Humming Bird by Gaylia Kenslow – Stogsdill

 

Remember Great Gramma’s humming bird –

And the honeysuckle vine.

And how we’d love to sit and watch,

In the good ole summertime.

Those days are gone but not forgot –

We’ll remember through the years.

And those lovely, joyous memories,

Will wipe away our tears.

 

Gaylia Kenslow – Stogsdill

Copyright Roy Richard

Gaylia Kenslow – Stogsdill

Gail 1941

 

I have been blessed with another poet in my life; allow me to introduce you to Gaylia Kenslow – Stogsdill, my mother in-law. She was a great woman with a kind and loving heart. Always willing to help out and take care of business.

 

She was born in Lanton, Missouri in 1931. The only child of Eulis Kenslow and Minnie (Eldringhoff) Kenslow. Lanton wasn’t much more than a Post Office and a General Store. They farmed and raised cattle for a living. The local one room school was staffed by one of her aunts. She later graduated from West Plains High School, home of the Zizzers.

 

• Her childhood contained many adventures:
• Her parents divorced and her father ‘kidnapped’ her binging her to Michigan.
• They reconciled and remarried.
• She lived through the Great Depression
• Her family traveled to California where they sought work as Fruit Tramps, traveling from farm to farm in search of work.
• They lived for a time outside of Fort Leonard Wood in Missouri managing a motel for the workers that were building the camp.
• While at the camp she learned how to gamble (successfully) by throwing dice.
• Seen her father shot in the leg by a man admiring his pistol.
• Worked in the Brown Shoe Factory alongside Porter Waggoner.
• Graduated from Business School in Springfield Missouri
• Traveled by bus to Flint, Michigan to meet her fiancé Herb and get married.

Gail wrote poetry to honor a special event or person and to celebrate holidays. Her wit and wisdom is missed greatly.

She passed in 2015 and is buried in Glenwood Cemetery in Flint, Michigan.

Herb & Gail 1950             Herb, Gail & Kirstie 2012

Copyright Roy Richard

A Memorial by Katherine Carey-Place

 

She lies in state, the one we love,

Arrayed like Queens of old.

The dear, familiar form of grace,

Lies draped in purple and old lace,

                And dim old gold.

 

The wary hands are idle now,

Their work of love is o’er,

The smile of cheer made heaven here,

                Is ours no more

 

The little Mother that we loved,

Her earthly race is run,

The deeds of love she lavished here,

The smile for all, the anxious tear,

                Are done.

 

But out beyond where she has gone,

No pain, no tears, are there,

With loved ones gone before, she waits,

Nor sighs to pass the pearly gates,

And we shall see her some dear day,

                More fair.

 

Katherine Carey-Place 1878-1934

Copyright Roy Richard

Katherine Carey – Place

“Our dead are never dead to us, until we have forgotten them.” - George Eliot

I have poems written by my Great -great Aunt Katherine that need to be shared. I want to keep her memory alive and even though I never knew her I heard enough about her to know that she was a remarkable woman. So first let me introduce you to my Aunt Kate.

Katherine was my maternal grandmother’s aunt. She never had children and took a liking to my grandmother Grace. She was born to Benjamin Parker Carey and Jane (Scutt) Carey in February 1878 in Pennsylvania. Aunt Kate was prolific poet.

Her first husband, 37 years her senior, was William Emmett Kirby, a Union Civil War Veteran and successful businessman. The exact date of the marriage is not known but according to census records she was still living with her mother in 1900. He had one daughter from a previous marriage. He died on August 7, 1907 in Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania. His will left everything to his daughter.

She returned to live with her mother until June 30, 1915 when she remarried. Judson J Place. 22 years her senior became the love of her life. They were married in Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania.

Much of their time was spent in Daytona Beach, Florida and I like to imagine the two of them led a Great Gatsby life style. Full of parties, friends and maybe even few scandals.

Sadly Judson passed away in 1932 at Daytona Beach, Volusia County, Florida and is buried there.

I haven’t much information about Aunt Kate after this other than she moved back to their home in Pennsylvania. She passed on April 21, 1934 and is buried at Valley View Memorial Park, 1162 Lakeland Drive, Scott Township, Jermyn, Pennsylvania 18433. (Block 800 / Section S / Lot 3 / Space 4)

Katherine Carey-Place 1878-1934

Copyright Roy Richard

You Are One Of My Greatest Creations by Roy Richard

You are one of my greatest creations

My longing is to declare that

But that wouldn’t be correct

It just isn’t true

For everything you have come to be is a consequence of you

 

You are the Master Craftsman and Inventor of your life

You have chosen from the ingredients presented

Using no blueprint

Following no recipe

Fabricated them into this amazing being

 

My hope is that

My influence

My Love

My example

Were worthy of that choice

 

I know that you will continue in this path

Becoming even greater

Making a difference

Influencing others

Standing strong

 

My pride bubbles over

My tears flow freely

Now go conquer

Face the world

Taking my love along the way

Roy Richard (Coot)

June 2022

Written for my granddaughter's (Caitlin) High School graduation

Copyright Roy Richard