Happy Birthday Carl – April 27

Well it is hard to believe, but Carl would have been sixty eight (68).  He was born April 27, 1941, in Circleville, Ohio and died November 7, 1988 in or near Washington Courthouse, Ohio.   Carl Edward Cox was the 2nd oldest child and 2nd son of Robert and Goldie Cox.

Carl was always a bit of a rennegade.  He loved to go his own way and seemed to enjoy life to the fullest. I do remember him getting a few punishments at school.  One time he stood up to some teacher.  There was something to do with him getting the paddle at school and getting it again from Daddy when he got home for getting into trouble at school.  I know that once he got a licking with a light cord.  Lordee, we all were so upset about that.  Daddy was bound and determined to make him mind.

I remember one time when Carl, as a teenager, had gotten into something and ran off into the field.  Daddy drove his car down the lane and was standing up on top of the car looking for him.  Carl was a character that everyone seemed to love.  My husband, Pat, still talks about Carl being a lovable type rascal.  

The funny thing is that you would have thought with all those lickings, he and Daddy would have been enemies.  But I remember them hunting and butchering and doing all kinds of things together as Carl became a man. 

We all remember the night Carl saved our lives.  He came home from a date sometime late at night.  As he is going up the stairs without lights and as the dog (can’t remember if it was Tippy or Ginger) was running back and forth, Carl felt the stair wall was hot.  The inside of the chimney was on fire and as we all know, Carl woke us all up and got us all to get out of there.  Some kids were a little reluctant to get up.  I think Gary almost got left up there.  Things are a little fuzzy, but I know we all got out alive, except the birds.  We know if Carl had not gotten home when he did, we all may not have made it out.  One thing for sure, Mommy did not want Carl to get water on her waxed floor.  I do remember sitting in the car with the kids watching the house burn while the fire department was squirting water.  I think they did as much damage as the fire.  

Someday, I hope we all take time to write our memories of the fire, but this is a tribute to CARL. 

Over the years, I do remember him being such a hard worker.   He gave all the men a chance to work for or with him, but took no crap or laziness from anybody.

 

Tommy with Larry and Carl.

Carl over to the far left on a Sunday School outing with Aunt Ethel’s Sunday School class.  I remember being driven there in the back of a truck.  Don’t miss Shirley with her lady like leg position right out in front. 

Carl 14 years old
Carl 14 years old

 Cox Gang 1979

Cox Gang – 1979
Carl with Grandma and Grandpa Cantrell in Kentucky
Carl with Grandma and Grandpa Cantrell in Kentucky

I hope everybody wishes “Carlie” a Happy Birthday.  He is probably up there having a great time laughing and cutting up with them right now.

I added this next part from Carl’s page just to keep it over here on the blog part too. 

Carl’s early childhood was spent mostly in Fairborn, Ohio.  Here is a picture of Carl with Susy Bolin with her arm around her cousin, Annabelle Bolin’s daughter, Cathy Bolin.  Annabelle is Daddy’s sister, Ethel’s daughter, our cousin.  Carl was a skinny kid, wasn’t he.

We spent a lot of time with Annabelle and Bobby Bolin when we lived in Fairborn, in the Holten houses.

Susy, Cathy, Carl

 

 

 

 

Carl joined the Army in …………..

 

 

Married Emma Joyce Leeth in …….

Joyce and Carl Wedding

 

Robert Goldie Joyce Carl at Carl and Joyce Wedding

Carl and Joyce had 3 children

Easter Memories Past and Present with Pictures

Larry, Bobby, Carl Williams, Gary
Larry, Bobby, Carl Williams, Gary
Gary, Carl Williams, Bobby, Martha, Vickie – Easter 1960 (I used to love making clothes for the girls.  Here they are in blue coats I made in 1960 – Linkhart house.)
Vickie, Myrtle, Martha - Easter 1965
Vickie, Myrtle, Martha – 1965, in their Easter clothes made by Myrtle.
Martha, Jeff, Myrtle, Vickie – 1966

Martha, Jeff, Myrtle, Vickie - 1966

(Here is that white dress I originally made for me and passed to Vickie when she got to wear hose instead of anklets.  I don’t remember that issue, but I remember the dress and there is little Jeff – so cute in his little plaid jacket and knee socks. I think this was at the Ferguson house.)

 Hope everyone really did have a memorable Easter 2009.  Yes, the memories are good.  I remember as a young girl always helping Mommy make Easter baskets for the kids.  We built them from scratch.  We would, of course, color eggs with the kids.  Every kid had their own egg or eggs they had colored with their own name on it.  Then Mommy would buy a few bags of jelly beans, yellow chicks, chocolate eggs, and some candy kisses, and usually a little bigger chocolate bunny for each basket.  Then after the kids went to bed we would put the eggs with the names into the baskets and add the goodies.  After all the baskets were put together we would hide them someplace in the house. 

Then, on Easter morning the kids went looking for their basket.  Then most of us kids got all dressed up and went to church.  There was always an Easter Egg hunt at church.  I remember most of these were related to the Fairborn Enterprise Baptist Church.  Someplace I do have pictures of Martha and Vickie and Mrs. Jean Bates, a Sunday School teacher and family friend, out in the field looking for eggs.  I must find those pictures and add them later. 

Then after the whole Church thing, we would go back home for one of those big Sunday dinners, pretty much as Carla Jo describes.  We usually had another egg hunt.  Daddy found great pleasure in hiding those eggs so those kids would have to work to find them.  That was a lot of fun. 

This year, 2009, I did a couple of Easter activities just because my Mother-in-law is with us.  Usually the Italians make special things at Easter.  Pat and I took Mrs. Sorge over to John and Nancy’s where there were about 20 people gathered to watch Johnny, Donny and Cheryl make the Easter Ham Pies.  They made 10 of them so every family took one home.  We talked and ate.  It was fun – but oh what a heart attack waiting to happen – eggs, cheese, and more cheese in those pies. 

Then I helped Mrs. Sorge make what they call Easter Spinach pies.  Basically, it is a delicious spinach mixture of cured olives, garlic and spinach in a pie dough piece folded over.  That really is good and not too bad for the heart.  Then we made these orange ricotta cheese pies which are more of a dessert.  Again, very good but oh so bad for the heart.

Then on Easter, we went to Pat’s cousin Dickie, the judge’s house for Easter Brunch which is more eggs, sausage, etc.  Then later in the day, we went to Barbara Fratto’s for Easter dinner which was more of the same with some added on ham, shells, meatballs, salads, etc.  I would venture to guess this would not be a good week to check cholesterol levels.

Well, I have so many more old memories to write too, but I must get going.  Easter is a little sad for me because I would love to be home when Kim and Martha and Shirley and whoever else gets together to color the eggs.

Jayden, Daphne, Madelyn 2009

Jayden, Daphne, Madelyn Easter 2009

Abbie Easter 2009

Abbie Easter 2009

TRADITIONS and LIFE CHANGES and Easter too!

As the years go by, it’s kind of funny the things you do all alone with the thoughts of those you love around you.  When I lived in Xenia I would do Christmas tree decorating w/Martha and Ricky and the “little ones”.  I’d spend time decorating cookies and the tree.  Now I place a string of lights around my big sofa picture and say “Merry Christmas”.   I still go to Shirley’s (Mom) for the actual holiday, but it is so different now. 

It’s Easter now and what do I do every year…boil eggs and color/decorate them.  Here I am 55 years old, I have no kids and no grandchildren, but I still decorate/color eggs (just a bakers dozen, but I still do it.)  I’ve always “named” my eggs w/Mom and Myrtle and me and Michael, but this year I was inspired to name each of them for Robert/Goldie Cox and their kids including Carl and Bobby (they are still here in our minds and hearts), so there were 2 eggs remaining.  One I just wrote “Happy Easter” and the other “Love and appreciation for Myrtle”.)  I thought she deserved a special egg because she’s had a “bit” of extra aggravation over the past year or two.   

Holidays and all the past Easter egg hunts we’ve all enjoyed as participants and observers and all of the nice clothes we’ve dressed up in for the occassions we’ve shared, Happy Easter and Happy Holidays to everyone!  Which brings me to a past Easter memory…I was 12 years old and Myrtle made  or remade a white dress that was fitted at the bodice and waist, had poofy sleeves, and had an embroidered trim (it was very pretty.)  Based upon age, Myrtle wanted me to wear “anklet socks”  with this outfit, however, my body looked like I was 18, I was mortified!  I actually went to Mom and told her I needed to be wearing “nylons” with my dress.  Mom actually gave in and I got to wear “nylons” with my Easter dress.  It’s hard to believe, but I got my way.  (I don’t think Myrtle was thrilled, but that’s the way some things just happen.)  My Mom over ruled my “other Mom, Myrtle.)  I love you both the same!

 

Love,

Sister, Aunt, Great Aunt, Vickie 

POSTSCRIPT:  THIS BLOG NEEDS TO CONTINUE FOR ONE YEAR, SO WE HIT MEMORIES FROM EACH SEASON OF OUR LIVES…THE TIME OF YEAR MAKES YOU REMEMBER DIFFERENT THINGS ABOUT OUR LIVES…JUST A THOUGHT!