CacheMore 2023, TRIBUTE TO...series! This cache was hidden as part of a friendly geocaching competition to encourage exploring the areas surrounding North Central WV, Southwest PA, and Western MD. To learn more and participate for yourself, please click HERE.
Mom (Sara) was born in 1930. She was born on Valentines Day. As a child growing up she thought this was great because she got all kinds of cards on her birthday. My Mom grew up in Windber, PA which is near Johnstown, PA. When Mom graduated from High School she went into beautician school. After graduating she can to Waynesburg and moved in with my Great Aunt. She was hired in Waynesburg to do hair. This didn’t last very long as she got sick from the long hours and standing on her feet all day. She was then hired at an ice cream parlor. That didn’t last too long either because she couldn’t scoop the frozen ice cream. Next, she was hired at what was referred to as a “five and dime” store in Waynesburg, PA. This is where she was working when she met my Dad, in person, for the first time.
Dad (Charles) was born in 1929. He turned 8 years old and was ready to enter school before he was given a first and middle name. Everyone just called him “Sonny”. This name followed him into adulthood. My Dad grew up in the town of Rices Landing, PA in Greene County. My Dad did not graduate from High School as he choose to go in the service. He served in the Army and his service took him overseas to Korea. My Dad met my Mom because of a fight with her brother in the service. My Dad socked him in the mouth. He felt bad about it later and went to look her brother up to apologies. While he was talking to her brother he saw a picture of my Mom hanging on the wall. Dad asked who she was and her brother said she was his sister. Dad gave him his address and her brother sent it to Mom. At that point Mom and Dad became pen pals.
My Dad let my Mom know that he was coming home on leave. She had let everyone at the store know that he was coming to the store when he got home. He entered the store. Walked around the store. Talked briefly to Mom (not identifying himself). Left the store. Everyone went back to Mom and asked was that him. Mom said no it wasn’t. Are you sure and so on. Finally, Dad came back in the store. This time he introduced himself to Mom. So, everyone else had been right.
Mom always told me that they had 20 dates (part of that they were married) before Dad was sent overseas to Korea for 20 months. Before my Dad left to go overseas they decided to get married. They had all there paper work but the issue they ran into was finding a minister that would marry them (because of Dad going overseas). They finally found a minister who would marry them in Virginia. Dad’s sister laughed because she said that she never saw someone get married with the seat out of his pants. He had slid in and out of the car so many time that he had worn the seat of his pants out. Then they had to find Mom because when the ceremony was over she took off for the car. She was so unset with being told no and it was hard to believe someone had said yes and the ceremony was done. By the time they got back to Dad’s parents’ home everyone had calmed down. They married in 1951.
Dad left for Korea for 20 months. Which was a time of his life he really didn’t talk about. While Dad was overseas Mom stayed in Waynesburg to be close to Dad’s parents. When Dad came back home Mom and Dad lived together on military bases. Dad held different jobs after his honorable discharge from service. Most of my life he was a Lock and Dam operator on the Mon River at Charleroi, PA. He retired in 1989.
They had 3 children together, two boys and a girl. We would laugh because it was always said that Mom went to the doctors and asked for the two boys. But, their daughter (me) was a surprise. A good surprise they always said.
I am sorry to say that both of my parents’ have gone to heaven. My Mom went first after a bad fall in 2017. She would have had a hard road to come back as she had broken may bones. My Dad lasted a year and six months after Mom. It was a hard year for him. He always said that he was to go first not her. He has for several years had a bad heart and retained fluid. In the end that is what took him in 2018. They were married 66 years.
I miss my Mom and Dad a lot. I still live in the family home. It is hard to believe that Mom has been gone six years this year (2023) and Dad will have been gone 5 years. I think of them every day. I still ask myself what would Mom do or what would Dad do, depending on the situation.
Rest In Peace Mom & Dad.