Memories of Jerry by Esther

[Editor's Note: This story was written by Esther]

We have lost another member of our family. Jerry was a favorite Uncle to my children, as all my brothers were. Jerry, Charles, and Mickey were the three that spent time with us when they worked in the Gulf Of Mexico. They were cooks aboard the oil rigs and when they came ashore on their time off, it was spent at our house.

At first we lived in Baton Rouge, Louisiana when the children were well in to school. The oldest was Taffy; then Marion who was three years behind her. Next is Cindy another two years back and last is Vern Jr. was also two years back.

The children were always waiting for them when it was their time to come in and we would drive down to pick up who ever was coming in. Some times only one would come or maybe two could make it. But it was a merry time if all three of them were in at the same time.

Mickey might make a fast trip to California to see family out there and be back to spend time with his friends here and us before he had to go back. Charles was one to stay close and he like to have his beer and talk about old times. And Jerry was one to keep the children active doing crafts and staying busy out doors playing games with lots of actions. He loved baseball and football and jumping rope.

Of course, the best was they all could cook and each had a totally different cooking style. If they needed any thing, the children would help them. They were great at teaching meal planning and preparing special favorite dishes. We had lots of outdoor cooking on the bar-b-que pit and all the gang would be sure to know about it and show up to eat with us.

Jerry was one to show the children some easy crafts to make from recycle cans and containers. With an oat meal carton and some rolls from bath tissue he showed how to make log planters and to take dish washing bottles and make lovely door stoppers. He made some to look like dolls and also to warp yarn around a can to make good pencil holders. He was always reusing cans and what ever was handy to good advantage. And hey! It kept the children busy and happy doing it.

Vernon Sr. and Jerry used to play monopoly with Jr.. The game helped to teach Jr. math, which he really needed to learn. They played almost every night after home work and on the weekends; it would last for several hours. Yes, it did work and it was so nice to see Jr. work a math problem just by looking at it, without paper or pencil and to get the correct total.

And we can’t forget the card games! Vernon, Jerry, Charles and Mickey would have a game going and it would most often be Cribbage. Jerry loved playing cards. Any game was his favorite. When he would win it was a “Jolly Jerry” and he was just as happy when others would win too. He just love playing with others. He made losing fun and that was a treasure to hear my children laugh and to have them know it was just a game and if it makes you happy it is worth playing.

Jerry loved to sing. He came often to help take care of Mom and Dad and when my sister Marion and I would have Mom sing songs after supper. Jerry would sing with us. He love to sing the good Hymns we had learned in Sunday School. He had a wonderful voice and it was a joy hearing him sing with us.

I still have one brother and he is always calling or emailing news to keep in touch and I love to hear from him. And of course, there is my sister Marion. There are just the three of us now and we are still a family.

I know I will be thinking of all the good times we had growing up and I can recall how close we were to each other all those long years ago. Good memories are great to have now. How wonderful it is to have them when I look back.