Sympathy Saturday - Mary J 'Mae Mae' Murphy Kent (1932-2025)

 Sympathy Saturday will be where I share the obituaries and my condolences for members of my family tree who passed recently.  When you get to be a certain age, you begin to read the obituaries every day.  As the days go by, you read about more and more of your friends and family members who have died.  You compare their age to your own and get a jolt. "That could have been me." 

For genealogists, checking obituaries and visiting cemeteries is as normal as breathing. I learn so much from an obituary, i.e., maiden names, parents' names; children's' and grandchildren's' names, funeral and burial locations, sometimes even a cause of death.  I want to learn these things not for any purpose but to put it on the family tree for future generations to see and learn about the family that went before them. I admit, most of these relatives I have never met, but I think it is important to share that they were here on this Earth, and they were important.

So I am signed up with at least three funerals homes from Swainsboro, Vidalia, and Wrightsville to get daily notices of obituaries sent to my email.  Every day, I peruse them and with the help of the family tree, figure out who is related to me and add any new information to the tree.    Some weeks there are several, and some weeks there are none.  This week, there were none, so I am going to go back a couple of weeks to find one to share.                                            

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Mrs. Mary Murphy Kent “Mae Mae”, 92, of Swainsboro passed away Saturday, February 1, 2025, following a brief illness, Mae Mae was called to her final home in glory.  She was resting peacefully at home surrounded by family, which is where she prayed to be.  She was born April 16, 1932, in Swainsboro to the late James Cecil Murphy and Lydia Kight Murphy.  A graduate of Swainsboro High School, she then attended Augusta Business School.  Her major passion was fashion and making things beautiful.  Owner and operator of Mary’s Ladies Shop in Swainsboro for 25 years.  A career that she thrived on made her happy and full of laughter and friends.  After retirement, she filled her days with being a wife, mother and grandmother.  She enjoyed gardening and visiting her friends who were ill or shut in.  On her visits, she almost always baked cookies or brownies to take them.  A great cook her family has several favorites but mostly the brownies she made for her grandchildren and great-grandchildren will always be a wonderful memory.   Mae Mae was the matriarch of the family and tried always to keep us in line.  For the women, she always expected hair done, makeup on (Especially lipstick) and finished with jewelry just like she was.

Mae Mae was Baptist by faith and a longtime member of First Baptist Church.  She was also a member of Seppa Youngblood Circle and a loyal member of the Bereavement Committee for many years.  Mae Mae’s “southern lady demeanor” will Always be remembered by many.

She was preceded in death by her parents, James Cecil Murphy and Lydia Kight Murphy; daughter, Judy Braddy Tapley; sisters, Evelyn Murphy Hayes, Lucretia Murply Greenway; brother, Jimmy C. Murphy.

Mary is survived by husband, Dana C. Kent, Sr. of Swainsboro; son, Dana C. Kent, Jr.  (Melonie) of Augusta;  grandson, Andrew Kent and granddaughter, Hannah Kent; daughter, Jan Braddy Slater (James) of Swainsboro; grandson, Jon Tapley (Kristian) of Atlanta; granddaughter, Jami Ledbetter Slater (Douglas) of Summertown; two great-granddaughters, Mary and Murphy Tapley; three great-grandsons, Patrick Ream, Liam Ream and Lucas Ream; one sister, Jonnie Murphy Boulineau; several special nieces and nephews; special friends and caregivers, Roger Bell Eason and Elaine Cummings; and many friends.

Funeral Services will be held at 2:00 P.M., Saturday, February 8, 2025, in the Chapel of Chapman Funeral Home with Reverend Phil Wilson officiating.

Interment will be in Swainsboro City Cemetery. 

The family will receive friends Saturday, February 8, 2025, from 1:00 P.M. to 2:00 P.M. at Chapman Funeral Home.

Pallbearers will be Bill Boulineau, Phillip Boulineau, Andrew Kent, Patrick Ream, Rob Kent and Al Knight.

The family would like to give a special thank you to the nursing staff at Pruitt Hospice.

Condolences may be expressed at www.chapmanfhofswainsboro.com.

Chapman Funeral Home of Swainsboro is in charge of the arrangements for Mrs. Mary Murphy Kent “Mae Mae”, 92, of Swainsboro.  

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Mary was my 3rd cousin, 1x removed through the Claxton line.  Our common ancestors were Zachariah William Claxton (1806-1895) and Lincelia 'Lincely' Bush Claxton (1806-1872).

Please join me in offering condolences to Mary's family and holding them in the light.

Sympathy Saturday - Dennis Hopkins (1969-2025)

   Sympathy Saturday will be where I share the obituaries and my condolences for members of my family tree who passed recently.  When you get to be a certain age, you begin to read the obituaries every day.  As the days go by, you read about more and more of your friends and family members who have died.  You compare their age to your own and get a jolt. "That could have been me." 

For genealogists, checking obituaries and visiting cemeteries is as normal as breathing. I learn so much from an obituary, i.e., maiden names, parents' names; children's' and grandchildren's' names, funeral and burial locations, sometimes even a cause of death.  I want to learn these things not for any purpose but to put it on the family tree for future generations to see and learn about the family that went before them. I admit, most of these relatives I have never met, but I think it is important to share that they were here on this Earth, and they were important.

So I am signed up with at least three funerals homes from Swainsboro, Vidalia, and Wrightsville to get daily notices of obituaries sent to my email.  Every day, I peruse them and with the help of the family tree, figure out who is related to me and add any new information to the tree.    Some weeks there are several, and some weeks there are none.  This week, I only have one to share.

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Mr. Dennis Hopkins, 55, of Swainsboro, passed away Wednesday, February 19, 2025.

He was born in Swainsboro on September 30, 1969, to Edward Hopkins and Trannie Wilkerson Hopkins. He was preceded in death by his brother, Donald Hopkins.

Dennis was one of a kind. He was a determined man, hardheaded, stubborn, set in his ways, but he was also the love of my life. He stole my heart when I was 14 years old, and he never turned it loose. He was smart, funny, charming and the most handsome thing I had ever seen. He was my heart. He loved to fish, hunt, and play his guitar and sing. The Lord knows he was great at that. We traveled many miles for him to play and sing over the years. We had good times over the years, but we also had tough times, but we fought our way through everything that came along. We had Heather and Cody, and he taught them everything he could so that they would be able to stand on their own. I have to say he was a wonderful daddy (Deddy). He loved our babies with everything he had. He would have followed them to the ends of the earth. He coached them in ball, taught Cody how to play the guitar, how to change their oil and tires, taught Cody how to operate big machinery before he even had a license to drive. He taught them everything he could. When the grandbabies started coming you could just see his heart explode, he loved them so much. He always smiled the most when they were around.

Dennis fought a long hard battle for many years. The diabetes took it’s toll on his body so that over time he just got wore down. The last few years were exceptionally hard on him when he had his amputations. Within 3 months, he lost both his hands and his right foot. He was a fighter, and he fought so hard, but I do not think he really smiled again after that. Life got so hard for him. He would push through the best he could, but I often wondered if he was doing it for himself or for us. He was tired and had been for quite a while.

Dennis Hopkins, you were the love of my life. I have loved you since day one and I always will. I have seen you fight and struggle for so long, now it is time for you to rest. You gave it everything you had and then some. You taught our babies everything you could and for that I am so grateful. You shaped them into the wonderful adults they are and the most amazing parents. You will always have my heart, and you will always be with me. There will never be a time that I do something that I will not think of you. Your fight is over and for us the days to come will be extremely hard, but we also know you are at peace. You go play that guitar in heaven for you are whole again now and keep an eye on us down here. I love you; I always have and always will. Love you bunches, Susan.

Mr. Hopkins is survived by his wife of 36 years, Susan Wilson Hopkins of Swainsboro; parents, Edward & Trannie Hopkins of Swainsboro; son, Cody Hopkins (Chelsea) of Swainsboro; daughter, Heather Murry (Matt) of Swainsboro; grandchildren, Noah Hopkins, Mason Murry, Aubri Murry, Jax Hopkins and Chase Hopkins; several , aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews and many friends.

Funeral services will be Sunday, February 23, 2025, 3:00 p.m. at Jesus Saves Church with Reverend Brad McKenzie officiating, assisted by Reverend Johnny Baggett and Reverend Shannon Boula.

Interment will follow at Eastbrook Cemetery and Mausoleum.

Pallbearers will be Terry Reese, Tommy White, Chris Wilkerson, Tim Wilkerson, Randy Wilkerson, Henry Wilkerson.

Honorary pallbearers will be past musicians Dennis played with over the years.  

The family will receive friends Saturday, February 22, 2025, from 6:00 P.M. to 8:00 P.M. at Chapman Funeral Home.

Condolences may be expressed at www.chapmanfhofswainsboro.com.

Chapman Funeral Home of Swainsboro is in charge of the arrangements for Mr. Dennis Hopkins, 55, of Swainsboro.  

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Dennis was the husband of my 3rd cousin, 2x removed, Susan Wilson.  I am related to Susan on my Page line.  Our common ancestors are Solomon Page Jr (1800-1860) and Elizabeth Caroline Scoggins (1802-1880).  

Please join me in offering condolences to Dennis's family and holding them in the light.

Saturday Night Genealogy Fun - Your Grandmother Memories

  From Randy (a cousin discovery!!) over at Genea-Musings:

it's Saturday Night - 

time for more Genealogy Fun!!!

Your mission, should you decide to accept it, is to:

(1)  

(2)  Tell us all about it in your own blog post, in a comment to this post, in a post on Facebook, or on Twitter.  

Here's mine:

Unfortunately, I was very  young when I lost both of my grandmothers.

I was just 3 years old when my paternal grandmother, Nealie Drake Tapley (1895-1970) passed away.  I only remember seeing her once.  She lived in a high rise apartment building in Augusta, and my mom took me to see her.  All I remember is her giving me a cookie, and being very tall and intimidating.  

My maternal grandmother, Ethel Ranney Tapley (1913-1973) passed away when I was 6 years old.  She and Pop Pop lived in Swainsboro, and I know that we went to visit them fairly often.  Honestly, I don't really remember her.  I have tons of pictures so I know things happened and we shared occasions, but I don't have a memory of them at all.  I only have two actual memories that include Grandma.  The first is my mom telling me that Pop Pop had passed away, and we needed to go to Swainsboro. (We lived in Jacksonville, Florida then.)  Then I remember vividly when we went to pick  up Grandma and her passing away in my father's arms right there in the parking lot.  (I wrote about this in a previous blog post.  If interested, you can read it here:  Sympathy Saturday: Charles Morgan Tapley and Ethel Ranney Tapley.  

So I really missed out on a couple of special relationships. I hope to see them again one day, and they will tell me all about their lives.

Saturday Night Genealogy Fun - Your High School Years

 From Randy (a cousin discovery!!) over at Genea-Musings:

it's Saturday Night - 

time for more Genealogy Fun!!!

Your mission, should you decide to accept it, is to:

(1)  This week we travel down Memory Lane again.  Tell us about your high school years with answers to ten questions.

(2)  Tell us all about it in your own blog post, in a comment to this post, or in a post on Facebook.  

Here's mine:

(1)  What was your high school's full name, where was it, and what year did  you graduate?

        

        Swainsboro High School, Swainsboro, Georgia (it was on W Church Street then; it has since moved across town to South Main Street), 1985

(2)  What were the school team nickname, and what are/were your school's colors?

        We were the Swainsboro Tigers.  Our colors were Black and Gold.  

(3)  What was the name of your school song, and can you still sing it?

        I don't recall that we had a school song.  We had a class song when we graduated, as I wrote about just last week here.

(4)  Did you have a car?  How did you get to and from school?

        I rode the school bus until my junior year.  Daddy bought me a car when I was 16, and I drove it, unless I got into trouble for something, and then it was back to the school bus!

(5)  Did you date someone from your high school? Or marry someone from your high school?  Were you considered a flirt?

        My father did not let me date until I was 18, so I only went on only two dates in high school.  Not being allowed to date pretty much put off any boys from asking me out.  In addition, I wore glasses and didn't wear designer clothes, so that put them off also.  I moved away right after high school, thus did not marry anyone I knew there.  I was not considered a flirt at school, but I was at my after school job. 

(6)   What social group were you in?

        I was definitely not in the popular group, but my friends and I made our own group.  It was made up of girls who didn't fit in with the popular group for whatever reason:  looks, clothes, parents' careers, etc.  Our school was definitely cliquish.  I was a smart kid - I was in the so-not-politically correct class called "Gifted."  Most everyone in that class was from the popular group.  They didn't mind working with me on school projects, but drew the line at friendship.  

(7)  Who were your favorite teachers?

        Mrs. Barbara Stokes was our gifted teacher.  She always pushed me out of my comfort zone and got me to do more; that has been good for me in my lifetime.  Mrs. Bennett and Mrs. Jersey were my FBLA (Future Business Leaders of America) advisors.  I definitely loved them.  

(8)  What did you do on Friday nights?

        Sat at home and watched TV with my parents like every other night.  

(9)  Did you go to and have fun at the Senior Prom?

        Like I said, I went on exactly two dates in high school:  my Junior and Senior Proms.  I remember I wore a borrowed dress to my junior prom, and went with a guy I liked named David.  I don't remember anything else.  For my senior prom, my dress was blue with white lace over it, and I think I bought it.  I went with a guy I worked with at the building supply.  He did it as a favor to me.  I do remember that I drank a tiny bit that night and ended up having a great time.  I'm sure my curfew was so early that we didn't have time to get into any trouble.

(10) Have you been to reunions, and are you planning on going to the next reunion?

        I went to one reunion - I think it was the 10th - and it was continuing drama like the years had not even passed.  Most of our class seems to have moved away, or at least the ones who would actually plan a reunion, so I am not sure we've even had another one.  I guess our next one would be the 50th in 2035.  If the stars aligned, I might go to that one.  Most of the people that held me at arm's length in high school have become Facebook friends, so I'd be interested in seeing the dynamic of being in person with them.  I was one of the ones who moved away, plus I came out, so even my closest friends from high school and I are no longer in touch.  

I really do not remember loving high school.  It was tense at school and it was tense at home.  I was just counting the days until I could move out and away.  

Go ahead!  If I can walk down this Lane and put my true confessions out there, so can you!

Enjoy the memories!  Or not... but please do share!

Saturday Night Genealogy Fun - Your #1 All-Time Favorite Song

  From Randy (a cousin discovery!!) over at Genea-Musings:

it's Saturday Night - 

time for more Genealogy Fun!!!

Your mission, should you decide to accept it, is to:

(1)  What is your all-time favorite song? Yep, number 1.  It's hard to choose sometimes. If you made your favorite all-time Top 40 music selections, what would be #1?

(2)  Why is it a favorite? Do you have special memories attached to this song?

(2)  Tell us all about it in your own blog post, in a comment to this post, or in a post on Facebook.  

Here's mine:

I have so many favorite songs!  It all depends on where I am in my life at that moment, my mood, or if a song just "speaks" to me.  And no, I cannot explain why a song "speaks to me" - it just does!  

However, I just spent a good couple of hours poring over YouTube.com and listening to some great music - all favorites of mine - looking for a song to give the honor of "Favorite."

For today, the song that is my favorite for the purposes of this blog post is from 1985 - We are the World by U.S.A. for Africa.  It was a song recorded for charity - to help the famine victims in Africa - and the singers were a gathering of the best and most famous singers ever.  I can't even imagine trying to get all these people together in one room!

Here's the official music video:

Here are the lyrics:

There comes a time
When we heed a certain call
When the world must come together as one
There are people dying
Oh, and it's time to lend a hand to life
The greatest gift of all

We can't go on
Pretending day-by-day
That someone, somewhere soon make a change
We're all a part of God's great big family
And the truth, you know, love is all we need

We are the world
We are the children
We are the ones who make a brighter day, so let's start giving
There's a choice we're making
We're saving our own lives
It's true we'll make a better day, just you and me

Oh, send them your heart
So they know that someone cares
And their lives will be stronger and free
As God has shown us by turning stones to bread
And so we all must lend a helping hand

We are the world
We are the children
We are the ones who make a brighter day, so let's start giving
Oh, there's a choice we're making
We're saving our own lives
It's true we'll make a better day, just you and me

When you're down and out, there seems no hope at all
But if you just believe there's no way we can fall
Well, well, well, well let us realize
Oh, that a change can only come
When we stand together as one, yeah, yeah, yeah

We are the world
We are the children
We are the ones who make a brighter day, so let's start giving
There's a choice we're making
We're saving our own lives
It's true we'll make a better day, just you and me

We are the world
We are the children
We are the ones who make a brighter day, so let's start giving
There's a choice we're making
We're saving our own lives
It's true we'll make a better day, just you and mee

We are the world (are the world)
We are the children (are the children)
We are the ones who'll make a brighter day, so let's start giving (so let's start giving)
There is a choice we're making
We're saving our own lives
It's true we'll make a better day, just you and me

Oh, let me hear you!

We are the world (we are the world)
We are the children (said we are the children)
We are the ones who'll make a brighter day so let start giving (so let's start giving)

There's a choice we're making
We're saving our own lives
It's true we'll make a better day, just you and me, come on now, let me hear you

We are the world (we are the world)
We are the children (we are the children)
We are the ones who'll make a brighter day so let's start giving (so let's start giving)
There's a choice we're making
We're saving our own lives
It's true we'll make a better day, just you and me, yeah

We are the world (we are the world)
We are the children (we are the children)
We are the ones who'll make a brighter day so let's start giving (so let's start giving)

There's a choice we're making
And we're saving our own lives
It's true we'll make a better day, just you and me

We are the world (are the world)
We are the children (are the children)
We are the ones who'll make a brighter day so let's start giving (so let's start giving)

There's a choice we're making
We're saving our own lives
It's true we'll make a better day, just you and me

We are the world, we are the world (are the world)
We are the children, yes sir (are the children)
We are the ones that make a brighter day so let's start giving (so let's start giving)

There's a choice we're making
We're saving our own lives
It's true we'll make a better day, just you and me, ooh-hoo!

We are the world (dear God) (are the world)
We are the children (are the children)
We are the ones that make a brighter day so let's start giving (all right, can you hear what I'm saying?)
There's a choice we're making, we're saving our own lives

Source: LyricFind

Songwriters: Michael Jackson / Lionel Richie

We Are the World lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

This was our class song when I graduated from Swainsboro High School in 1985.  I was very proud of the song choice.  This is probably why it is a favorite of mine.  We were standing on the edge of the rest of our lives, and this song gave hope that our class would go out and change the world.  Even if only in our little corner of the world.

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: 2021 (Week 3): Namesake

 Amy Johnson Crow from Generations Cafe is again hosting the blog writing prompt this year called 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: 2021.  I'm going to try to participate more fully this year.  I like that she gives us "permission" to interpret the prompt however we wish and share it however we wish.  It doesn't have to be a blog post; it could be a family video, a letter to a child or grandchild, an e-mail, etc.  

The Theme for Week 3 (Jan 18-24) is Namesake. 

Since I have covered previously who I was named after (You can read that post here.), I decided to go in a different direction for this post.  There are two towns in Georgia that were named for members of my family.

Swainsboro is a city in and the county seat of Emanuel County, Georgia. It is where I grew up from ages 8-18.  In 1822, the Georgia State Legislature established "Swainsborough" as the seat of Emanuel County. The town was named in recognition of Stephen Swain the state senator who introduced the bill for the county's creation in 1812.  

Stephen Swain (1768-?) was my 4th great uncle, the son of Stephen Swain (1746-1796) and Ann Elizabeth Spruill Swain (1748-1792).  The younger Stephen had a brother named Canneth who is my 3rd Great Grandfather.  

Senator Swain served in the Georgia Assembly for more than twenty years.  

As a side note, believe it or not, the town's name was changed to "Paris" at its incorporation on February 18, 1854, but three years later reverted to its current name and spelling of Swainsboro.  

In the town's early days, Swainsboro depended on railroads for transportation. However, in the 1930s, many of the town's streets and sidewalks were paved, and Swainsboro found itself at the intersection of two major national highways, U.S. 1 and U.S. 80, thus earning its city motto: "Crossroads of the Great South." U.S. 1 was the principal highway from Maine to Key West and U.S. 80, at that time, ran from Tybee Island, Georgia to San Diego, California.  

While growing up, I lived on Highway 80 West going toward Dublin.  I had no idea at the time that the town had any ties to my family history.  

Kite is a city in Johnson County, Georgia, along the Little Ohoopee River.  Kite is 13 miles northwest of Swainsboro on Highway 57.  My father grew up in and around Kite.  I have and had many, many family members in Kite and Johnson County.  

The town was named for Shaderick Jasper Kight, Jr., (1818-1893) who donated the land to build the town. He requested the simpler spelling of the name for more efficient mail delivery and processing.  The Georgia General Assembly incorporated Kite in 1891.

While Shaderick Kight Jr is not technically related to me, he does cross over into my family many, many times.  First of all, he was married to my 2nd cousin, 7x removed,  Millie Norris Kight.  He was the great uncle of Maud Wheeler, who was the wife of my great uncle, Bascom Tapley.  He was the 2nd great uncle of Maggie V. Powell, the wife of another of my great uncles, James L Tapley (brother of Bascom). That is just three examples.  I counted a total of 21 ways Shaderick Kight was intertwined with my family.  

Kite is basically a crossroads, with a population in 2010 of only 241.  The crossroads is made up of U.S. Route 221 and as mentioned, Georgia State Route 57. Kite has a total area of only about 0.81 square miles.  

Historic photo of downtown Kite.  

Date unknown.

So as you can see, even a town can be a namesake.  

Saturday Night Genealogy Fun - Our "Academy of Genealogy and Family History" (AGFH) Nominees

 From Randy (my newest cousin discovery!!) over at Genea-Musings:

it's Saturday Night - 

time for more Genealogy Fun!!!

Your mission, should you decide to accept it, is to:

(1)  Does anyone recall the Academy of Genealogy and Family History (AGFH) awards from back in the 2008-2012 time frame, hosted by Jasia on Creative gene? Genea-bloggers would nominate blog entries in different categories, and Jasia would collect all of them with links to each blogger's post.  The bloggers selected their own posts for nominations.

(2) This week, let us nominate the "best" posts from 2020 that we wrote in these categories:

*  Best Picture (a photograph)

* Best Screenplay (a story)

* Best Documentary (a series)

* Best Biography

* Best Comedy

(3)  Tell us all about it in your own blog post, in a comment to this post, or in a post on Facebook.  

Here's mine:

* Best Picture (a photograph):

This picture was taken of me circa 1972-1973 in Swainsboro,  Georgia at my Pop Pop's house (Charles Morgan Tapley).  He is probably the one who bought me the fridge.  I don't remember much, but I do know I thoroughly enjoyed playing with that fridge.  This was my choice for Best Picture for 2020 because I was young and cute then and was having a great time.  

* Best Screenplay (a story):

Disaster is a blog post I wrote for 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks.  It is the story about my paternal grandparents, Lusion K Tapley and Nealie Drake Tapley, losing their farm during the Great Depression.  

* Best Documentary (a series):

The series I started in September 2020, Time Capsule Tuesdays, requires the most research and seems to be a favorite of my readers.  I cover what was going on in the United States on a family member's birth date, date of death, or anniversary.  The first one I did was February 9, 1883, my great-grandmother's, Bessie Carter Ranney, date of birth.   

* Best Biography:

I wrote a post for 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks about my maternal grandmother, Nealie Drake Tapley, called Strong Woman.  It's my favorite of the posts I wrote about an individual ancestor last year.  

* Best Comedy:

The only comedy I included on my blog was my favorite Christmas Song:  Ray Stevens' "Santa Claus Is Watching You" from another Saturday Night Genealogy Post, Blog Caroling.  It is pretty funny through.

Saturday Night Genealogy Fun - Your Santa Claus Memories

 From Randy (my newest cousin discovery!!) over at Genea-Musings:

it's Saturday Night (on a Sunday afternoon!) - 

time for more Genealogy Fun!!!

Come on, everybody!   Join in and accept the mission and execute it with precision.

(1)  Answer these questions:

- Did you ever send a letter to Santa Claus?

- Did you ever visit Santa and "make a list?"

- Do you still believe in Santa Claus?

- When did you find out "the truth" about Santa Claus?

(2)  Tell us all about it in your own blog post, in a comment to this post, or in a post on Facebook.  

Here's mine:

- Did you ever send a letter to Santa Claus?

I don't remember ever sending a letter to Santa Claus.  I checked with my mom, and she doesn't remember me sending one either.

- Did you ever visit Santa and "make a list?"

I have visited Santa exactly three times in my life that I know about or can remember.

The first one was taken at a department store in downtown Jacksonville, Florida when I was about 6 years old, so circa 1973:

Mom said I was very scared, but it seems I hid it fairly well for the picture.

The second time was after we moved to Swainsboro, Georgia.  I think I must have been about 8, so circa 1975.  I remember it was taken at the Western Auto.

The third time I had my picture made with Santa was just last year.  Mom was visiting me here in North Carolina, and we drove to see the lights at Hill Ridge Farms in Youngsville.  It was all my idea to get a picture with Santa.

I don't believe I ever made a list for Santa, but I remember pouring over the Sears & Roebuck catalog and bending down the pages for everything I wanted!

- Do you still believe in Santa Claus?

Why yes I do.  See picture from last year, above.  

- When did you find out "the truth" about Santa Claus?

I don't remember.  I mean, I was a pretty smart kid, and I was raised as an only child, so I am sure I saw and heard more than I should, but I don't remember a distinctive moment.  I think once I figured it out, I didn't change my attitude much, cause as I said, I know Santa is real.

The interesting thing that I did not learn until after my father passed away in 2008, is that my parents had a difference in upbringing and beliefs when it came to Santa Clause.  My mother was raised in a strict church, and her parents did not play Santa.  As a matter of fact, she was told right from the beginning that there is no Santa.  She did not want me told about Santa and keep up that belief for ever how many years of my childhood it would last.  My father, on the other hand, wanted me to have that experience.  So I was raised believing in Santa.  I'm actually glad I was.  

HO, HO, HO!!  Merry Christmas!

Saturday Night Genealogy Fun - Moving on Out

 From Randy over at Genea-Musings:

it's Saturday Night - 

time for more Genealogy Fun!!!

Your mission, should you decide to accept it, is to:

(1)  Where did you go the first time you moved out of your parents' home?  Did you have any roommates?  Did you live by yourself? Did you get married right away? Tell the story - your children and grandchildren will want to know!

(2)  Share your story in your own blog post, in a comment to this post, or in a post on Facebook.  

Here's mine:

Well, Randy picked a tough subject, and it probably won't be fun for me.  Also, I have no children and thus no grandchildren who will want to know.  However, I'll push through and tell the story.  

When I was preparing to go to college, I wanted to attend Georgia Southwestern in Americus.  However, my father told me he could not afford for me to live in the dorm.  So instead, he bought a lot on Lake Sinclair outside of Milledgeville and built a house on it for me to live in to go to college.  Obviously, he did have the money to send me away to school because dorm fees, I am sure, would have been far less than a lake lot.  But that's what he did and told me I had to attend Georgia College in Milledgeville.  So I did.  

In September of 1985, when I moved to the lake house, I didn't live with my parents anymore, but I lived in their house.  It was their furniture in the house (mostly), and if I moved or added anything, my father had a fit.  He would show up unannounced and stay the night, obviously just checking up on me.  He had to be in control no matter what.  And I was under his thumb for at least 4-6 months after I left for college.  When I started getting some independence, that is when the real trouble started.  

Meanwhile, I got a roommate at the lake house.  A girl I went to school with and graduated with in Swainsboro also went to college in Milledgeville, and she didn't want to live in the dorms.  My father loved her, so she moved in with me.  Of course, I went out more and got into more cause I had a partner in crime.  However, she went to Swainsboro every single weekend, so I was alone some too.  

Sometime in 1986, either summer or fall, my father and I had a major falling out.  Basically, he had snooped through my belongings and found something he didn't like.  So he drove up from Swainsboro and that very evening proceeded to throw my belongings out onto the lawn.  I had to call a co-worker (I was working part-time for an accountant there in Milledgeville.) to come help me gather my belongings, and she let me move in with her and her children.  That lasted a few months, but she eventually asked me to leave so I had to ask my father if I could move back to the lake house.  He had cooled down by then so he let me.  I believe when all this happened is when he stopped paying for my school.  So I got a full-time job and started going to school part-time.  Shortly thereafter, I moved out of the lake house into my first apartment in Milledgeville.  It was a really old house, with 10-12 foot ceilings, in a not great neighborhood, that had been remodeled into apartments.  When I say it wasn't a great neighborhood, I mean I was TERRIFIED to go out of my apartment at night.  Even just to walk to my car right outside.  I eventually adjusted and was able to conquer that fear, but I always kept my guard up.  Also it helped that my roommate from the lake house didn't feel comfortable staying there without me, so she moved into the apartment with me.  It had two bedrooms, so that worked out well.  

It was quite an adventure, but I do remember my time there fondly.  I was gaining more and more independence over time and was paying my own bills.  By December of 1987 at the age of 20, I had dropped out of school, gotten a full-time job at a bank, got married and was living in a rented single wide trailer in Eatonton. (Oh there are many more stories there that will have to wait until another time.)

(Oh did you catch the irony that after building that lake house for me to go to school where he wanted me to go, my father was no longer paying my tuition after only about a year and a half?  Everything had strings attached.  I cut the strings.)