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Note: Tn. There were approximately 90 guests at the anniversary/familyreunion. Sadly, missing from the festivities were represenatatives ofthe LaHoud and Maroon family. Though the McCartney (LaHoud) clan werewell attended.
An Influential Person by John Pertile Throughout my lifetime, there have been many people who haveinfluenced my life. As I was growing up, I always admired mygrandfather - Poppy! He was such a great guy! We shared a love of thegame of baseball. I never really thought about what a wonderfulgrandmother I had because I used to spend most of my time with him. Isuppose I was spoiled, and took her for granted.
Last spring, on my birthday, my grandfather was involved in anautomobile accident. He was coming home from church and wasbroad-sided by a car. He lapsed into a coma and died three days later. I felt a deep, personal loss. While attending the funeral inMemphis, I had a chance to spend a lot of quality time with mygrandmother and aunts. They started telling stories about how mygrandparents met, dated, and got married. It was not a very easy orsmooth experience for them. She was thirty-seven, and he wastwenty-six! He was in the army and she was a nurse. They belonged todifferent faiths. He was from up-state New York, she from Memphis,TN. Her parents said the marriage wouldn't work because of the ageand religion difference, but she didn't care because she loved him.They also told her that even if they were compatible, she was too oldto have children and if she did have some, she wouldn't see them growup. My grandmother didn't listen to them about that either. She justdid what she felt in her heart was right. They were married forfifty-three years. Everyone also said that my grandfather would be awidower at a young age. Well, it turns out that she was widowed atthe age of ninety!
I have taken this example of doing what you feel and believe in, andtry to put it into my life. I listen to what my instinct says isright and follow that. I also ask people for advice, and I'm sure shedid too, but I'm the one to make the final decision. I take all theadvice and choose the course of action that I feel is most comfortableand right for me.
Overall, my grandmother, by her attitude and actions, have made meinto a more independent person than before and, hopefully, wiser.
Note: Celebrated 50th wedding anniversary, August 15th, 1992 at Memphis,
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