Tenth Generation (Continued)
Family of Leo L. Buckalew (3259) & Purne Allene Cooley

5474. Ansel Allen Buckalew. Born on 12 March 1911 in Sulligent, AL. Ansel Allen died in Sipsey, AL, on 17 February 1975; he was 63. Buried in Jasper, AL. Occupation: Proprietor Of A Small Store In Sipsey, AL.

Baptist.

Lived: Sulligent, AL; Calvert City, KY; Sheffield, AL; Sipsey, AL.

On 24 January 1935 when Ansel Allen was 23, he married Kathleen Flora Argo, daughter of Guy L. Argo & Flora Nevada. Born on 6 September 1916 in Sipsey, AL. Kathleen Flora died in Pensacola, GL, on 3 September 1996; she was 79.

They had the following children:
8127 i. Dr. Billy Ansel , MD (Private)
8128 ii. Robert Edward (Private)

5475. Leo Crayton Buckalew. Born on 27 June 1913 in Jasper, AL. Leo Crayton died in Asheville, NC, on 5 June 1985; he was 71. Buried in Asheville, NC. Occupation: Proprietor Of Dry Cleaning Establishment.

Baptist.

Lived: Jasper, AL; Sulligent, AL; Gary, IN; Asheville, NC.

On 25 December 1941 when Leo Crayton was 28, he married Merle Simmons, in SC. Born on 17 March 1908 in MS. Merle died in Asheville, NC, on 26 November 1987; she was 79. Buried in Asheville, NC. Occupation: Registered Nurse.

Baptist

5476. Edna Annette Buckalew. Born on 12 March 1916 in Sulligent, AL. Edna Annette died in Hospice By The Sea, Boca Raton, FL, on 11 August 2001; she was 85. Buried in National Cem., Arlington, VA. Occupation: Federal Employee, National Security Agency (NSA).

Methodist.

Federal Employee: Columbus AFB, MS; 5th AF Hq, Nagoya, Japan, FEAF, Tokyo, Japan; NSA, Ft. George G. Mead, MD.

Lived Sulligent, AL; Columbus, MS; Nagoya, Japan; Fucho, Japan; Falls Church, VA; Ft. Lauderdale, FL.

Autobiographical notes submitted May 1997:

"...the third child of Purne Allene and Leo L. Buckelew. There were six others with only five reaching adulthood. Of the five others there is only one still living. There is a fifty-fifty chance that she might be the last survivor. In case that should happen, I suppose she should start writing her own obituary. So here goes.

"When I was born, I weighed 13 pounds, as much as the two previous 'boys combined'. One weighing 6 pounds, the other 7 pounds. She was a heavy weight then and now at the age of 81 still trying.

"I was the first female grandchild born into the Cooley family . My maternal grandmother being very proud, went home to Gattman, Mississippi from Sulligent, Alabama, bragging about the first born female. Her youngest child, Bernice, (7 years old) heard it so much she decided she had to see what the creature looked like. The next move was to go to the train station, catch the first passenger train to Sulligent. It was a trip of about 5 or 6 miles. What happened to her next was, she soon decided, hardly worth seeing the ugliest thing that one could imagine.

"However, my oldest brother thought differently, I was born on Sunday, March 12, his birthday, he went to Sunday School telling anyone that would listen that he had received the best birthday present, a baby sister.

"That was my humble beginning, I grew up to be the ugly duckling of the three Buckelew girls. My older brothers and their friends formed a chorus and sang 'She's my red headed, freckled faced, consumptive Mary Jane.' That's the reason why, what you see now, is what you get.

" I did manage to grow up, have a reasonably good education, not a member of MENSA or a Rhodes Scholar by any means. But intelligent enough to have a very successful career with the Federal Government.

"It all started in November of 1942, during the early days of World War II. I applied for a job in Columbus, Mississippi at the Columbus Army Air Force Base, a twin engine flying training school where graduating students received their wings and commissions.

"I was assigned to the Property Office of the Quartermaster, worked there until the end of the war, at which time the base was scheduled to close. I then applied for a job in Vienna, Austria, being young and vulnerable, it sounded like a romantic place, Strauss Waltzes, great Symphonies, etc. However, that did not materialize, but with the help of our Congressman, Carter Manasco from Jasper, Alabama, I was offered a job with the 5th Air Force in Nagoya, Japan, I accepted and was on my way within a month, to the beginning of an interesting journey. I spent two years there and at the end of my contract I returned to the USA, to get permission from my parents to marry my boss. With permission in hand I returned to Japan to become Mrs. Irving James Cassidy.

"Having signed a contract for two additional years, I was reassigned to the Far East Air Force Headquarters in Tokyo, and became the resident auditor for the Japan Air Material Area, a depot that supplied all the 5th Air Force bases with everything from soup to nuts.

"Then came the Korean Conflict, When I heard the testing of ammunition at a nearby Ordinance Installation, I decided it was time to return to the USA.

"Leaving my husband there, I returned to Sulligent Alabama, to await his return, which occurred several months later.

"While in Japan I was fortunate to be able to visit 3 of the 4 islands of Japan and our one base in Korea. Having married in Japan, during the occupation, our honeymoon was spent aboard the SS President Cleveland, of the now defunct, American President Lines. With stops in the following ports, Manila in the Phillipines, where we had a lemonade in the fabulous, famous Manila Hotel (Gen Douglas McArthur's headquarters during part WWII); Hong Kong, where the first fantastic site you see from the promenade deck is the beautiful pagoda rising out of the Tiger Balm Gardens. The mansion, a museum of carved ivories and jade. The Gardens consist of grotesquely beautiful statuary that crowd the grounds of the side of a mountain. The wealthy Chinese man who created this 'Oriental cure all' believed that as long as he was constructing something he would continue to liv3e (he did die, but the Balm is still being advertised for sale in the USA). After that, a tour of Kowloon, having Tiffin at the (now demolished) Repulse Bay Hotel I can't omit the experience one has with the bargaining that would occur when trying to purchase anything. Prices are usually high, one is warned it is best to bargain before you buy, the shopkeepers love to bargain. So you either bargain or let him know you're a greenhorn. The next stop was Formosa, now Taipei. Nothing exciting here. Then back to Yokohama with a brief stop-over in Kobe, Japan.

"On IJC's return to the USA, he was immediately sent to Europe for 2 months. I had made a promise before we were married 'I would not go back to work', usually I keep my promises. But, I didn't keep that one. When he returned, I was employed by the National Security Agency, where I remained until I retired with 29 plus years of service.

"With the passing away of my husband, I found what was to be my companion for the next 14 years. He was white, with apricot ears and the blackest eyes of any toy poodle. Weighing in at 4 1/2 pounds, I was able to put him in my purse and carry him to family weddings, football games and even in the cabin with me on airplane trips until his demise on 25th of November, 1978. He will never be forgotten.

"Again, I was at another crossroads. What was I to do with the rest of my life? My mother had passed away in 1977 and I was no longer needed in Alabama. My Doctor suggested that I should try volunteering my service to one of the area hospitals. My tenure with North Ridge General Medical Center lasted approximately 12 years, donating more than 8,000 hours and the honor of being awarded a life membership in the Auxiliary.

"During this time I was also the Treasurer and/or Assistant Treasurer of the Ocean Summit Association, Inc., a Condominium, for 17 years.

"Left with nothing better to do I continued my vagabond days, traveling with the English Speaking Union, The Phoenix Society, various friends and relatives to interesting places, to name a few, beginning with Hawaii, next came England, Scotland and Waless. Then a two week Eurorail trip through France, Austria, Germany and Belgium with my niece, Linda, and her husband.

"In 1984, I had the opportunity to see the 350th (1634-1984) anniversary presentation of the Passion Play in Oberammergau, Germany. 1985 found me flying on the Concorde to London, England for a week of sightseeing with my friend Peggy Cline. 1986 included a trip to Chile, to view Haley's Comet from the Atacama Desert. However, it had lost part of its tail, but was still a magnificent sight to see the sky at night in the southern hemisphere. The Scandinavian Countries were nexct. Tivoli "ardens in Copenhagen, a Stave Church in Bergen, Denmark, a cruise on the Nacroyfjord and Sognefjord to Stalheim. A Flambane ride to Myrdal, continuing on to Oslo on the Express train. The highlight of Oslo was to see Thor Heyerdahl's Kon-Tiki, in the museum bearing the ship's name, then on to Stockholm, Sweden and more sightseeing.

"The next adventure was to Portugal, Spain and Italy. In Lisborn, Portugal, the museum Calouste Gulbenkian was one I shall never forget, the life size statue of a man sitting on a park bench, reading a ewspaper. A day trip up the Atlantic coast to Sintra, through one village after another, each looking like a picture post card. Then on to Madrid, Spain for a few days to visit the world famous LaPrado Museum. Another day trip to Toledo and the awe inspiring Cathedral. Now for the 'Piece de Resistance' of this entire escapade. Rome, Florence and Venice in Italy. There is something about Rome, that I don't have the vocabulary to explain. Saint Peters and the Vatican. The Pantheon, The Colosseum, The Spanish Steps, The Trevi Fountain and many more are self explanatory. The really strange thing was that we had reservations at the same hotel, the Ambasciatori on Via Veneto, across the street from the American Embassy, where my husband had stayed more than thirty years ago. A drive on the Apian Way, led us past the Catacombs and roadside tombs to the Abbe of Three Fountains. Then came Florence and the history of the Madici Family and their role in the formation of a great city. A day trip took us to Assisi, who owes its fame to St. Francis, born there in 1182. Then on to Venice, the magnificient City of Çanals and famous Bridges, not to mention St. Marks Square with the innumerable pigeons. A little shopping at the Murano Art Shop, then back to reality.

"The Olson Travel Agency's trip from the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam to the Louvre in Paris was the next challenge. We, Edith Gibson and I, arrived in Amsterdam a day early, which was spent at the Kueknehof Gardens. Tulips, tulips everywhere, a breathtaking sight day trips to Aalsmeer (where a unique flower auction takes place daily). Delft, home of the Blue China, The Hague, the attractive "co-capitol" of the Netherlands. Back in Amsterdam, a tour of the Rijksmuseum, where Rembrant is featured. The Van Gough Museum, joining the Van Gough Centenary celebrations. Then on to Rotterdam, Antwerp and Bruges in Belgium for more couth and culture. Next it was to Ghent, Tournai (Belgium's oldest town), Waterloo (the battlefields where a British Lion tops a 200-foot earthen pyramid) and the Panorama museum with vivid scenes depicting the opposing forces of battle, and Brussels. Net it was Bastogne, where we see the memorial to the Battle of the Bulge. Luxembourg came next with a visit to the American Military Cemetery where we see the burial place of General George S. LPatton and to Verdun and Reims, France. It was at Reims that Joan of Arc escorted Charles VII to his coronation. While there we visited the nearby Cellers to see the process of champagne making and a Champagne Testing Party at the renowned House of Taittinger, continuing on to see Chateau-Thierry's monument, a dedication to WWI's fighting men, then on to Compiegne to visit the railway car, in which the Armistice ending WWI was signed. Next stop Paris, Chartres and Versailles. The end of a trip embued with beauty, culture and history.

"The next adventures were exploring the USA, places like Philadelphia with the Liberty Bell, Ellis Island, NY, Atlantic City NJ, for lunch at the Taj Mahal, Boston for the parade of Tall Ships, Newport, RI, to see how the other half live, Arizona for the high school graduation of my great-niece, Ellen Annette Hollis, while there making a trip to the awesome Grand Canyon, the fall colors in the Carolinas, also Charleston, SC, with my niece, Joye, (we had a fun time making a tape of the 62 Famous Houses of this historic city), and last but not least Michigan, during the cherry season. This also included the Maritime Provinces of Eastern Canada and the Western Provinces of British Columbia and Alberta. Especially fascinating were the Columbia Ice Fields. For beauty it was the Lake Louise area and the Butchart Gardens of Victoria, BC.

"1992 had me arriving in Cairo on the first day of Ramadan, a period of fasting for Moslems. I was met at the airport by Nabil Maher, a representative of Egyptian Air and Travel Service, as arranged by my dear friend Jim Lide, I had arrived a day ahead of the ESU group, due to my having accumulated enough frequent flyer miles for a free round trip ticket to Cairo. I had planned to spend that day at the Egyptian Museum, which is located near the Hilton Hotel where I was staying. However, Nabil had a better idea. He escorted me to the weekly auction at the Camel Market. Am thankful that I had a camcorder and captured the essence of this experience on tape, it is impossible to describe. The ESU group arrived, we did the museum, seeing all the treasures of King Tut-Ankh-Amun tomb, the night showing of the Sound and Light Spectacle at the Sphinx and Pyramids in Giza, A side trip to Memphis and Sakkara. Then back to the Pyramids during daylight hours for picture-taking and adventure into the guts of a Pyramid. Took an early morning flight to Abu Simbel, where we saw one of the greatest sights in all of Egypt. The Temples that were threatened by the waters backing up behind the new Aswan Dam, were reassembled over the New Lake Nasser. Four colossal Figures of Rameses II stand guard at the entrance of the great Temple. Then on to Aswan where we boarded the RA II for a 7 day cruise on the Nile. Sightseeing at Kom Ombo, Edfu, Esna, Dendra, Abydos and Luxor, space does not allow me to elaborate on all the Temples, Gods and Goddesses to whom we paid tribute. However, must mention the Great Temple Hall at Karnak, the Valley of the Queens and the Valley of the Kings, where excavations are still proceeding, some under the auspices of Chicago House in Luxor and the Epigraphic Survey of the Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago. Returning to Cairo for two additional days of sightseeing and some shopping at the KAHN-EL-KHALILI Bazaar.

"Then in 1994 came Professor Michael Farrall's 'Springtime in Turkey'. It was a surprise to me that it is one of the most interesting and beautiful countries. We Started in Ankara, with a visit to the Museum of Anatolian Civilization and the Roman Temple of Augustus also the impressive Mausoleum of Ataturk, then traveled through Cappadocia, overnighting in Aksaray and on to Konya, to visit the Ulu Cami Mosque arriving in Denizli, Pamukkale where Sevgen and Gretna Tamer had arranged a tour of a Bazaar woolen workshop, where women spin, dye and weave carpets and are then sold in an adjoining shop. Next stop the Greco-Roman City of Aphrodisias and Pamukkale Hierpolis (this resembles a castle to which it owes it's name, cotton castle). This is where my feet gave up, and infection in both feet. Then we had two nights in Ismir with a full day visit to Ephesus which was important in early Christian times, St. John the Evangelist lived here and was visited by St. Paul. According to documents from two Ecumenical Councils held in Ephesus, the Virgin Mary spent her last years and died in kthis city. Her house was rediscovered and restored. Sightseeing was over for me, but I did enjoy the ride to Istanbul. The only other time I attempted to get out of the bus, was in Troy, then only to have a picture taken underneath the Trojan Horse (a replica of the one used in the Trojan War). The tour continued on to Bursa and Istanbul. Greta had called a Dr. she knew and he was waiting at the hotel in Istanbul when we arrived. He was Head of the Amerikan Hastanrsi (Hospital), and took me in his car to the hospital, where I remained for four days, at which point I was allowed to travel. I soon found that he, Dr. Winkler, an American, was a good friend of Dr. Jude, who with Dr. Cline had performed my heart surgery in 1977.

"The final trip takes me on a cruise to the Greek Isles. We had two days in Athens prior to boarding the Aegean I for a trip to the Island of Crete, where I took advantage of the scenic tour of the Island. Next port, Rhodes, with a tour of Ancient and Medieval Rhodes. Ephesus, Turkey was next. Their are so many legends about this ancient city, it's hard to choose the most romantic. Here, remains of architecture dating from the 8th-7th Century, B.C. were found approximately 26 ft. below the surface of the earth and it was concluded that this was the site of the archaic Ephesus. Excavations started in mid 1800's and are continuing to this day. We entered the city where, what is thought to be the private baths, up Curetes Street by the Prytaneon (Town Hall) thru the Hercules Gate, passed the Trajan Fountain, Hadrian's Temple, The Latrina and Brothel to the Celsus Library and out Marbel Street. This street is part of the sacred road leading to the Temple of Artemis. There is graffiti on the sidewalk of Marble Street indicating the location of the Brothel House. So we leave Turkey and I feel avenged for having missed it in 1994. The next and last stop was the Island of Santorini, a volcanic island with a winding road up to the point where more excavation is in progress. Then at the very top there is a Winery where we tasted both, the red and white wine. To get down from the peak, it's a cable car ride down to the water's edge and boat ride out to our ship. Back to Athens and straight to the airport for the trip back to Kennedy.

"The first Buckelew/Buckalew/Buckaloo Genealogy Conference was held in Birmingham, Alabama at the Mountain Brook Inn, 22-23 March 1997. I am grateful to my new found cousins Lester, Jay and Jack for bringing us all together.

"This is the end of my story, I will now lay down my pen, oops, I will now turn off the computer and say Good Night."

On 24 January 1949 when Edna Annette was 32, she married Irving J. Cassidy, son of Albert H. Cassidy & Elizabeth Mack, in Yokohama, Japan. Born on 12 January 1904 in Cleveland, OH. Irving J. died in Washington, DC, on 11 January 1965; he was 60. Buried in National Cem., Arlington, VA. Occupation: Lawyer; Lt Col, USAF.

Catholic

5477. Joyce Allene Buckalew. Born on 18 December 1919 in Sulligent, AL. Joyce Allene died in Vernon, AL, on 23 August 1979; she was 59. Buried in Sulligent, AL. Occupation: Co-Owner Of Hollis Plumbing & Heating Co.

Baptist.

Lived: Sulligent, AL.

On 3 July 1946 when Joyce Allene was 26, she married T. Clayton Hollis, son of Derrel Upright Hollis & Leola Peeler. Born on 6 November 1914 in Gattman, MS. T. Clayton died in Sulligent, AL, on 16 April 1972; he was 57. Buried in Sulligent, AL. Occupation: Co-Owner Of Hollis Plumbing & Heating Co.

Baptist.

They had the following children:
8129 i. Nancy Ellen (Private)
8130 ii. Linda Kay (Private)

5478. Durwood C. Buckalew. Born on 8 July 1922 in Sulligent, AL. Durwood C. died in Sulligent, AL, on 26 September 1922; he was <1.

5479. Zula Cooley Buckalew (Private).
Zula Cooley married James Cusic Hollis, son of Derrel Upright Hollis & Leola Peeler. Born on 3 June 1923 in Gattman, MS. James Cusic died in Gadsden Medical Center, Gadsden, Etowah Co., AL, on 13 March 2001; he was 77. Buried on 16 March 2001 in Greenlawn Memorial Gardens, Jacksonville, Calhoun Co., AL. Occupation: State Supervisor; Vocational Education, Montgomery, AL.
Residing in Jacksonville, Calhoun Co., AL at time of death.

They had the following children:
8131 i. Leo Derrel , Sr. (Private)
8132 ii. James Buckelew (Private)
8133 iii. Joye Ann (Private)

5480. Edward Pinkard Buckalew. Born on 1 September 1927 in Sulligent, AL. Edward Pinkard died in Omaha, NE, on 25 April 1994; he was 66. Buried in Cremated. Occupation: Co-Owner Of Treynor Farm Supply Co., Treynor, IA. Nickname: Ned.

Baptist.

Lived: Sulligent, AL; Auburn, AL; Treynor, IA.

Edward Pinkard married Janet Taarks, in IA. They were divorced.

They had the following children:
8134 i. Cristine (Private)
8135 ii. Dan Edward (Private)

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IMPORTANT NOTICE

This genealogy web site will terminate production on December 31, 2004.

Thank you for allowing us to be part of your life these past six years. - Les Buckalew