GEORGE

George was my father’s father. I must admit that I no memory of him at all. Grandpa died of throat cancer when I was just three. I remember talk of his cancer as being caused from some heavy drinking. Did Hattie drive him to drinking?

I learned from my sisters that he painted houses as a profession. Yet his death announcement in the paper said he worked at a metals place in addition to painting.

There is some speculation that my grandfather had a glass eye – one sister tells me yes, and the other says no. But by any means, my grandfather lost an eye in some type of accident. I can’t imagine glass eyes to even be in existence back then. I wish I could remember. I could have had a lot to say and write about that eye.

My mother told me many times, that I spent a lot of time on his lap.

There was a great name debacle upon the passing of my grandfather George. My sister Carol was born around the time of his death. My mom named her Linda Carol officially. But my father had it wanted it changed to Georgia Carol. Her birth certificate was never changed from Linda. I think Carol grew up as Georgia Carol, and in later years it gave her some trouble. I think she eventually had it officially changed from Linda to Georgia. I guess that’s why we always called her Carol. I can’t imagine calling her Linda or Georgia. I’m glad they agreed on Carol as a middle name.

My dad’s family was from Horse Cave, KY. My oldest sister Mary said she and Dorothy Ann would spend summers in Horse Cave with my grandparents. Mary said she remembers my grandfather George meeting them at the train station. Wish I would have known him. I wonder if his shoes were speckled with paint colors.