Hello George,
It's been about 22 plus years since we've seen each other and you may not remember me. This is my first post here at greasespot from Irving Texas. I don't know where you are now. So this is simply a "walk-down-memory lane" and nothing more than that. I write only because I wanted you to know the impression you left with me, and I'm sure countless others through the last two decades plus a couple more.
I remember you. I remember your daughter, Lisa, and Dee and her son, Chris. Even if you don't know who I am and even if you don't recall my name (Gail M.) or our visits to each other's homes, it's fine with me. I'm ok with that, perfectly. My purpose in writing is to tell you what a awe-inspiring impression you made on me as a father and as a family man.
You see, I had already had three grown kids when your daughter was a toddler. So I had lots of experience with children and their abilities, what was the norm, or the average behavior of children your daughter's age. To say that she was "gifted" was an understatement! She was so smart, so far superior and above the average. She literally blew me totally away. She knew her alphabet and all the sounds before most babies learned to say much more than "Momma, Dadda", etc. She was reading as a toddler. Reading books, reading the cereal boxes, reading from everything. She was a brilliant child with an incredible attention span. And that's putting it mildly. I know because I have a gifted Grandaughter, and her Dad, my Son, Daniel was gifted also. Only I didn't know it back then when he was a child because "gifted" was never mentioned back in the 60s. I worked in a Roman Catholic Rectory for eleven years in Elmira, NY before coming to Texas. I worked with the children in the Polish Catholic school next door to the rectory where I worked as bookkeeper. My Aunt taught there in first grade and I knew her curriculum for the first and second grades. Lisa was doing that work when she was only two to three years old.
You and Dee were wonderful, loving, perfect parents. You were patient and very strict. And as a result, your children were the best behaved children I have seen to this day. That includes my three kids, and they all were very well behavied as well. We had ministry meetings that lasted for hours and hours and your children never, never misbehaved. When we prayed, they prayed. When we talked they sat and either listened quietly or played quietly by themselves. It's was amazing to me. When the teachings were going on, I watched your children. When prayers took place, I watched your children. When we ate and socialized, I watched your children. And I watched you and Dee too. What a family group you all were. I admired you tremendously. You all had great love and patient understanding and it showed in your children. I was more attentive to watching your family than paying attention to the doings going on in class.
I could not take my eyes off your amazingly, well-mannered children.
So, no matter what happened later in your lives, I'm happy to know you raised your daughter as a single parent and that you have a close and loving relationship with her. I'm so very proud of you as a man, as a Father, as a human being. And I praise you for making friends again with Dee. It speaks volumes about your loving character, still. Most people are too bitter to heal those wounds. You have a gift too, a generous gift.
I'll keep reminiscing here because I'm not going to discuss anything you mentioned you wished to avoid.
Perfect for me, as my wish is just to walk down memory lane with you and perhaps to shed some light on things you may have forgotten. Memories are precious to me and I'm thankful I met you and your family.
I did not know what happened to you. No one in our Irving group knew either. Last I knew you and Dee sold all your belongings and packed up for Ohio, but that you did not go to the WOW field. We all lost track of your family after that. I don't know if you ever came back to Irving.
I went to Ohio that year too. It must have been around 1985 or thereabouts. I drove my large baby-blue 1986 T-bird with a 460 hp engine (gorgeous vehicle) and I took with me Susanne B., Pam F. and her two blond teenage daughters, Cheri and Desiree'. (I understand Pam passed away a couple years ago in the Carolinas.) Bill H. was our leader back then; he was a tall, good-looking, dedicated. young man who had a window washing business around Irving. He did a good job as a leader. My group was later led by Wayne F. Wayne was the only leader with enough loving compassion to keep the rest of us from hiring a hit-man to get rid of Gil L. I got in much trouble once for telling him he was "intimidating". (God knew that was the truth). I didn't go to some affair where you burn little notes in a fire place, and he was reaming me out about it. I told him my daughter was moving that weekend and Steve K and I (we were dating then) had only one evening to shampoo her carpet so she could get her deposit back. It didn't serve as a good explanation to Gil and he continued to prepare to "burn-me-at-the-stake" so to speak. I told him my kids came first and they always would. Maybe not first before God of course, but first before a ministry meeting of any kind, anywhere. He later held his witch-hunt with the entire twig suggesting I was possessed. He was a real trip.... a bad trip. I always joked with others that I thought he missed his vocation and that he should have been a guard in a penitentiary. Funny thing was that, many years later, I heard he became a warden in some prison. So, I definitely called that one correctly. It was so obvious that he missed his calling. Gil chased off Robert (Bob) LaP. (Grand Prairie group), originally from New Hampshire. Bob left all his belonging at my house, including his bible and Driver's License, and in total defeat and dispair, hitch-hiked with nothing but the clothes on his back, and returned to NH. He was the best "witnesser of the word" I ever met. He would talk the word to anyone, anywhere and he always did it with great joy, enthusiam and and a smile on his face. It was a shame and a sin to crush him the way Gil did. I've tried to reach him for decades but failed.
Some of the other folks in our area were: Deb & Chris R. from Grand Prairie. They sang and he played guitar. They are still in Texas in a wonderful church group that blesses them. Then there was Darlene & David R. with two kids, Sammy and Danny and they all live in New Mexico now. David's brother married my daughter, Diane and they have a 17 year old girl, Stephanie. Then there was a lovely young girl, Alice L.
and of course the beloved Wayne F. who everyone loved and will never forget who moved to Houston, then California then back to his hometown in Alabama. The was a young, large girl named Suzanne who lived in the same group with Bill H. I don't know where she went. The Suzanne B was married to Richard B. a paleontologist who worked for Mobile oil. She came to twig, he didn't. She was originally from New England, a real "Lady" with class and good breeding. They eventually had two boys who were home-schooled and are now in college. Then there was Cookie B and Richard B, married with a son named Ritchie. They originally from NY and before that, Porto Rico. Cookie and Richard are now married to other fine spouses. Richard and his wife, Emily are heavily involved with a very loving church group out west near N. Ft. Worth.
Steve K and I terminated our relationship and he married someone in south Irving. That was more than 15 years ago but I am still in close touch with his Mom, his Aunt & Uncle, his sisters, and his daughter who just had her 3rd child. Although I haven't heard from Steve K in 15 years, I love all his family dearly. I've even visited his Mom and Dad in N.C. with two different boyfriends over the years and when I go to Georgia to visit my son, I've spent time with his Mom and Dad, sisters, and his Aunt and Uncle...all loving people.
I have been with Lee, my companion for over 12 years and he treats me with great respect and tenderness. We live in my house, the same one, on Goodyear Street in Irving. I'm still moving around (although not still kicking much) and age is fast catching up with me. I have way too many thoughts on my demise and hope dearly that I make it at least to enjoy a little retirement and some traveling. I'm pretty much a hermit by choice. I watch too many movies and don't get any exercise other than one week a year. I'm happy at home knowing Lee and my children do love me. I need to love myself a bit more and take better care of myself. I know that I'm not going to get an "jewels-in-my-crown" watching TV all the time, but I have helped Lee come to the knowledge of God and I believe he is born again of the spirit. I've tried to set him an example in loving my neighbor as myself.
So, my dear friend George, it is with great joy to me that I've found you and been able to chat with you, (although one-sided), bearing all the news I can think of without going over the limit of post words.
I think Lisa would enjoy having all these letters from folks who both know and have never met you. Take pictures and share a journal with her. When I thougth I was dying from a 16 pound tumor I had removed, I wrote notes and letters to everyone. Thank you for sharing with me and I hope my sharing with you has benefited and blessed your heart in some way. Remember you are remembered by many and loved by all.
Give my love to Lisa and Dee and all who may remember me. My picture from back then is attached.
Enjoy your Christmas and New Year with all the joy you can muster. As my daughter says, "let's make memories".
With much affection and Love,
Gail Morgan, Irving Texas
