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Picture of the day -
April 7, 2008
Uncle Herb
My Uncle Herb was born on March 13, 1918, just a few months before
my dad. He grew up along with my mom and the rest of his family in
Damascus, Virginia, but he spent the bulk of his long life in
Tazewell County, Virginia with the love of his life, Aunt Nettie.
If you can imagine the most humble of "country folks", then you'll
have a mental picture of Uncle Herb. Most of my memories of him were
formed at our annual Parker Family Reunions, and they are memories
that I'll treasure for the rest of my life. But I came to really
"know" this wonderful man through the stories that mom loved to tell
about his not-so-easy life.
When his country needed him to help win WWII, Uncle Herb selflessly
answered the call and proudly served for almost 4 years, then he
returned to the mountains of southwestern Virginia to make a life
for himself. On March 9, 1947, he married Sarah Janette Boothe (Aunt
Nettie), and they literally spent the rest of their days on planet
earth loving and caring for each other.
My mom has many wonderful stories about Uncle Herb and Aunt Nettie,
but the one I love the most is how he asked his new bride what she wanted
for a wedding gift, and she replied matter-of-factly: "A pack of
cigarettes." Well, a pack of cigarettes it was, and the rest, as
they say, is history. (Now keep in mind, this was in another day and
time, before smoking became recognized as the great evil that it
is.)
Herb was surely one of the hardest working people who ever lived. He
was a coal miner back when mining coal was pretty much all manual
labor. He worked in the mines for over 40 years, many of them on his
knees with a pick and shovel loading that black gold onto an endless
line of railroad cars. And as hard as the work was, the only time he
ever stayed home was when the ever-present boils on his knees
became so painful that he was simply unable to get down on them.
Only
another miner of that era could possibly understand the
hardships that Uncle Herb endured in order to make a living for his
family. There is simply no limit to the amount of respect I have for
this man.
I'll never forget how Herb always came to our reunions with a
camera hanging from his neck, hand outstretched to greet all the men
with a handshake and all the women with a hug. Like the rest of the
Parkers, he loved to talk, but he usually waited for the other
person to strike up a conversation. But once he got going he could
talk up a storm!
Having worked in the mines all those years, you would think that
Herb's body would have eventually broken down, leaving him in
excruciating pain in his later years. But all in all, he was always
a relatively healthy man. Earlier this year, he told mom in one of
his frequent letters (which he always "pecked out" on a typewriter) that
his goal was to live to see his 90th birthday on March 13.
Well, he made it, but after his beloved Nettie passed away last
month he seemed ready to go on and be with her once again. After
all, they had never been apart for any length of time during their
61 years of marriage, and now all of a sudden he was alone and
missing her greatly. When Aunt Nettie passed away, Uncle Herb was in
the hospital after having fallen and breaking his hip for the third
time. He never made it home again.
At approximately 5:00 yesterday morning, Uncle Herb moved into his
new home with Aunt Nettie. Now they're together once again, probably
in a mansion in some heavenly holler with a magnificent flower
garden and a few chickens pickin' out in the yard. And my guess is
he still has a camera hanging from his neck and a firm handshake and
hug at the ready for whenever he meets up with a loved one who had
gone on before him. I'm gonna miss you Uncle Herb. Our family
reunions will never be quite the same without you. You are truly one
of a kind.
In loving memory of Herbert James Parker
March 13, 1918 - April 6, 2008
Visitor Comments...
Name: Phyllis Helton
Town: Bristol, Va
In the picture, the little finger touching his arm, says it all!!
Name: Laura Blanton
Town: Big Stone Gap, VA
I look at Todays Photos every day. You always have such beautiful
photos, and the wording that follows these photos is usually grand
also. But none has topped today's, it literally brought a tear to my
eyes. I'm sorry for your loss, but be glad that he is now with his
beloved Nettie. Keep the stories and pictures coming. I enjoy them
very much. --Laura Blanton of Big Stone Gap, Virginia.
Name: Ron Trees
Town: Spokane, WA
Hi Rick. I pretty much echo what Laura, said. The pictures are what
drew me to this site, but it is now the pictures and your thoughts
each day that continue to bring me here each day. It is very evident
that you have a great love for God, family and country. Keep it up
my friend, it is a winning combination!
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