things with you about technology. In the winter up at Grandma and Grandpas they would close the pantry door at night. Because it got so cold at night the water would freeze in the buckets. The kids would have to break the ice to get water to warm up to get washed up and brush their teeth. As mom says that is mighty hard living.

Mom said they didn't have a telephone till the kids were older, when Grandma Harris got a job. Grandpa (Marshall) made it very clear he didn't believe in having a phone. So, when they needed to use a phone they would go into great grandmas to use her phone. Also Art Harris would come every now and then to use great grandma’s phone. He would hold the phone away from his ear and holler as loud as he could into it to talk. I guess everyone would get a kick out of that.

Great Grandpa (LeRoy) didn't believe in having indoor plumbing. He didn't want anything changed in his home. He was set in his ways I guess!

3. Tell something you remember about one of your grandparents. (Were they funny, crazy, loving, mean, or special in a certain way.)

My Grandmother Miller was special. She let Nan and I come down to her apartment quite a lot. She lived upstairs at my Uncle Charlie's house (her son). She would take us shopping, get us ice cream and ride on the bus into Glens Falls. She took us into Fort Edward to take the train to Lake George. We got to ride on the Mohigan Boat on Lake George. Grandma played cards with us and lots of games. Sunday mornings we would have popovers, bacon and coffee. A special treat.

4. Did you ever have an accident, illness, or an operation? Pick one and tell about it.

I guess my scoliosis has always been my illness from 10 years old on. Now I have to be on oxygen and a special machine called a Bi Pac at nighttime because of my blood gas levels. I will be on these for the rest of my life, but I do okay. I am thankful for these things because they have given me the good quality of health that I have now.

5. Tell what your hobbies or interests are. (Do you sing, sew, write, hunt, build things, let us know more about you.)

I play the piano, took lessons for quite a few years but I don't play too much anymore. I like to do colored pencil art and word search puzzles. Keeps my mind going.

6. Tell about the changes in television. (Anything you want, earlier shows vs. today's shows, invention of VCR's & DVD's, the sky's the limit.)

Television today has too many news programs and sit coms, which I don't watch. Earlier sit coms I liked were the Andy Griffin show. I have watched one soap opera, "The Young and the Restless" since it first started on daytime TV. Masterpiece Theater is the best. VCR is good, I have all of the Catherine Cookson Movies....she is my favorite author.

7. Lets be romantic! - Tell us about your valentine, first love, first crush, or how you were proposed to, or how you proposed to your sweetheart.

I met my husband Jerry when I was 14 years old. He was 23 then. We were married when I was 17. He had bought his fathers and mothers home after he got out of the amry. We still live in that house today. We have been married 49 years come August 2004. It has been a good life.

8. What types of jobs have you had and which did you prefer?

I have had baby sitting jobs, super market jobs. I took care of an old lady and helped her in her home. I think I like domestic work the best.

9. Who was your best friend while growing up, or who is your best friend now? Let us know a little about the friends you have had in your life.

My best friend when I was growing up was my cousin Toad (Mary Archard). We used to spend about every day together. I guess we grew apart when we got married and she had illness. My other friend was Ginger Flynn. I used to stay overnight at her house. She got me to smoke one of her bothers camel cigarettes and I got deathly sick. I thought I was going to die.

10. Tell us about your favorite Aunt

My favorite Aunt was Aunt Pearl Archard. My father Marshall Harris sister. They lived about 3 houses from us in the old days. She was always good to me. She wasn't an overly ambitious person, she spent a lot of time reading. I really liked her.

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