MY MATERNAL GREAT-GRANDFATHER'S OBITUARY

This is the obituary of my mother's grandpa. He died at my Grandma and Grandpa Hawkins' house in Guthrie, Indiana.

MY DAD 1944

So thankful to my niece, Stacy Ritter, for sending me this picture today. This is my dad Harold Wayne Sowders, on the left, and his cousin Ervin 'Bud" Ritter together in London during their time in England during WWII. What a treasure this is not only for me but for my children and grandchildren.

THE HARTS WITH GRANDPA THORNBURG

Lauren and Lindsay lost their Great-Grandpa Thornburg this morning, the day after his 90th birthday. They spent time with him in Tulsa last weekend for a big birthday celebration. I am so thankful they had that time with him and got these good pictures. He was a wonderful man who will be greatly missed.

MY AUNT ELSIE, UNCLE KELSIE, AND MOM DURING WWII

I love finding these old pictures of Mom's. She often told me about going with Elsie and Orville to Florida to see Ansel when he was there before being shipped out in WWII. I'm thinking she said this was taken in Panama City but I am not sure. I assume Uncle Orville was the photographer.

Elsie Hawkins Clampitt, Charles Ansel Hawkins, and Nora Helen Hawkins (Sowders)

MY BEAUTIFUL AUNT THELMA

I love this picture of my beautiful Aunt Thelma (Sowders) Prince. This was taken this past weekend at a wedding. I am thinking she is probably in her mid 80s. She is my dad's middle sister and is a precious lady. Love you, Aunt Thelma.

1940s HELEN AND MARY

This is a picture I found the other day. This is my mother on the left and my Aunt Mary on the right. This was taken in the 1940s while my dad and my Uncle Kelsie were away in the war. Mom and Mary enjoyed being together and Mary loved going to Guthrie to spend time at Grandma and Grandpa Hawkins house. This was taken in their backyard with the old wash house in the background. Years later my sister, cousins and I loved playing in that wash house. I also remember church services being held there occasionally. When I was a little girl my parents bought that lot, tore down the old wash house and built a home there. Precious memories!

Helen Hawkins (Sowders) and Mary Walters (Hawkins)

Guthrie, Indiana

IN MEMORY OF MOM AND DAD

Harold Wayne Sowders and Nora Helen Hawkins were married on May 8, 1946. Dad died April 9, 1989 and Mom died July 4, 2003. Becky and I, along with our families, miss them very much. We are proud of the legacy they left us.

TWO OF MY DAD'S SISTERS

My dad's two oldest sisters at the family dinner last night. Love my Aunts Thelma Prince and Oweedah 'Sissy' Butcher. They don't look like ladies in their 80s and 90s! Wish I could have been there.

WE MISS YOU DAD

This date in 1989 was one of the worst days of my life. I received the dreaded early morning phone call around 3 am. As soon as I heard my mom and my sister on the other end I knew it was bad news. We had just lost my dad and life has never been quite the same since. I am so thankful I had him for almost 42 years.

THINKING OF GRANDMA

I am thinking of my Grandma Sowders today and how much I miss her after all these years. I spent a lot of time at her house as I have an aunt only fourteen months older than me. I loved sleepovers with my Aunt Sue at grandma's house. I know there must have been times when we almost drove her crazy!

After I married and lived in New Mexico she rode a Greyhound bus from Indiana to New Mexico to be with me when my first child, Cindy, was born. I was so thankful to have her there as I ended up very sick and paralyzed from the waist down for a period of time. I was so weak when I was finally released from the hospital I don't know how I would have made it without her. She loved seeing New Mexico and I believe that trip was one of the highlights of her life.

In her later years she moved into town and my children and I would take her places and visit with her often. All three of my children enjoyed her very much. I wish we could celebrate her birthday with her one more time. Now she celebrates in Heaven and we can see her again someday. Happy Birthday Granny.

Christy and Cindy with Granny, December 1975.

CRAZY COUSINS

I think these two crazy cousins could be dangerous if left together for too long! They will give you a case of the giggles for sure!

Stacy Ritter and Christy Bowman at TMS.

STACY AT THE FT WORTH STOCKYARDS

I love this picture of Stacy on the Grapevine Vintage Railroad Engine that pulled our train into the Fort Worth Stockyards Station.

NASCAR LADIES AT TMS

Christy and Stacy are big NASCAR fans. They enjoyed spending Tuesday morning at Texas Motor Speedway. From all the laughter, I think they had a good time. I'm sure they would love to attend a race together.

RIDING THE TRAIN FROM GRAPEVINE TO FORT WORTH

Samantha and Steffinee at the depot before departure.

On Monday ten of us boarded the train in Grapevine and rode in the old-fashion first class car to The Fort Worth Stockyards. We all had a great day. It has been great having Janet and Stacy visiting. We are sorry to see them leave today.

Samantha, Lindsay, Linda, Steffinee (in hat), Lauren (behind Grandma), Janet, Steve, Cindy, Stacy, and Chad in the back.

Samantha Having Fun With Cousin Stacy

Steffinee and Samantha wanted to take Stacy and Janet to one of their favorite places, the Great Wolf Lodge. Here are Samantha and Stacy having fun.

A SPECIAL ORNAMENT

I know is just a cheap little ball ornament but it has a special place on my Christmas tree every year. Mom and Dad gave me a ball ornament every Christmas. You can see this one is dated 1988. That is the last one from both Mom and Dad. Dad died in April of 1989 so while this may not look special you to it is very special to me. I sure miss celebrating holidays with my parents. We had a lot of great Christmases together.

This ornament also reminds me of my Indiana childhood Christmases.

Aunt Sis and Becky

Thank you to Sherry Childers for sending me this picture of my aunt Oweedah 'Sissy' Butcher and my sister Becky. Great picture. My dad was the oldest child in his family and Sissy followed a little over a year later. Dad couldn't say Oweedah so he called her Sissy and she is Sissy or Sis to all of us still today. Her birthday is in February and I am guessing she will be 88 then.

August 1991

I used this picture today for my Throw Back Thursday facebook picture. Other than being with her great-grandchildren I don't think there was anything my mom enjoyed more than travel. She could be packed and ready to go on a moments notice. Here she is enjoying Dollywood with family friends Deanna Sicking (now Cook), her neice Beverly Sutton and Deanna's mom Mary. The Sicking family took her on several trips and she so enjoyed everyone. Even after she was disabled by her stroke she still loved to travel. Christy, Dustin, and I flew her down to Houston to visit NASA, Moody Gardens, etc. She enjoyed herself so much. We got a motel close by the Johnson Space Center so we could take her back to rest when she tired. The joke was on us, she didn't really tire and had no desire to go rest. We sure do miss her.

IN MEMORY

This Sunday is the anniversary of my dad's birth. He was born September 21, 1922 and he left us suddenly on April 9, 1989. I miss him so much and I am especially sorry he never got to meet any of his great-grandchildren. They would have been very special to him. Dustin proudly carries on his middle name, Wayne, and Lindsay was almost born on his birthday. Lindsay's birthday is the 20th.

GEORGE WILSON FAMILY June 1989

This is a picture of George and Ilene Wilson with their children, in-laws, and grandchildren that was taken in June of 1989. Cindy Wilson (Hart) is the only one not pictured. I can't remember why. Maybe she was back in Texas involved with a job or something at Baylor. Or perhaps Troy had stopped by and she left with him. Do you remember, Cindy?

Left to right (not by row) - Doug Hanner, Trina Ritter (Hanner), Janet Wilson (Ritter), Ron Ritter, Stacy Ritter, Christy Wilson (Bowman), Chad Wilson, Steve Wilson, Linda (Sowders) Wilson, Kristen Wilson, Becky Wilson (Barrett) holding her daughter Gina and arm around son Derrick, Eddie Barrett, Ilene (Watson) Wilson holding grandson Tyler, George Wilson, and Donald Wilson.

Note: You can enlarge picture by clicking on it.