Showing posts with label Family. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Family. Show all posts

Saturday, August 22, 2009

Been A Long Week

Three days after getting home from our Tennessee vacation my step-father passed away. Bill had been sick for quite sometime, and while his passing was expected, it was still a shock.

He and my mother were married for almost twenty years and until this past February he'd never had anything worse than a cold.

He was a great guy, a christian gentleman, and he was good to Mom. He was also a grandfather to my kids when most men wouldn't have wanted to fool with them. We miss him already.

His obituary from the Times-News

RIDGELEY, W.Va.— William F. “Bill” Morgan, of Ridgeley, W.Va., went to be with his Lord and deceased family members on Saturday, Aug. 15, 2009, at the age of 90, at his home with family members by his side.

Born on Dec. 5, 1918, in Cumberland, he was the son of the late Merten Isaac Morgan and Julia Pleasant (Hymes) Morgan. He was also preceded in death by his first wife, Elizabeth (Stewart) in 1988; one sister, Mary Rice, and three brothers Melvin, Harold and Homer Morgan. He was the last member of his immediate family.

After Bill attended Allegany High School, he worked as a charge hand at the Cumberland Celanese Fibers Plant, before joining the U.S. Army Air Force during World War II. He graduated from radar school at Boca Raton, Fla., and served in Europe as a radar technician with the 306th Bomb Group. He was always ready to talk about how he was on the cutting edge of the new radar technology, and had many war stories to tell. He finished his service to his country as a sergeant in 1946.

Returning to Cumberland after the war, Bill graduated from Catherman’s Business School. He began working at Super Concrete (on Henderson Avenue, now Cumberland Concrete in LaVale), and retired from there in 1981 as the President and part owner of the company. He also was a bookkeeper and tax preparer for a number of contractors and business individuals over the years.

Bill belonged to a variety of business, community, and church organiza?tions over his lifetime, including the LaVale Methodist Church, LaVale Fire Department, Cumberland Chamber of Commerce and Western Maryland Contractor’s Association. Bill was very active for a number of years at Holy Cross UM Church in Carpendale, and became a Certified Lay Speaker in 1990. He was treasurer of the Union Grove Camp Meeting Association, and member of the September Singers. Recently, he had been attending Grace Brethren Church, Cumberland. Bill’s love of playing the guitar and singing gave him and others pleasure throughout his life. He played at many worship events and local nursing homes. He could play by note or “ear” on the banjo, violin, mandolin and harmonica. In his younger years, Bill enjoyed hunting, especially turkey.

Bill was very blessed to have two special women in his life, Elizabeth and Marian, and he enjoyed 90 years of good health.

Survivors include his second wife, Marian (Smith) Hutter; a daughter, JoAnn Brotemarkle and husband David, of Bel Air; a grandson, Aaron Morgan Brotemarkle and wife Natalie, of Bel Air; great-granddaughters, Kayla Elizabeth and Megan Rose Brotemarkle; a granddaughter, Kristi Lyn Perkins and husband Kip, of Nashville, Tenn.; stepgreat-grandsons Jacob Hartman, USAF, Texas, Jesse Hartman, of Keyser, and Chris and Chase Perkins, of Nashville, Tenn.; stepgreat-granddaughter Lacey Hartman, of Keyser; one stepson, Paul Hutter and wife Ann, of Cumberland; stepgrandson John Hutter, of Clarksville, Tenn; stepgranddaughters Lori Hutter and Sara Hutter and fiance Aaron Clark; stepgreat-grandson Jackson Clark, of Cumberland; sister-in-law Gerda Morgan, of Victorville, Calif., and a number of nieces and nephews.

Friends will be received at the Scarpelli Funeral Home, P.A., 108 Virginia Ave., Cumberland, scarpellifuneralhomes.com on Monday from 4 to 7 p.m.

Funeral services will be conducted in the funeral home on Tuesday at 2 p.m. with the Rev. Fred Iser officiating.

Interment will be in Sunset Memorial Park.

Military honors will be accorded by the Post 13 Veterans Honor Guard.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations may be made to Hospice of Potomac Valley Hospital, 167 S. Mineral St., Keyser, WV 26726.

The family would like to especially thank the Hospice workers from Potomac Valley Hospital for the loving care and support given to Bill and his family, and for his caring sitters, Ethel Durst, Matilda Wilhelm, Doris Tomlinson, and Kathy Friend.

Saturday, July 4, 2009

Happy Fourth Everyone

Goody Two Shoes 'n me started our Fourth of July out yesterday by going to a free concert on the downtown mall. The main attraction was a local band, Queen City Funk & Soul. And they are very good. They sang songs by Earth Wind and Fire, Kool and the Gang, the Blues Brothers, the Bar-Kays, Steely Dan, Tower of Power, and Aretha. Here are some snaps from the evening.






A small portion of the crowd that came out last night.

Goody Two Shoes (in the back) and my little sister, a.k.a 'the Runt' in the foreground.




Today was kind of a ho-hum day. Caught the scenic railroad up above Mt. Savage. I was surprised to find they were actually running. Usually they don't run on holidays.

Photographed a dragon fly.

Went to the car show at the fairgrounds. Didn't stay all that long.


Monday, May 26, 2008

Memorial Day Happenings

I sort of posted things a little out of order when it came to Memorial Day. Friday and Saturday we went camping with another couple up at Ohio Pyle State Park. Ohio Pyle is one of our favorite places to go, and one of the prettiest. Sunday, I photographed the scenic railroad (see the previous post) then on Monday Goody Two Shoes and I went down the Murley's Branch Road th photogtaph a little farm life.

Our campsite on a foggy Saturday morning.

Taking a walk through the fog.

The morning sun coming through the trees.

Tim & Goody Two Shoes Trying to make breakfast.

Here's Jeanette, Tim's other half. She was the only one actually doing anything when it came to making breakfast.

A hammock that I broke. No, I ain't saying how it happened.

Mossy trees along the Highlands Trail.

The Camera Totin' Idiot, taking a break on a rock.

Goody Two Shoes.

Nice green meadow on the way up to Confluence.

Ramcat Rapids.

Model A truck in Confluence.

Sister's Cafe in Confluence. Great home cooked food, and nice people to wait on you.

CSX train Q-216 at Confluence.

Fishing in the Youghiogheny River. We say Yough (pronounced 'yok') around here.

I found my dream home. I need $250,000 and I'm all out of rich uncles.

The Camera Totin' Idiot and Goody Two Shoes at the end of a day of cycling.

Another great place to eat. The Ohio Pyle House in, you guessed it, Ohio Pyle.

Took a little drive up Murley's Branch road east of Cumberland today. Found this quaint little farm.

A mile later another barn.

Photographed this Palomino on a farm north of Flintstone.

She got shy and hid behind her boyfriend.

Monday, February 11, 2008

Happy Birthday, Dimples

Dimples turns 22 today...actually at 11:30 tonight, if you want to be exact. It snowed like crazy that day and her mother was in labor all day long. I went to work anyway and about seven that evening we went to the hospital. Goody Two Shoes and I watched television in the labor room while we waited for Dimples to make her grand entry. The thing that ticks me off was that she decided to show up in the middle of WKRP in Cincinnati.

Anyway, here's Dimples at about nine months.

Here she is at age 2.

And here she is this past Christmas. You've come a long way, baby.

Friday, January 4, 2008

At It Again

Here we go; time for another round of bedtime banter between Goody Two Shoes and myself. I've no idea what triggered it. I can't even remember what we were tormenting each other about. All I do remember was that at some point she got the upper hand and quickly proclaimed victory...in her own special way. It went something like this....

Her:(in a hoidy-toidy voice) I'm perfect.

Me:(sarcastically)Yeah...then what are you doing hanging out with me?

Her:(matter-of-factly) Perfection needs a little imperfection.

Me:(hysterical laughter)

Her:(exhasperated) Go to sleep. (ticked off) And stop laughing at me!

Me: (stifled hysterical laughter)

I may not have gotten the last word in, but I got the last laugh.

Friday, December 28, 2007

A Most Excellent Christmas

We had a great Christmas this year..well, they all are, but on a scale of 1 to 10, this one was a 13. For a lot of reasons. First, we had a beautiful tree. Goody Two Shoes really outdid herself this year. I help, but she does most of the work. The only sad part was that Skippy couldn't come home this year. It was the one deppressing moment in what was a wonderful Christmas.

I mention that I help. Here is one of my contributions. A country Santa, complete with his tractor, cup of coffee and his dog. You didn't know Santa had a dog, did you? Well, he does, in fact I have it on good authority that his dog's name is...Lattimore...yeah, that's it, and he likes me! I couldn't resist sticking in my Charlie Brown tree in the background. The ornament is actually an earring. As for the picture in the background, well, it has nothing to do with the holidays, rather, it serves as a reminder of where I want to be someday.

Christmas Eve we always go to my Mothers' place to open presents. Here's Soccer Dude and Dimples mugging for the camera.

Goody Two Shoes in all her holiday splendor.

Mom and the Wild Child getting to play Rock, Paper, Scissors over the last cookie.

Me laying down for a long winter nap.

The hand belongs to Goody Two Shoes. She's showing off her diamond ring. Twenty eight and a half years ago we started out with very little and I couldn't afford a diamond. This year was a different story. She says I'm bad? Does that mean I did a good thing? Women...they speak with forked tongue.

Just when I thought I'd blown it with Santa Claus, the chubby old elf came through. Guess I was a better boy than I thought. Take a gander at some of the loot he brought me.

Time for a competitive, but friendly, game of Fact or Crap.

Here's the Wild Child and Soccer Dude. The look on his face says it all.

After all the silliness, it was time to eat.

Christmas is also a time to get stuffed...with delicious holiday treats. We were reading the Pioneer Woman one day and Goody Two Shoes saw her recipe for Holiday Bacon Appetizers. Click here for a link to Ree's recipe.

These little babies are so delicious that you can't eat just one. Wait...I thought you couldn't eat just one Lays Potato chip? Who cares, Lays just got kicked to the curb. Behold the power of bacon and Parmesan cheese.

Here's the chef savoring the fruits of her labor. Five seconds later she got shoved out of the way so I could have a go at them. We're both on diets now.

And lastly, as devoted readers of Confessions of a Pioneer Woman, Goody Two Shoes 'n me ordered on of her calendars. Then we sat back and waited...and waited...and waited some more. Christmas Eve came and no calendar in the mail. At this point Goody Two Shoes was accusing me of intercepting the mail and hiding the calendar to surprise her with on Christmas Day. I was doing the same thing to her and she proclaimed her innocence...cause when your nickname is Goody Two Shoes that's what you do. Now, fast forward to Christmas afternoon. We're sitting in the living room having a merry old time. Dimples and Soccer Dude have come over and it's almost time for games when there is a knock at the door. For a moment I thought Skippy had come in from Tennessee to surprise us. It was the mailman...that's right, the mailman...ON CHRISTMAS DAY! Wasssup with that? Anyway he cheerfully announces that we had a package. Goody Two Shoes thanked him, then asked what he was doing on Christmas of all days. He said that they asked for volunteers. Long story short we got our calendar on Christmas day. Thanks a bunch, Ree!