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By D. Clay Hays I hope everyone's Thanksgiving went well. Mine was interesting in that I happened to come into possession of my Grandfather's memoirs. They were passed from my aunt to my sister in yet another attempt to find someone willing and with the time to invest in putting them in order and typing them up. Edmund Davis Hays, now age 94, was not a famous man by any means. He is a WWII vet, having served on the USS Lovering (Destroyer Escort/Sub Hunter) in the pacific theater, but was no hero either (except perhaps to my family). He's just a regular American, an "Average Joe" whose story happens to be awe inspiring. Much like many of your Grandparents I expect but what I will try to relay today is a sense of urgency to get to know them. Oh sure, they're your Grandparents so you know them well, right? That's what I thought too, until I read just a few pages of his memoirs and became immediately entranced! They're like a good book that you just can't put down so I've been reading them for 2 straight days now! And I'll tell you, this is not the barrel-chested, often gruff and somewhat cold at times Grandfather I thought I knew! The vivid recollections seem to start at about age 7, 1920, on a farm near Meade, KS, but there are general memory references that go back as far as 1917. I will not attempt to relay the entire story but offer a quick summation for your amazement: Born in 1913, Urbana, IL; Mother died from injury during a storm at age 9, 1923, after which he became the primary caregiver for his younger brother; Father forced to leave to find work, he and younger brother stayed in boarding houses or rented rooms off-and-on from 1925 to 1932 (met my Grandmother at one of these); first "real" job, "water boy" on road construction crew in Emporia, KS at age 12, 1926, using a bicycle he talked the hardware store owner into giving him on credit; started working the area's wheat fields at age 13, 1927; graduated high school in 1932, now assisting his Dad in supporting younger brother; hit the road in search of work, 1935, thumbed & rode the rails all over western US; married my Grandmother, moved to Climax, CO for mine work, 1936; bought farm land, moved to AR, 1939; joined US Navy, 1943-45. And one particularly timely reference was Thanksgiving dinner, 1936...beans, in a half-cabin, half-tent outfit on top of a snowy mountain in sub-zero temperatures. Now you're caught-up to where I left off. You should see some of the phenomenal details he included! Suffice to say, at this point I realize I know absolutely nothing of hardship! Plus, I've learned there was a whole other side of my Grandfather I never knew about, and I have a thousand questions I want to ask him. Unfortunately, he is in a nursing home now and rarely talks anymore. I waited too long to take an interest. Are you still putting it off too? But then, like I said before, you know your Grand Parents well don't you? As for me, I think I'd better get busy sorting out these notes. Maybe I'll have time to read them back to him yet. Happy Thanksgiving........Clay If you'd like to comment on this post please use the Contact form. |
Happy Thanksgiving!