20	Fall	02
Linda White Box 311 Cheyenne, OK 73628	News from Monta | Garland's Family | Ed's Family Dale's Family | Richard's Family | Elmeda's Family Virginia's Family | Bill and Mary Watts | Birthdays	Joe Elder 813 SW 63 Oklahoma City, OK 73139
Volume 12	of the family, by the family, for the family	Issue 2

The Newsletter The cost is $2.00 per year (mailed). If you have an e-mail address, Joe can send you a newsletter via e-mail for free. So send him your e-mail address and save money. The news needs to come to Joe or me, Linda White. If you have any suggestions let us know. We will publish the newsletter four times a year. The deadline for your news to reach either Joe or me will be the 1st day of each new season i.e. June 21, September 22, December 21, March 21. The newsletter should be out a week later, give or take a day or so. We won’t send out reminders, so be sure to mark your calendars now. If we don’t have to send out reminders, we can keep the prices lower. Linda White Editor News from Monta I was sleeping so well and a nerve got cross ways in my leg and that was that. I was tossing and turning, moaning and groaning, keeping the kitties and dogs awake so got up and decided to write. We had a garage sale. We sold a lot of junk and some fairly good stuff. Nancy can flat go through those storage buildings. I had lots of help and appreciated it all. I now have room and plan to keep going through stuff and be ready for the street sale in mid October. It will happen all the way from 6th street to the end going south. Maybe get rid of some more good junk. Among some of Bob's things, I am finding things that need to be passed on to his son. The cardiologist insisted I was on minimal medication and I thought "He ain't taking all those pills." But after my last stress test, he put me on another one any way. (They are not all for my heart.) Just a slight irregularity. Nothing serious. The Rheumatologist ordered an MRI on my spine. A lot of arthritis and more stenosis. I just had one area of spinal cord and nerves (stenosis) "decompressed" a couple of years ago. Doc gave me the option of having surgery again, but I am not ready for that. It's not a bad surgery as surgery goes, but I have other things I want to do before all that takes place. I am taking an art class at Amarillo College and enjoy it. I used to think I could paint a little bit, anyway, and now all it seems I can do is muddy the canvas. I really haven't done any of it since I went to work for the VA hospital. That has been a while and a lot has happened since then. I will just have to really concentrate on it until I am satisfied with my progress. I have to learn to paint wet on wet, blue on yellow without getting green. I am also still painting my windows. That is fun, and I need to get busy with some more of it. It is painted on plastic, peeled off and stuck on the windows. It is decorative without shutting out all the light. Carol is substitute teaching in Amarillo Independent School......Nearly everyday, all day. She felt I needed her here and I do. She still is anticipating a job she thinks she will really enjoy, and it is still open. The head honcho will return next week and make the decision about who. I am having a security system installed and will be connected to police, ambulance, fire, etc. I will have a remote hanging around my neck, so I can call for help if I need it, for any reason. I know I just wrote a bunch of words, nothing earth shaking, but I just had a thought. I have a bunch of jokes. If people would rather have jokes than family news, bet I have enough to supply a page or two. Ha Really, I thought I would add "A few things I remember" that would be more interesting than all my moans and groans. The dogs and cats protest those. As the weather cools down, my bed keeps getting fuller. I gotta put some catnip and doggy treats in Carol's bed or something. I remember when TJ and Virginia would come down to the farm; TJ would challenge me to "hitting" contests. I would hit him on the shoulder, and then he would hit me on the shoulder. When I was hitting him, I knew my time was coming and it was going to hurt! I'm here to tell you, I didn't bust any knuckles. Grandma Hart was very little older than her step children. Grandpa Hart lost the mother of his older children to illness or whatever. By the time his second family came along (my mom, Uncle Ebb, Aunt Eliza), his first family was almost grown. Grandma (Mahan) Hart was born in Rolla, Mo. Monta Garland's Family No news at this time Ed's Family Don't know if you have already heard, but thought I could pass on the news as well, just in case. Rhett is going to be getting married next June. I know... I can't believe it either! Everyone is very excited. Her name is Ashley Grimes and she is wonderful! If you haven't gotten the scoop on this yet, I'd be happy to provide a little more info for you. Also, Rhett got a new job. He is working in downtown Dallas now for a consulting firm and he really loves his new job. I hope that you and yours are doing well. Hanging in here. Talk to you later... Heather Patterson Nancy & Randal are busy as usual. Nancy with her classes at church and the little ladies she runs errands for and to doctor visits etc. Randal is still working to complete their patio, Nancy says it is in the completion stage. He is busy getting his deer stand ready at Wheeler for deer season. Should be ready by the time you read this. Rhett & fiancé Ashley Grimes are busy making plans for their upcoming wedding on JUNE 14, 2003 in the Irving/Dallas area. More details later as they become available. Heather is doing pretty well, but Dallas just hasn't been good to her. There is a lot of cutthroat in her line of work. Hang in there, Heather. Haven't heard a word from Richie & Judy assume they are okay. Talked to Camron just before school started. The kids, Chandler & Orion were looking forward to school starting as was their dad, Cliff (Ritchie). He was on the dean's honor roll for the summer semester. Congrats!!!!! Camron is working part-time. Jerry & Teresa are doing fine, very busy with football season. Evan is a senior this year. He was a homecoming king candidate Friday a week ago and didn't even call to tell me. Said he knew he wouldn't win anyway, negative words get negative results. Got his thumb hurt last Friday night, not broken though. Has a soft cast and is painful. Evan reports he has a girlfriend who takes lots of time and money. He also works at the Thriftway Grocery. Chandra & Braden are doing fine. Jerry said they just don't get to see that grandson often enough. Belated birthday wishes to Teresa last month. She joined the 40 year club. Jerry gave her a bad knot on the head for her birthday, ask him about that! Also to Chandra who turned 21, I think. Means I'm getting old when I can't remember how old they are, have to stop & think how old my own are. Amy & Montie were doing well last time I talked to her. They live in South Texas and really like where they are. She works for a candle factory and loves it. Jerry told me this afternoon he had seen Randy and reports they were doing good. Our family is okay. Curt had some knee problems the first part of Aug. but was healed. Thank the Lord!! He plans to have it checked to make sure but I will accept nothing except totally healed. God healed it, it's done. Tess still goes to therapy and has severe headaches. Will see a neurologist before long for those. Ben & Janna are busy, Genna is involved with band & flag guard so keeps them on the run. They don't live 30 miles from school like we did. Ben has his resume out as Fleming has moved its warehouses to Tulsa. Steph is looking for frost to kill the pollen. It is giving her fits right now. Her drama class is busy getting ready for One-Act play contest at Alva, Oct 11. Nancy & I plan to go watch and cheer but will have to be there by 9 a.m. to get to see the first one. They will put theirs on at 10a.m. We wish them Good Luck! Connor is enjoying 1st grade. Herb had the crud recently and we know he was really sick when he missed a golf game or two. Steph informed me that it really dates a person when the most exciting about going to the state fair is buying a new mop! Curt informed me tonight that we need to go to football games tomorrow evening at Merritt, grandson Brennan is playing 6th grade and Jr. high for Burns Flat/Dill City. Sometimes there's not enough of grandma to go around. We enjoy it though. We are looking forward to Virginia's family being here. Jerry informed me they will stay with them instead of the motel. Until next be praying for our troops and our government officials. GOD BLESS!!!!! LOVE TO ALL, Linda Dale's Family Hello Family, Seems this go around we are all proving to be slow as the Watts'. Joe sends this letter to let a few of us know the context of his newsletter for this quarter. It was blank! He has such a sense of humor! Daddy called to ask me about my duty to the family: I only heard from him - so I think a few other kids may have gotten the same phone call. Daddy's gonna have to be daddy as long as we kids are alive. Poor thing - but I just love hearing from him about just anything. I honestly don't procrastinate on purpose daddy. Watts' being slow isn't meant to be mean. It was just a family tradition around our house. Mom never thought any of us moved too fast, so she passes that little trait to the Watts side of things. Not long after Ron met my family, he tended to believe the same thing - that we move slowly that is. However he thinks I move a little faster than Gailia and Bruce - ha ha. I have just the evidence to prove it too. This summer Bruce and I both moved. It took me only three weeks; It took Bruce all summer! Okay, I admit that isn't fair. I have moved so often in the last five or six years we just don't collect anything but odds and ends that I just refuse to get rid of. Bruce on the other hand has been in the same house ALL his married life. So he has all sorts of Assets to his credit. So goes the rat race. Daddy got in on Bruce's family's move this summer. He kept his eye on the weekends where he and Frances could help. It has been a long hard move for him. He is a packrat and has lived in one location since Kay and Curtis were very small. He moved only 75 miles, not far enough to make the big move, so he parceled it out, no deadline so to speak. So things dragged out all summer. Bruce works six and a half days a week so if rain or other events prevent him from taking another load, oh well. Curtis spent 11 years in the Hardin School System, so in his senior year he changed to Magnolia. He isn't "fitting in" very well. He is thinking of going to live with Robbie's parents to be back in his old school. Kay's baby, Allen is still just wonderful and beautiful. Daddy and Frances are well and staying out of the heat. Daddy says he has become a house plant so to speak, so he really did enjoy working with Bruce whenever he could use the help. In turn, Frances enjoyed her space the short time daddy was out from under her feet. (Maybe I should have asked him to help Ron and I move. He has done that a time or two also) Gailia and Family are going to meet themselves coming back on another flight I think. They went to China, were there several months; came back to the states to help with a youth camp; just got back to China area for a two week vacation, heading home; will be there about a week and Brandt is coming back to Richmond. After reading where they were to be in the last newsletter it sounded as if they were omnipresent (Loretta's article said they would be in one town, Gailia knew where she was to be in her article, and my article named yet another town) now I see why. However, Gailia and the kids will stay home, and are glad to be there. Trips are fun, but there is no place like home for sure. Loretta and family are trying to settle down to a routine lifestyle after Hawaii all else pales. The girls have started searching for a college that direction and trying real hard to justify going there. School has begun for them as all other children their age. The two of them are also in high school this year! Heather can drive a car - Yipes. It doesn't seem time could have passed so rapidly. Think of those two giggly girls behind the wheel - oh me. I shouldn't doubt anyones driving skills. I am the one who goes to sleep driving aren't I Heather?? Both the girls have proven to be quite qualified for anything they attempt, I am very proud of them as are Loretta and Robert. The girls had a wonder time at camp this year and are still writing some of the girls they shared the cabin with. The lodge has been busy this year, a dry summer however. August and September have been busy with wedding parties, and that has been nice. Now things are beginning to slow down, so they are back to painting and repairing bits again. They are looking very forward to next week when Lowell and his wife will be there, and Daddy and Frances will return around Christmas time. The Waters side of this family is doing well. Neil returned home from Siberia with so many stories, there just wasn't enough time to hear them all. Not many in fact. He got a job offer in Tyler, TX before he got home, so he was barely here for a week and off he went. I know he is so excited about the opportunity there, and he will be near some very good friends. Only God knows what will be next. Cheri' thought long and hard about going too. She and Neil are very close. However, she's not changing orthodontists! Maybe they will next year as they had originally planned. Cheri' has had a few marriage proposals over the passed several years - all by young punks that haven't got a clue as to what commitment is. Now, finally someone who is an adult: Cheri' looks sixteen maybe but is considerably older. This trooper comes into her workplace at times and chats with all the girls. He asks Cheri' if she believes in long engagements - Cheri' thinking he is asking a two phased question- answers not necessarily if you're sure about the other person and their feelings. Great! He replies I am calling your father tonight. We are still praying this is a joke. The guy is nice, but we barely know him. Besides he is Ron's and my age we think. We are just glad we didn't get that phone call either! The latest gossip at our church is that we hold a belief no other family in the church has. Neil was approached the week he was home with this one. We all just died laughing. A lady asked if we really would not consider either of our children available for marriage until they reached the age thirty, then we parents would decide who their mate would be. Neil just almost fell in the floor laughing. Besides - when I get good and mad at the mate my child has chosen, I want to be able to ask- "just where did you find this human anyway?" Then I want to love them like crazy (my child and their mate) with all kinds of noisy grandchildren running around. We have even talked about their kids - when and if they ever have any. Neil has been saving some of his prized toys for his children, and Cheri' hopes she has at least one boy, as she thinks it is soooo cute when he wets again while being changed. Now if that isn't a way to talk! Some day, we just want it to be forever and wonderful for each of them when they do- if they do marry. I can talk forever you guys - just ask my dad. Aunt Virginia, I have thought of you often in the last few months. I could use some of your intelligence with plants as of late. I love wild flowers, and the house where we live has lots of them. This time of year most of them just look like weeds. And we have "weeded" to make it presentable out there. I love to piddle in the flower beds even if I don't know what I am doing. I Love You and I am glad you love to work with plants. I don't believe Grandma Watts enjoyed it, but I always wanted my yard to have flowers and plants just like hers. Gotta Go - aren't ya'll glad. I talk next time. Be careful and be safe. Karen Richard's Family Louada is getting caught up on her customers' sewing and mending jobs, as she's preparing for a visit to the Greenville area soon. She will fly in Oct.10 and fly out Oct. 24. The fall color will be great then. We plan to take her on part of the Blue Ridge Parkway just outside Asheville. We're working on other plans for her while she's here, but I think she just wants to take it easy much of time. I guess just being away from the normal chores at home is pretty much a vacation in itself. Her church is about to begin a renovation to their sanctuary and she's excited about that. Right now we're all enjoying some cooler weather. Sharon's younger son, Jeremy, has graduated from basic training at Fort Sill OK; he's in the Army National Guard Reserves and loved boot camp. It really made an attitude change for the better and increased his self-esteem and discipline. He is a senior this year at Lathrop High in Lathrop MO. He has a new job working at O'Shalin's Farm, Seed and Feed store. Sharon will make a trip to his graduation in May 2003. Meanwhile, Jeremy talked his older brother Jason into joining. He will start his basic training in March 2003 and of course mom Sharon will take another trip to Ft Sill to see Jason graduate from his training. They don't yet know if they will stay in the Reserves or go regular Army. Anyone have any thoughts pro or con on this?? Sharon would really like to know if any of you out there know about things like this. She's still working at Greenville Memorial Hospital in the inpatient recovery room, where she stays very busy. She's busy at home too, putting the finishing touches on decorating her apartment. She is settling in quite nicely. It's a quiet apartment community. Cecil and I are in the middle of painting the master bedroom. It's such a chore, but will look nice. We need to paint more rooms, but Cecil really hates painting, so maybe it's me that will be painting more rooms. Our jobs are going very well. Cecil is selling one manufactured home after another. This is the second evening in a row that he's coming home quite late from work because of a customer buying a house, but we can deal with that! Cecil's helped Sharon assemble several furniture items for her apartment, and I'm her interior decorator. She has a beachy theme for her bedroom, and I'm making her a wreath with seashells on it. Not much else is new. Take care and be safe! Jeanne Hart Elmeda's Family An eventful summer, there were some very hot days when I didn't get out much. I'm still doing cancer bonnets. I feel it is the one worth while thing that I do. They are brought to me cut out and all I have to do is sew them up. My time is totally volunteer and I use my sewing machine and thread. I'm not on a time limit. I also cut out little squares and sew them together in about baby blanket size, some one else (I don't know who) finishes them for little sick or abused children. Such as that keeps my hands busy and keeps my mind from wandering perhaps. Joe's mother-in-law and I go to a Senior Center and eat lunch most every week day. This is more enjoyable then eating alone. We get a wider variety of food than we would fix for ourselves at home. We have lost two brother-in-laws this year: Bob Holderman and TJ Patterson. In few days some of us will meet with some of the Pattersons in Wheeler for a memorial service for TJ. A fun thing lately, Lowell, Dianne, Ben and Jonathan (a nephew of Dianne) invited me to go along with them on Amtrak to Ft. Worth and back. We left Oklahoma City about 8:30 am on a Sunday morning we arrived in Ft. Worth at 1 pm Doris Bruner (Warren's oldest sister) and one of her sons and his family met us, took us to a nearby restaurant where we enjoyed visiting with them. The train left Ft. Worth at 5:30pm arrived Oklahoma City before 10 pm Lloyd and one of his daughters met us at the train. I have spent some time with Monta Faye at Amarillo and enjoyed it. The last time Carol Ray and I attended a Primitive Baptist Church there. I didn't think I would know anyone there, but I knew several. People in Amarillo are friendly at least friendlier than some other places. Gailia, Brandt and family were at Falls Creek youth camp for a few weeks this summer. Brandt is a missionary in China. Dale can tell you where. Their organization asked them to be at the church camp here this summer to talk to the young people. Falls Creek is north of Ardmore east of I-35. Lloyd and I went to visit them one Saturday. They, along with Dale and Francis came here one Sunday afternoon. We enjoyed them very much. Lloyd is still doing long haul truck driving. Sometimes he gets a lot of miles and sometimes he doesn't. He likes going west, but the people in the east need more merchandise hauled to them. Joe has got the long hoped for tractor. A has used John Deere but a new trailer to haul it on. There are some terraces on the farm to be repaired some cedar trees to stack. The cedars were getting very thick and crowding the grass out. Warren had cut some several years ago. Joe has had some burned and some sawed off. The stumps of the ones Warren cut could be pulled out now. Perhaps I am going on another train ride in the not too far off future. It will be leaving Clinton, Oklahoma and travel to Enid, Oklahoma. We will eat a Bar B Q lunch and return to Clinton. Sounds like another fun trip. Love to All Elmeda The summer has past too quickly but it's a wonderful day in Idalou, by the time you read this Dianne and I will be on a much needed vacation. It starts in 4 hours 30 minutes. We are going to look at trees and mountains for a few days, something different for us. Call me if you would like a post card. Labor Day Weekend, Dianne, Ben, Ben's cousin from Dianne's side and I drove to Oklahoma City, met Mom and then took the train to Fort Worth for lunch, then returned to Oklahoma City that evening. Long way around just to go out for lunch but it was really a good trip. I really enjoyed but probably it is because I had not been on a train since I was a kid. While in Fort Worth, we had lunch with Dad's sister, Doris and her son from North Carolina, and his wife and son. I can slightly remember Grandpa and Grandma took us to Shamrock once and we rode the train home to Oklahoma City. Most of that railroad doesn't exist anymore. I believe Mom has some pictures of us waiting for the train at Shamrock. Ben is keeping occupied with the band at school, at least through football season and then there will be marching contest. He plays the French horn. Katie and Michael are doing well. He is going to school and working full time at a Hyundai dealer. Katie is working in the salon at the JC Penney's in THE WOODLANDS. Drop them a note or give them a call if any of you have the desire. I am sure that they would not mind hearing a friendly voice occasionally. Katie and Michael Crump 17630 Wayforest Drive #606 Houston, TX 77067 281-875-8636 We may go down there around Christmas time. If anyone else is interested, let me know and maybe we can charter a bus. They would just love for everyone to drop in ;} Lowell Oklahoma City is still on the map in spite of all the recent changes. Rachel is in the ninth grade and is a freshman at the local Catholic High School. She is still involved with Camp Fire and is in their horse riding unit. John is in the Marines and is finishing his advanced combat infantry training at Camp Pendleton. He has been assigned to a mortar crew. He has been calling home on most weekends and he reports that some days are just better than others. Carol is about to run out of rooms to paint and patios to recover. She has been keeping herself busy to keep from worrying about John and his friends. She recently went to Tulsa for a two day review of current medical practices. Myself, I have been busy with honeydew projects and the usual errands with the routine chores. We did obtain a forty year old John Deere 2010. It is a way of putting your mind in neutral and stop thinking of work. Best Regards to all from Oklahoma City. Joe, Carol, John and Rachel. Virginia's Family

Blackfoot Idaho September 5, 2002 The final arrangements have been made for the memorial service celebrating the life of T.J. Patterson on Sunday, October 6, 2002, at 1:30 p.m. at the United Methodist Church Fellowship Hall, 704 Main St., Wheeler, Texas with a gathering of family and friends to follow.Virginia, Barbara and Dennis, Roger, Shannon & Kenneth, little T.J. and Jordyn will be arriving in Wheeler on Friday afternoon, October 4th and will be leaving the morning of the 7th. We can be reached then by cell phone numbers 208-681-5914 or 630-258-5608. We will be staying at the Honey Inn in Wheeler and the phone number is 806-826-5571. We look forward to seeing everyone then. Virginia Patterson Barbara and Dennis Norwood Roger Patterson Shannon and Kenneth Jensen Little T.J. and Jordyn Lyn Jensen

Bill and Mary Watts

Dear family,

This has been a busy summer for Bill & me as we have made several trips, one to Colorado for my family reunion in July and the weather was cool and we camped in the Mountains for nearly 10 days. The other trip was to Branson, Missouri with CL & Tommie Watts and we spent four nights there and the weather was good and cool and it rained a little. We have been remodeling a rent house for the last couple weeks and completed it this last weekend. It always humbles you a little to clean up other peoples messes. I guess it is good for the soul as we have to do it every once in a while.

Geneva Watts Lowrie from Crosbyton had to have a pacemaker put in this last week and all reports are that she is doing better.

Sue Watts Kinneer has been recovering from a near fatal automobile accident and she has made great improvements and has just bought a new car. Sue was near death for several months and God layed his hands upon her. We heard this week that Mary Lou Watts from California is undergoing tests for possible back surgery.

Our son and daughter-in-law, Tommy and Lori Duffield went to the great motorcycle rally in Sturgess, South Dakota this summer. They had a good time. They are enjoying their Harley. Our daughter Julie and Don who live in Paonia, Colorado are remodeling an older home and have been trying to get it painted outside before the snow falls. They undertook a big job. It is a two story home with steep roof and etc., but it will be nice when they complete it. They gutted it out and had level it, replumb, rewire, and put in new heating system. We will see all of you in October at Wheeler for TJ's memorial service.

Bill & Mary Watts

Birthdays

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