|
After serving in the Pacific theater with the Marines in WWII where he received a purple heart on
Iwo Jima, BG went to work for Holthouse & Harthup, running their operation in Gorman, TN, halfway between McEwen and Waverly.
I went over to work for him a couple of times. I acquired my first car from the old
couple where he lived for awhile in McEwen. It was a 1932 Chevrolet sedan, complete with two spare tires on the running
boards. It had a crank, which I used frequently as the battery was weak. It also had mechanical breaks, which
necessitated using the emergency brake in addition to the foot brakes if you really needed to stop.
I drove it through high school and the first year of college. That's me in the car with my
brothers standing outside.
After about five years BG left the Company to move to Cleveland, OH where he became an ironworker,
building many of the skyscrapers seen in the Cleveland area today.
BG lent me money while I was in college and I repaid the loans with interest after graduating at
the rate of $100 a month.
I never would have made it through school wihout those loans.
BG's and his first wife, Theresa Bacche whose picture is on the left, had one child, Eddie.
After she died he married Era Jean Skelton who he had met in Waynesboro, TN shortly after returning
from the war. She was born 1 June 1929 and died 29 July, 2003.
BG was 81 years old when he purchased a condo in the St. Petersburg, FL area.
He was installing a water heater when he caught his shirt on fire and died from the resulting burns.
BG's Purple Heart Record
|
