Page 22 - Amarillo Senior Link Magazine Spring 2021 - Online Magazine

Exceptional

SENIORS

Gleaning from Grandparents

HOW LEGACY HAPPENS by Ted Wilson

I had an inkling of get to stay with Lollie and Jim often,
have the honor of
having grandparents
what Romans 12:9
especially in the summer, sometimes
and a great
is evil, cling to
grandmother who states, “Hate what with my brother Paul. Jim walked to
the gin that bore his last name, and
greatly impacted my what is good.” we would always walk there with
life. My grandmother, him. Not so much went on in the
Lola Whorton, was, for Grandmother office during the summer, but we
a time, a young mother did not drive, were enticed by those 6.5-ounce glass
working as a hairdresser so we walked bottles of cokes in the coke machine,
and raising two children. everywhere. It and we had the key.
Then Jim Keene came was just a couple
into the equation with of blocks to the The office was okay, but the gin, with
two children to add grocery store and all its machinery, was a wonderful
into the mix, and they only a bit further place to explore, climb, and hide.
moved to Lorenzo from to the Methodist I preferred climbing up shafts and
Central Texas, where Church, where gears rather than the steps leading
my Mother, Anne, she attended to the catwalks around the various
graduated high school. faithfully until mechanisms that separated lint,
My siblings and I called she had a bad seed, burrs, and such and conveyed
our grandparents Lollie stroke that left her them to the proper spots. I knew
(Lola) and Jim. We called Lollie’s paralyzed and placed in a nursing every hidey-hole in that building. I
mother, Grandmother. home for seventeen years before she would be alarmed if my children or
died just a few months shy of her grandchildren did what I did at that
Grandmother (Bertie) lived in Hale hundredth birthday. Visiting her there age. I also enjoyed helping Rooster,
Center and spent a lot of time with was difficult because of her inability Leon’s right hand man, make repairs
us. She had a little round screen TV to speak. I learned that sometimes, whenever I could.
in her home and liked to watch the love is just presence. God has used
Dallas Cowboys on Sundays after that reminder to strengthen me since Lollie was a beautiful, dignified lady
worship and wrestling whenever it my wife Jody’s stroke 20 months ago. who was also so much fun. Most of
was on. Grandmother was small but the time, she wore her dark hair up
feisty and would get upset at the My granddad, Jim, owned and in a crown of braids on top of her
refs when the game wasn’t going the operated the gin at Estacado, a few head. She was a great cook – famous
Cowboys’ way or when the “good” miles northwest of Lorenzo, on the for her pound cakes and banana
wrestlers, like Ricky Romero or the Lubbock, Crosby County line. I would pudding. The men would wash, dry,
Funk brothers, were and put away the dishes after meals.
getting hammered In the evenings, we would often sit
by the “bad” on the front porch, visiting neighbors,
guys. Righteous watching the Boy Scouts rolling each
indignation would other in tires, and listening to cicadas.
spew at those Mornings would find us gathered
unrighteous attackers around the kitchen table where Lollie
of the good guys. or Jim would read from the Bible and
I never witnessed Upper Room devotional and pray
anything other than our thanks to begin the day. Every
a sweet disposition Sunday, we attended the Methodist
any other time. I Church where Lollie sang in the choir,
and Jim was an usher. Several times,

22 Amarillo Senior Link