A little old lady has moved into my house

A strange old lady has moved into my house. I have no idea who she is, where she came from, or how she got in. All I know is that one day she wasn’t there, and the next day she was. She manages to keep out of sight for the most part, but whenever I pass a mirror I catch a glimpse of her. And whenever I look in the mirror to check my appearance, there she is hogging the whole thing, obliterating my gorgeous face and body. I have tried screaming at her, but she just screams back.

I don’t want to jump to conclusions, but I think she is stealing money from me. I go to the ATM and withdraw $100 and a few days later it’s gone. I certainly don’t spend money that fast. You would think she would spend some of that money to by wrinkle cream, Lord knows she needs it! And money isn’t the only thing I think she’s stealing, food seems to disappear at an alarming rate, especially the good stuff, like ice cream, cookies and candy. She must have a real sweet tooth, but she had better watch it because she is really packing on the pounds. I suspect she realizes this and to make herself feel better she is tampering with my scale to make me think I am putting on weight too.

She likes to play nasty little games like going into my closets when I’m not home and altering my pants so they don’t fit. She even messes with my files and papers so I can’t find anything.

She has found other imaginative ways to annoy me. She gets into my mail, newspapers, magazines, and personal letters and blurs the print so I can’t read it. She has done something really sinister to my TV, radio and telephone. Now all I hear are mumbles and whispers. She has done others things like making my vacuum cleaner heavier and all my knobs and faucets harder to turn.

Lately she has been fooling with my groceries before I put them away I think she puts glue on the lids, making it almost impossible for me to open them. She has taken all the fun out of shopping for clothes. When I try something on, she stands in front of the dressing room mirror and monopolizes it. She looks totally ridiculous in some of those outfits and she steps me from seeing how great they look on me.

She even came along when I went to get my picture taken for my drivers license, and just as the camera shutter clicked she jumped in front of me! No one will ever believe that the picture of that old hag is me!

Easter Blossoms

Make a greeting

Desmond Wood

When Desmond was five years old, he traveled with his parents from Texas west to Theba, Arizona (Now Paloma). He attended school in Gila Bend and went on to attend the University of Arizona. He also attended Baptist Seminary for several months. But he quit because the theology did not agree with what he read in his bible and this confused him a great deal. I believe this attempt to become a Preacher and attend seminary was greatly influenced by his sweetheart at the time, Maxine McClure. He dated this preacher's kid and was madly in love with her but her dad strongly discouraged the relationship because Dad was raised in the Bar and her dad got them transferred out of Gila Bend to California.


Later he married Margie Louise Baker and in the first years of their marriage he served in the Armed Cavalry Service. After a term in the Service, he returned to his family and re-opened the old family business that his mother, Lena had abandoned in 1942" Cactus Lodge", {The bought it from Lena in 1945} on old Highway 80, in the middle of the desert. It was very dirty and it took weeks to get it cleaned out. He later purchased several sections of desert land which he cultivated as farm land on which he and Margie raised their three children.
When the new Highway 80 was built, and bypassed the Cactus Lodge, They built a new place on the new Highway. That was in 1957 and the new place was well known as the Cos Mo Cafe midway between Gila Bend and Buckeye, AZ.

Mother preceded him in death on Sept. 20, 1977.

Desmond accepted Christ as his savior the night before Margie passed away. He was water Baptized in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost on May 17th. 1981 in Houston, Texas by Pastor John Counts at Living Word Outreach.

On Nov. 21, 1981 He married Maxine McClure ( His childhood sweetheart). He was well known nation wide for his work with the National Association of Conservation Districts and locally as well as State wide for his contributions to the NRCD. One of his delights was to work with young people and this brought him much satisfaction.

It was said that perhaps he had missed his calling - To Be A Teacher! or Preacher! He was also a member of the Elks Club in Gila Bend. Local, state and nationally prominent leader in natural resource conservation and development programs for thirty years. Chairman, Gila Bend NRCD, 28 years. President, Arizona Association of Conservation Districts - 3 years. Executive Director - A.A.C.D. - 22 years. Director, National Association of Conservation Districts - 9yrs. Awarded Arizona Conservationist of the Year in 1971.

He had five grandchildren and four great-grandchildren when he died. His funeral was held in Buckeye Arizona.
Services: March 14, 1986, 5:00 P.M., First Southern Baptist Church
Officiating: Reverend Charles Clayborn
Pallbearers: Silky Wood II, Brandon Wood, R.K. Shelton, Sammy Hocker, Shannon Killman, Rantz Killman.
Arrangements by Ganley's in Buckeye, AZ.
Note:

Considering Desmond's grand father "The Kid " and the beginning of his career and Jack's history of stealing, womanizing, Maybe even murder, Des broke the blood line of deception and wrong doing. He was a faithful husband, a wonderful and wise father and a shroud, but honest business man.

Growing Up in The Desert

The Woods home was basically a happy home with lots of love and much laughter. We had all kinds of pets, horses, dogs, cats, white rats, ducks, birds, gold fish, and even five Gila Monsters in a cage for about three years. The Gila Monsters weren't really pets, they were on display for the customers of the business.

I was raised in and a part of, a business ever sense I was able to stand on tip toes and see over a counter. Dad said I knew how to make change for a customer before I knew her A B C's. Being raised in a business that catered to tourists as well as local people and transient laborers, brings one into contact with just about every type of personality you can think of. Desmond use to call the old place the "Character's Lodge", because they met so many different characters. He said many a time he was going to write a book.

We had as customers of almost ever race of people, people from the loneliest cotton-picker to ex-governor McFarland, Wrestlers, Movie stars, Cowboys, Farmers, All kinds of salesmen, and hundreds of Tradesmen. I went to school in a two roomed building at Cotton Center through the sixth year. From there I went to Mesa and lived with her cousin {Carolyn McLellan, Imma Ruth's McLellan's step daughter}through the seventh, then I returned home to attend Buckeye Elementary School in my 8th year. During the summers, I helped my parents work at the store, either as a waitress or in the grocery section of our store. That’s the way I earned money to help provide for my cloths for the following year.

Some where along the way in my younger years I began to feel rejected and unloved by my parents & siblings. Being a middle child contributed to the frustration as well, too young to do the things my older brother did, too old to be treated like the baby. It was the Pitts. Velvet was favored by the grandparents and she was a sweet, cute little thing.

I did well in gamer school & then the teachers decided to advance me from the 5th & 6th grades in one year. That was one of the worst mistakes my made in my life. From that time forward I would fall behind in my ability to comprehend and my grades plummeted.

So at the ripe old age of 16 (June 7 ,1959 and only a Junior in High School) I became engaged to Woodrow Killman Jr. & we were married{on the re-bound from Harold Colville} in June after my Junior year and as a result the school system would not allow me to attend high school and therefore I did not get to graduate.

Woody and I were only married four years, and we had two Children, I found myself divorced, with basically no financial. I went to work in Phoenix, AZ at the Playboy Club as a Bunny {cocktail waitress.} I worked in several different restaurants in the Phoenix area for a couple years. Many unfortunate things happened while I lived in Phoenix but those are a whole nother ball game.

I moved to Houston Texas, got a job bookkeeping and soon started an Specialty Advertising Company. Self-employment suited me well.

In 1981 she met John L. Norsworthy on April 1 and they were married in Houston on the11, 1981 in my home on 2408 Chimney Rock, Briarcroft Subdivision in Houston, Texas (we were literally total strangers). It took a year to sell the advertising company to Stotts Advertising. We then moved to Summerton, SC on December of 1982.

I became active in the Clarendon County Clemson Extension Organization and served as President of the local Roland Subdivision Club, then President of Clarendon County Extension as well. I also served on state and regional levels of the extension organization.

John cat fished for about a year then started his own Santee Log Home construction company. Later he went to work for Coker Builders in Turbeville, SC. then moved on to Mascot Homes in Sumter, SC in 1984.

Mother

Margie had to quit High School and go to work at the age of fifteen. She got a job in Buckeye as a waitress owned by Mr. Jack Gable. It was there that she met Desmond. In 1937 Margie and Alice Cramer represented Buckeye at a bathing beauty contest held at Mesa, on Labor Day. The entering of these two popular local girls made for a goodwill feeling between the towns of Mesa and Buckeye. Fifteen girls competed in the contest for the title of "Miss Arizona," Miss Joyce Johnson, of Mesa won the title.

She was a very hard worker. She was isolated for years out in that "God Forsaken Desert" and as a result had very few close friends. This made for a very lonely life, especially during the empty nest years. There never was a Church of any kind built in the Cotton Center Community. So this also contributed to her loneliness. It's very difficult to cultivate friends when one works 10 hours, 7-day weeks.

She taught us children the art of good hygiene, proper dress, and gave us all the care of a loving mother. She worked from 6 AM until 2 PM then she would go home, take a nap, get up, bathe and dress up for the evening at the Cos Mo, fix dinner and help close up. Dad worked the evening shift until midnight. So they would close up together most nights.

She had a big heart and every Christmas; there wasn't a transient child in the entire community that didn't get a Christmas present. I remember she use to order boxes of peppermint candy canes to hand out. She loved to decorate our home. Of course, we lived in the store. It was most unusual but very workable.
I’ll share just one of her many kind and thoughtful deeds with you.

On one of her shopping trips to Phoenix, she was waiting across the street from the bus stop to catch the bus home. She was in Walgreen’s 5 & 10 store. They were serving a new dish called Pizza. She tried some and loved it. Well after arriving home she shared with us about how wonderful this new food tasted. We asked her why she didn’t bring us some and she said, “She would on her next trip”. Our place was not an official bus stop. Bare in mind that in order for her to catch a bus, she would have to drive up to the Cos*Mo Café before 6 am, stand out on the side of Highway 80 and waive the bus down to get it to stop. Just before boarding the Greyhound Bus Lines on her next return trip from Phoenix, mom purchased one large pepperoni pizza. Phoenix was only an hour from our place normally, but three hours by bus because of all the stops in small towns. About half way home that thing covered with Parmesan cheese began to smell really bad, as you can imagine. All the passengers began looking around and making frowns. Mother had it stashed overhead in the luggage rack. She never said a word and when the bus stopped to let her off, she simply took her cold pizza off the rack and off the bus. But when we sampled the new food that she had raved so much about, we were a little disappointed in the hard crusted, cold cheesed, smelly bread. We were not very grateful for all she went through for us.

Momma was a very loving mother and I'll never forget her special ways of making us feel special. Just before Silky would come home from collage on the weekends, she would go to the store and stock up on the treats he loved the most. And all the years after I left home she would mail my Easter Baskets filled with my favorite nail polish and perfume. Or on Valentines she would mail me a big box of heart chocolates.

In her latter years while visiting me in Houston she gave her life to the Lord on February of 1977. We had attended a home bible study and she had been very sick. She had arthritis all over her body and could hardly scoot her feet to walk. That night just after the meeting was closing, When Tom Morrison prayed for her, she was dramatically healed of crippling arthritis. She was barely able to shuffle her feet to get around or lift her arms. But after Tom prayed for her, her swelled feet and toes shrunk down to normal, all the pain left her body and she proceeded to run down the hall. The Lord dramatically worked a creative miracle in her body. I was a new Christian and didn’t know God did such things. She couldn't wait for Dad to fly into Texas when we could meet him at the airport, so she could run to meet him. It was a very special time for all of us.

Having her spiritual life in order she was finally free to go on to the other side. Mother had at least seven major surgeries during her life. She worked very hard and long hours and her health was poor. The latter part of that year in a vision I had just prior to moms death, I saw Mother's father Fred Baker, come to escort her into Heaven. I was given this dream or what ever it was two times that day. She passed away of liver decease in Phoenix Memorial Hospital on September 20th that same year. Don't ask me why the Lord didn't heal her liver, because I have no idea why God does things the way he does.

Funeral services were held at the Baptist Church in Buckeye and the place was packed out. The same preacher, Jerry Laird, that had ministered to her in Houston, Texas, affiliated the service. It was held at 10:30 a.m. It was a very unusual service, many were praising the Lord and there was a beautiful spirit of joy that filled the sanctuary. Many family members came up afterward and said that they had had been deeply touched in the service. There was no graveside service because she was cremated. There was laughter and floods of love shared afterwards during the visiting time. Daddy had asked us to rush him off immediately after the funeral because he didn't want to be involved in a lot of crying and such, but as it turned out, he was the very last one standing at the church visiting and laughing. When the Lord touches your life there is Joy unspeakable, who knows how it all works?

Bearers were: Shannon Killman, Ron Hansen, Gary Morris, and Woodrow

Killman Jr., Vernon Schulz and Rantz Killman. There were many friends and family in attendance. The preacher that ministered to her so much on her visit to Houston preached the funeral.

The following April on Easter morning the family and many friends of Mom and Dad’s headed into the desert. We drove East of the Cos*Mo to witness the sunrise on the day of the Resurrection of Christ and attend a Memorial service dedicated to Mom. The area had been officially named after her. "Margie's Cove and Margie's Peek." The pilot, Darrell Williams, Daddy and I flew over the sight and Dad powdered the area with Mother's ashes. We gathered at the site where Mom and Dad had many picnics at Easter time. Dad would drive way out there between those two big mountain peeks and gather firewood and prepare the site. Mom would fix a big fried chicken dinner and when we got out there, Dad would have already hid all the Easter Eggs. They always made holidays so special.

Mother is remembered by her fragrance. She always smelled so good. All my life I can remember customers complimenting her on “ How good she smelled”. She wore Shalimar and Channel #5, but no one could ware it like her.

My mother in law, Mickey Killman said, " While she was dressing to come to the funeral, a presence and fragrance of Mother filled her bedroom. Mickey was trying to decide what color to ware when she felt as though Mother told her to "Ware Red" to celebrate her departure" and she did.

Urban Wood said " He was walking to his car and as he approached the white picked fence, Mother's presence and fragrance lingered around him for a time and he felt a great piece come over him.

My mother had many wonderful attributes, but I am most thankful for all the creative talent she passed on to us.

Suddenly

Suddenly, life, as we know it changed

John and I were preparing supper in the kitchen about 7:00 p.m. on Dec 23rd of 1999 when suddenly we find ourselves rushing toward the emergency room of the nearest hospital in manning, SC. Johns holding his head growing,“ I’m dying”. I’m driving with one hand, trying to reach 911 on the mobile, praying in tongues for John and familiar scriptures that seem appropriate, hollering at idiots drivers that slow to a turtles crawl when we approach them from behind with the emergency flashers on. I manage to reach my pastor as well and his family meets us at the hospital. They assess john’s condition with a scan and decide to air-vac him to the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston. They’re in the late night hours a resident Dr. approaches John’s bedside in ICU and tells us “We’ve had a wake up call”. There is total involvement with blood leaks on both sides of his head. The one on the right not easily assessable and the one on the left near the surface and apparently the worst of them. They had to wait and see if the leakage had stopped when they reduced his blood pressure.

The waiting turns into 10 days. By this time I have contacted everyone I have ever known that knows how to pray. My new church family, John’s & my immediate families. Our prayer partners recent and from the past. The family of God rallies toward the need of someone in the midst of a battle of life and death. I begin to receive calls from all over the country, they have heard and they are fasting and praying. Even the lady at the parking lot booth at the hospital has taken note of John’s last name and has had her church praying for his recovery.

The time has arrived. Ten days into all this they wheel John away on a gurney toward the operating room. Not a doubt in his mind he will be coming out a better man, with the piece of God reigning in his soul. He didn’t even look back.

Six hours later the Surgeon appears into my circle of supporters in the waiting room and announces. John has made it through the surgery but there were many complications. The aneurysm burst during the surgery and he lost 2 pints of blood. They had to leave a crimp in one of the veins and there was a threat of the left side of his body being paralyzed. He might not be able to talk or swallow either. They also put him into a chemical coma and would begin to bring him out in two days. So we would know nothing at all for at least two days. We all looked at each other in unbelief at the hearing of our ears. Then we all went home. The grief that consumed me was indescribable.

God had never let me down in the twenty some years sense he cut his covenant with me. I had to speak to the Father alone. When I tried to sleep, the negative words of the Surgeon would rehearse over and over in my mind. It was like being on the front line of a battlefield and live weapons being fired at me from all sides. I played the Psalms loud on CD all night. When I would wake, I would force my mind to concentrate on Gods comforting word. Then I would dose back off for a short while. This went on for three nights. Then the Lord brought me to a place of death to my will and releasing my sweetheart totally into the hands of God. Could I trust Him with loved one? Once I did this, the piece of God that passes all understanding flooded my soul and spirit. Piece at last, but now how would I know haw to prey. My church family was in a constant state of intercessory for us. And Velvet & I attended church on Wednesday night. During that service, the Holy Spirit faithed me, by speaking his word into my spirit. “My Name is above aneurysm, My name is above crimped veins, In fact my name is above every name that is named and they must bow their knee to my name and submit to the healing power in my name.” The Lord had given me a word that would sustain me and heal John.

“He sent His word and healed them”!

It took a while, but to make a long story short, It’s been 11 years sense all that happened and the Lord has restored John’s health.

Suprise Wedding

While I was at my standing hair appointment one day back in the 60's, my hairdresser asked me if I wound attend a party at her home the following weekend? She was having a few of her friends over and would like to have me come. She told me the dress would be casual and she would be serving heavy appetizers and not to eat prior to coming.

There were a lot of couples in attendance and the party was just getting into full swing when our hostess made the following announcement. “Thank you all for coming to our surprise wedding ceremony”. At that, the person officiating the wedding appeared, my hairdresser and her boyfriend took their places in front of him and the ceremony began. In minutes the couple was married and we all were very surprised indeed.

Bald Eagle

John & I took a trop to Callaway gardens in Georgia on Friday and spent the entire day. That is a 15,000-acre garden and park located about one hour and a half west of Atlanta. There were lots of things to see there but I want to tell you about two of them.

There was the Butterfly house that was huge and humid. It was filled with tropical plants. When you inter through the doors you are surrounded with thousands of flying butterflies. They had one exhibit where you could watch the butterflies emerge from the cocoons. What an awesome site to see indeed. Hundreds of species, colors and sizes.

The other was a wildlife presentation of connivers. They are large birds of the wild that eat other animals and fish. The setting was on the bank of a small lake, we were facing the lake and the trainer was facing us. There were two rows of seats with a walkway down through the center of us. Behind us at the back was a perch for the birds to land on and there was also one in the front by the trainer. There were two tower-like buildings (one on the other side of the lake to our left and the other to our right. They housed the big birds. As he would place a piece of meat down on the perch beside him, another trainer would open one of the doors of the cages and down wood swoop an Great Horned Owl. Then another trainer would place a piece of meat at the back perch and the Owl would fly between us down the isle. As he flew, you could not hear his wings flap. His flight was completely silent. Then back into the cage, as he was tempted once again with a piece of meat. That process went on with several birds. Then they brought out a Red Tailed Hawk. He came to the perch then he waived for him to fly up into the adjacent tree in front of us. The hawk flew way up into the top of the pine tree. Then as the trainer dropped a small leather bag on the ground in front of him, the hawk folded his wings back and dove head down toward the ground like a bullet. So fast we could hardly see him. Then he dropped his feet down and grabbed the leather bag. It was an awesome sight.

The last was a beautiful Bald Eagle. He came from across the lake to the perch. But un-rehearsed, he flew off the perch back across the lake and caught a fish and brought if back to the perch. The cute little trainer was beside himself. It was only the second time the eagle had ever done anything like this. The bird had been in captivity all his life and had a deformed beak and was not able to tare his food well enough to eat it. It was a small shad and it did not take much for him to devour it. We were all very impressed with the show, to say the least.

Air Conditioned Car

Last year I typed up one of Dad’s Journals of a trip. I have started collecting some of his stories, tales and adventures. The following is one a friend of mine Lois Johnson in Houston, Texas reminded me of today.


One of my favorites was the "air conditioner" for his air-conditioned car.

It had been so hot in the desert that year that he thought and thought and decided to

put a plywood board on top of his car with a space of 4-6 inches between the board and

car roof.



He got the proper attachments for his car from the hardware store, got them

installed, bought his sheet of plywood and clamped it on. He said it looked really

funny and everyone he met thought he was a bit crazy - "BUT, you know," Dad said,

"my car was at least 20 degrees cooler than it had been before! Crazy or not, my

car now has its own air conditioner!" And with that, he laughed at his own joke.

An Uncommon Meeting

One morning in March of 1981, I was setting on the side of my bed, in Houston, Texas, when the phone rang. It was my new and only brother in law. I had never met Woody because he lived in South Carolina. My sister was flying from Arizona to meet with him in South Carolina. Simultaneously, my Dad was flying into SC from DC after a Soil Conservation Convention. Woody wanted me to come in and surprise the both of them. I lived in Houston, Texas and Dad was living in Arizona and neither of us had met my sisters’ new husband.

During our conversation he mentioned a friend he would like for me to meet. Then he laughed and said, "Who knows, he might be your future husband". I quickly cut that conversation short.

I was hesitant about accepting his invitation because I was scheduled to visit with the Prison Ministry in Huntsville. But just minutes after I hung up from talking to him, both of my prayer partners called me. The first one asked me what I was doing? I told her of my invitation and she felt at though I was supposed to go & God was going to do something Miraculous. The second partner listened to my story and confirmed the first. She really encouraged me to go and just see what the Lord was going to do.

I called Woody back to find out where to fly. I had never been any further South than Louisiana. Then I made my reservations. That evening, Velvet, my sister called me to visit and before she hung up she said "I feel like you are going to meet your husband very soon", I laughed and questioned "How Soon” Her reply came, Oh "Within the Next 2-3days". Now she had no idea I was in on this big surprise plan and meeting with her and Dad in SC the next evening.

Well, all went as my brother-in-law planed. Velvet arrived first, then me and finally our Dad. You could have knocked him down with a feather. He was shocked to see the both of us there. By this time it was getting late and Woody drove us all from Columbia to Sumter. We were up half the night laughing and swapping stories. I don't know what was so funny, but we laughed so hard we would half to hold our sides. I retired to the sofa and Dad had the guest bedroom.

The next morning around 7:00, Woody announced that his friend was coming over shortly for coffee. I was a wreck with only three hours of sleep. I whipped into action in the bathroom to try to make myself look somewhat presentable. The doorbell rang; it was John, there for coffee. By this time, Dad and Woody were in the kitchen visiting and setting around the table. I could hear them all laughing and carrying on while I was trying to bend my hair into some kind of Doo. About that time Velvet came by the bathroom on her way to the kitchen and I jerked her in and told her to go get a good look at our visitor and come back and give me a report. I waited; she forgot and joined in on the laughter down the hall.

I had no choice but to come out and as I walked through the kitchen toward the dinning area, my eyes met John's and deep down inside me I heard in my spirit, "This is the man you are going to marry". Well, it about jolted my socks off, but I kept walking and sat in the only seat available next to John.

He stayed for breakfast then we all rode out to a neat place in the country and walked through a wooded area. Just having fun and all getting to know one another. He stayed for lunch and on into the evening for supper. He left about 10:00 pm. Now I was careful not to reveal my secret to anyone. I knew if this were God, He would work all things out.

When I retired this time something happened that is very difficult to explain. But I was asleep but some how I felt awake. I entered into a discussion about my future husband with the Lord. Now I could not see Him and I could not verbally hear Him. But it would go a little like this. I would ask a question about John, then there would come into me, an assurance that I could not refute. I had been single for seventeen years and had not been dating for some time. I had set myself aside from all that worldly stuff and dedicated my life and service to the Lord. I really had completely given up all chance of ever meting anyone. It was strange, because sometimes I would argue with the Lord about one thing or another and He allowed me to do so. But eventuality there would come that piece until I was sure beyond a shadow of a doubt about the question.

The next morning I awoke totally refreshed and assured of one thing that truly John was going to be my future husband. Velvets husband called John that morning and asked him to come back over. He did for a little while and seemed restless. He invited me to ride with him to run some errands. We loaded into his big GM Pick-up truck and off we went. This was our first time to be alone. It was really kind of neat, every time we got back into the truck the radio would play, " I'm just an old chunk of coal, but I'm gonna be a diamond someday". What did that mean anyway?



We came back to my sisters for lunch, and then John asked me to go for another ride. This time he drove me to Poinsettia Park located back in the Woods. There was a little pond there with some picnic tables. We strolled down to the beach area and he took his jacket off and put it on the sand for me to set on. Just as we both got comfortable he said, " Teri, I have been praying for a wife for a year and a half and I believe the Lord has sent me you!" I don't know why it was so hard for me to believe the Lord had told him too, but it was. He then turned his back and waited to see what I was going to say. I came back with, " If you really believe that turn back around here and kiss me and lets see how that goes". When we got up from that beach we began making plans for our future and trying to reveal as much of ourselves to each other as possible.

Well, the rest is history. Dad and I flew back to Houston three days later. The following weekend, John flew to Texas, we got our marriage license on Friday and we were married that Saturday. Velvet & Woody flew out and Woody was our best man.

We were married Ten Days after the day we first met. It must have been God because we are still very much in love. Now I didn’t say that we haven’t been through some rough times and have endured many storms. But I love being married.

We were married on April 11,1981 in Houston, Texas at my home. Dad and Velvet were there as were my two half grown sons. All my buddies from church and my very best friend, Nettie (this was my very best friend) and her husband from Mineola, Texas were in attendance. We had a beautiful ceremony in my living room. Then one of my Bible teachers and her family brought us a huge dinner for the reception.

Last Hospital Visit

Mother had been in the hospital many times in her life. She had about 7 major surgeries in her short fifty some years. Than old store just worked her and dad to death. Mother had suffered from a failing liver for about 8 years. Always when she checked into the hospital, she would keep her wedding rings on. The last time dad admitted her into the hospital and they got her settled into the room. She took her rings off and handed them to day and said, “ She wouldn’t be coming home this time”. Dad told her not to worry; she would be going home in a couple days. He had to go back home to run the Café, on his way out as he passed by the flower shop, he stopped and purchased her some yellow roses (Mom’s favorite) and took them back to the room and gave her a big hug and kiss goodbye and told her he loved her. By the time dad had arrived back to the business he received a call that mother had slipped off into a coma.


I am finding this story very emotional for me to recall. I may have to come back to it occasionally to get if finished. There were so many special events that took place during the week Mom was in that Hospital.

As fate would have it, dad couldn’t get in touch with Silky or Velvet. I don’t know where Silky was but Velvet and her husband at that time were in Dallas, Texas attending a Gun Convention. I was living in Houston, Texas in 1977 when I received dad’s call. I wanted to leave the next day but the Spirit prevented me. I felt a real check in my spirit about leaving so soon. I did leave for Arizona on the third day. This delay left dad alone for three days and nights with a lot to think about. When I arrived at the airport, we drove by to see mother then the long drive out to the old home place between Buckeye and Gila Bend.

Dad and I talked mostly about the Lord all that evening. Around midnight, I asked dad if he was a Christian? He told me he did not think God wanted him because he ran a bar and had served liquor to many people. He felt like this was a very bad thing, but really all he had known growing up in that same place. I asked him if he could believe the Lord would accept him just as he was, doing whatever he was doing! He asked Jesus to come into his heart and save his soul. When dad did this, a supernatural peace came over him. The Lord took all of our grieving out of both my and dad’s heart. He went on to grow in the Lord and the Lord gave him a new heart. The doctors told us that mother could live on in her condition for many years. Mom died two days later after Velvet, Dad stood beside mother’s hospital bed and I prayed to release her into God’s loving care. To quote Velvet’s prayer “ Dear God, Please heal my mother or take her home”. I would say it was one of the most powerful I had ever heard. It was short and powerful. Mother slipped of into eternity that evening while the three of us were out having dinner.

Two Red Tailed Hawks

I am reminded of a story dad told of a friend;

Said the man had been praying to the Lord for direction. The Lord told him that he was to move him and his family in the next couple of days. "Where do I go Lord?" the man asked. The Lord answered him saying, "When you see the red-tailed hawk fly ahead of you, then you will put down in that town."

So, the man was telling Dad this tale of how he and his wife happened to be in that part of the country. But Dad was still a bit skeptical, "But how did you know where to go, what direction?" asked Dad of his friend. The friend answered, my wife had had a dream, and in the dream, she saw two red tailed hawks circling. And they were circling over the place they were to live. She conveyed the dream to her husband and they packed up and headed to the high country of Arizona. "As I felt the peace in heading down the main road, I would not know where I would live, but we would know when I saw the red-tailed hawk circling over head of me, then I would put down roots in that town."

This fellow and his wife were herbalists. They were in fact led to move into a little settlement just outside a Indian reservation by seeing the “Two red-tailed hawks circling over the entrance of the settlement. They then paid the Indians to harvest various herbs off the desert for their store to complete the vast selection of herbs and vitamins they sold.

The rest of the story.

Dad heard of this man from a friend of his who was ding in the Hospital in Phoenix. The man had cancer of the throat and only had weeks to live. The Herbalist was praying and the Lord showed him this man in the hospital and he and his wife drove down to pay him a visit. They took the man a small amount of salve with instructions to take it in the morning but to expect a very – very painful bowl movement in the evening. He predicted the man would pass the cancer that was in his throat. That’s exactly what happened and the man walked out of the Hospital totally healed the next day. He was a very good friend of Dad’s and he told his testimony to him and advised him to take my dying Mother to the Herbalist. My Mother had been sent home from the hospital to die.

Dad took his advice, placed my ailing Mother in the back seat of his Nash and drove her to the northern part of the state. They spent several days with the couple at their residence. On their last day there, the four of them gathered in a circle, holding hands to pray. Mother was standing on the left side of the Herbalist and he said something was not flowing in the spirit exactly right. Then he asked mother if she was left handed? She replied she was, they exchanged places and proceeded to pray. Dad reported; He felt a hot flow of “something” inter his left hand, traveled up his arm over to the other arm and down then out his right hand into who’s ever hand he was holding. This was the healing power of God flowing through the circle of people. Neither Dad nor Mom was Christians at the time, but the couple was. Mom was sent home with a sack full of herbs and spices to take.

Her life was extended for several more years. This gave her time to get her life right with God and Dad gave his life to the Lord the night before Mom died.

Grandfather Jack Woods Story

Jack was raised and went to school in the little town of Santa Anna. Being adventurous and ambitious, he soon tired of formal education and went to seek his fortune in the various oil field booms, which were starting in Texas.

After a particularly successful trip, he returned home with a flashy new buggy and a beautiful horse. He swept my grandmother off her feet. They were married there in Santa Anna and for the next four years, made that town their permanent home. Jack was gone most of the time working in the oil fields. My father and LJ were born there.

Lena & Jack first settled in Theba, AZ after leaving Texas.

My great aunt Virgie (Lena's Sister) said, " Jack was a very generous man. He helped out many of the family members as they moved from Texas to settle in Arizona." She also remembered that Jack had a friend that was staying with he and Lena at Mid Way that tied the train signal down to try and wreck the train so he could rob it. He was caught a few weeks later and sent to the Florence Prison for seven years for attempting to wreck the train and attempted robbery.

They then moved to Old Mexico where "C. O." Jack worked in the oil fields in San Louis Potosi. He built Oil Well Derricks and other installations, despite a small Mexican Revolution. When the Revolution got too rough, they moved back to Texas, then to Gila Bend, Arizona.
Jack fled to Texas after a scandal over a woman he was rumored to have gotten pregnant and she died as a result of an abortion. He and worked in an oil field somewhere in East Texas. While working as Forman, at night he and a friend took the pipe that his company was laying in the day and sold them. When he got caught, they sent him to Huntsville Prison. Lena traveled to Austin, Texas and managed an appointment with the Governor. She also managed to get Jack out on parole. Jack was supposed to stay in the state of Texas until he served out his parole time. But he then fled back down into Old Mexico to work once again in the Oil field industry.

After Jack left the family, the boys had to do all the hard work. Lena ran the old Cactus Lodge during the time of the depression. Jack would return occasionally to visit. I found a letter he wrote to Lena once when he was traveling through Phoenix. He evidently was staying over for a few days and wanted to see her but it didn't sound as though he had much hope of that.

When Jack was on his deathbed, Dad drove Mom's gold and white Chrysler to Texas & got to visit his Dad. Three of Jacks wives were there beside him (Lena not One of them) . Dad said Jack must have been quite the Ladies man. Dad wrecked the car on his way home. Mom had a vision one afternoon and saw the accident. Dad did not call home (No Phones anyway) to let her know. But the Holy Spirit told her most things of that nature when they happened. For one at the time as dad visited with each of them, they all confessed they KNEW that they were Jacks favorite love. Jack was thought to have had as many as 8 wives in his lifetime. He re-Married Lydia of Utah before he died so she could receive his Social Security benefits and Life Insurance.

The only memories I have of Jack were at a time in his later years when he stayed at our home for several weeks after some sort of surgery. He didn't shave much and he seemed to be grouchy. That could have been because he didn't feel well, but that is the impression he left with me. He loved to play cards and played solitaire for hours. Isn’t that sad that’s all I can remember about my grandfather? I wish now that I had drilled some good old stories out of him.

My Grandmothers Story

In 1921 Jack, Lena, L J, Desmond {5yrs. old} and Ruby {Lena's sister} migrated from Texas to Arizona. Jack built a 76 Union service station/store out at Mid-Way between Gila Bend & Centenel. They then sold it to G.R. & Ruby Shelton. Jack would start a business & get it established then sell out to one of Lena's sisters & brother-in-laws. This is how most of the Jackson girls got to Arizona from Texas.

Jack also worked as a Forman on Theba Farms west of Gila Bend. They lived in a cabin constructed out of railroad ties near the railroad. Later Jack built the Theba. Des remembered one Christmas at Theba, L J got a wagon and he got a doll. Jack then sold the business it to a family member. Then Jack bought a place from Azel Rudd & it was located 14 miles north of Gila Bend & 18 miles south of Buckeye. They named it the Cactus Lodge. (The old Rudd Place).

Somewhere between 1924 & 1927, Jack abandoned Lena and the boys. They were left out there in the middle of the desert and the boys were forced to become young men way before their time. There was no electricity or in door plumbing. They had to hall water from a neighboring farm. They had to keep fuel in the generators as well as learn how to maintain them as well as stock the groceries & pump gas. Des being the oldest also became sort of a father to L J. Times were rough.

Somewhere in here Lena became pregnant with Urban by Don Luce.

In 1938 times were scarce at Old Cactus Lodge after Jack left and there was a fela {Mr. Lonny} that drove the Milk route from Phoenix to Gila Bend three times a week, that would stop and give Lena Milk, Bread, Butter and Eggs. Lena’s Dad was living with her at the time. They could have possibly starved if it weren’t for the generosity of this man.

Lena left the Old Cactus Lodge in 1942 when she married Andy Angelopleous on February 10,1942 in Phoenix, Arizona. Andy was a short little Greek who owned a little grocery store at Paliverdi. No one really knew exactly why, unless it was some sort of business arrangement. Lena & Andy bought the Ella G. Gamble farm & equipment located at Perryville in 1943. Sale Price: Ten Dollars, and other good and valuable consideration.

The following is a list of the personal property that was included in the sale.

Two large Farm All tractors, one on rubber, one on steel wheels, with complete cultivation equipment One large offset disc harrow, one large float, One stalk cutter, One four row planter, One fine tooth harrow, One three bottom peace plow, One small four wheel trailer, One large four wheel cotton trailer, One small steel drag, One V shaped ditcher, One large Peerless pump and all wire, plow points and any other equipment now located on the promises and at the time of sale of the Southeast quarter of Section Thirty Three (33) in Township Two (2) North, Range Two (2) West of the Gila and Salt River Base and Meridian, Maricopa County, Arizona.

Lena and Andy Opened and operated the A. & G. Cafe in Gila Bend, AZ. They had a very successful business that catered to tourist as well as the Rail- Road workmen.

They sold out in Gila Bend and opened a restaurant in Redlands, Calif. and called it A & G as well. They also purchased an orange orchard (Orange Ranch) with a cute little white house located right in the middle of it and a huge Black walnut tree in the back yard.

Lena was raised in a strong Spirit Filled Christian home and even preached some as a young woman. In her early 20's she contacted Tuberculoses B and was sent to a home for Tuberculoses B treatment, which she overcame. It left her thin, which she remained until the day she died in 1977. Lena was elegant in appearance, about 5' 3" & Gray hair most of her mid and later life years. She wore a 7 1/2 Quad {A} shoe and wouldn't think of driving anything but a Cadillac. She worked hard all her life and had a wonderful sense of humor. She had a very infectious laugh.

In her last days while living in a nursing home, she had lost the " here and now" conversation but chattered on & on about her past while she was a child. Teri & Velvet had gotten saved in early 1977 and were concerned about her salvation. They came up with a scheme to see if Lena was secure in her salvation. Teri Looked up numerous salvation scriptures and called Velvet in Phoenix from Houston where she was residing at the time and gave the scriptures to Velvet with specific instructions. She was to go & visit Lena, read her scriptures then ask her if she was saved? Well Velvet did all that and when she got to the big question, this was Lena’s response " Do I know Jesus? He walks & talks with me in here every day! " Then she stuck her frail, thin little long finger out toward Velvet, looked at her with those light blue eyes & asked her, "Do you know Him”? Then she clicked back into the past and began once again with her gibberish.

Lena was barred in Ajo, AZ.

Dads Second time Around

It was 100 degrees in the shade in Arizona on a June morning in 1981 when he decided to drive out to Houston, Texas to visit his eldest daughter. He was now retired and his wife had passed away five years earlier. Nothing to keep him from leaving and he would take his youngest daughter with him for company. It took them a couple of days to get there by car and when they arrived on the second evening he took ill.
His two daughters and son-in-law sat up all evening catching up on family news. It was about midnight when they all felt a strong urge to pray for him. As they sought the direction of the Lord for their father and after praying for the Lord to heal him, one of them moving under the unction of the Holy Spirit, prayed for the Lord to bring a wife into his life soon.
The next morning after breakfast they were all on the patio when the phone rang. The mysterious woman’s voice wanted to know if Desmond Wood was there? He was summoned to the phone and visited with her for over an hour. As it turned out, she had been his first love when they were 18 and 19. She had been setting alone in her apartment in Fullerton, California that morning and her thoughts turned to the old days. She too was widowed and she decided to try and track him down. She knew nothing about his circumstances; she was just wondering how his life turned out.

They visited every evening on the phone after he returned home. They watched baseball games together while they visited. He was due to attend a convention in Washington and invited her to accompany him. She had never flown before and was hesitant to accept but she desperately wanted to see him. She agreed to fly to Phoenix and meet him at the airport then they would catch a later flight on to Washington.

Many years had passed since they had seen each other so she agreed to be wearing a light pink suite and he would be wearing a pink carnation in the lapel of his suit. But he didn’t need to know what she was wearing for when she stepped through the door of that plane he knew immediately who she was. She was as beautiful as he had remembered. They found a quiet little corner in the dinning room to visit while they waited for the later flight. As they sat there across from each other, he reached out and took her hand and it felt as though they had never skipped a beat in their relationship from childhood. He knew then that he was going to ask her to marry him.

He proposed to her on their first evening after the reception. She accepted and they began to make plans to marry. Maxine McClure married her childhood sweetheart Desmond Wood in November of 1981in California.

Second Chance

One morning in March of 1981 the phone rang and it was my brother- in-law from SC whom I had never met. My Dad and sister were simultaneously flying into Sumter to visit and he wanted me to come and surprise them. Before he hung up he laughed and said, “I have a friend I want you to meet, who knows, he might be your future husband" to which I paid no attention.

I was hesitant about accepting his invitation but just minutes after I hung up, two of my prayer partners called. After telling the first of my strange invitation, she felt I was suppose to go and God was going to do something miraculous. The second call confirmed the first. So I called him back and made arrangements.

The morning after we all arrived, my brother-in-law announced that his friend was coming for coffee. I was a wreck with only three hours of sleep. I whipped into the bathroom trying to bend my hair into some kind of do. John arrived for coffee then Dad and Woody joined him in the kitchen. I could hear them all laughing and carrying on. On my sisters’ way to the kitchen, I jerked her in as she passed and asked her check out our visitor and report back. I waited; she forgot and joined in on the laughter.

I had no choice but to come out. As I walked through the kitchen toward the dinning area, my eyes met John's and deep down inside me I seemed to hear, "This is the man you are going to marry". Well, it about jolted my socks off, but I joined them and sat next to John. He stayed for breakfast, lunch and supper.

Now I had been careful not to reveal my secret to anyone. Woody called John the next morning and asked him over. After a short visit John invited me to run some errands with him. During the course of the day he drove me to Poinsettia Park located back in the Woods. We strolled down to the pond and he laid his jacket on the sand for me to set on. Just as we both got comfortable he said, " Teri, I have been praying for a wife for a year and a half and I believe the Lord has sent you to me ". I don't know why I had a hard believing the Lord had told him too. Then turned his back to me and waited for a response. I said, " If you really believe that, kiss me and lets see how that goes". When we got up from that beach we began making plans to marry.

Dad and I flew home to Texas and John came out a couple days later. We were married at my home with friends and family ten days after we first laid eyes on one another. Having the confidence that the Lord put us together we just celebrated our 29th anniversary.