I remember sleeping in the old farm house, so quiet, but occasionally, hear a car, off in the distance, and follow its progress down the long road, till it passed the house, and then follow it as it headed on down the old dirt road.
Uncle Paul was a farmer and a quiet man, Aunt Ruth was a farmer's wife, through and through. James Dean, the actor, was also born in Marion, Indiana, son of a farmer, and a friend of the Dooley's, thus the Dean name in our family. My Dad was Ralph Dean, my brother Dean Shannon, and my son in New Jersey, Dean Dooley, and a cousin who was Willowdean, always loved that name.
I remember hearing tales, during the war, of "cousins" leaving the farm to go to work in the factories, many never returned to the farms. Cousin Merrill is in insurance, Roger became a home builder, and others went in to other professions. A few stayed on the farm.
Uncle Denny was a preacher and a carpenter. He was in Anderson, Indiana and lived a long life. Dad was going to build a garage at our old home on Brown Street in Dayton, Ohio. Denny came over to help. When the property sold to the state, to become a freeway, I remember hearing one of the contractors make the statement that he had never seen such a well constructed building, a testament to my Uncle
Bill Gaither, of singing and writing fame, mentioned on a show that his Dad word at a GM plant in Anderson for 30 years, I think I had some cousins that did the same, or nearby plants.
Not many of the "clan" left, never got to know them very well, Merrill has been the closest one, he is 90, golfing and bowling, Uncle Denny made it to 100 or 100 plus. Love longevity .........
MORE ON THE FAMILY HERE
