My brother Jack was in my father's first set of children. He was the younger brother to our sister Alberta. Jack and Alberta's mother died when they were young, and our father married my mother. There were three of us in the second set, Mary, Ray and me.
Jack is retired from the Air Force. He hadn't started out to be a career military man, but joined the Army at age 19 in 1942. He ended up in the Army Air Corps and was shipped to Columbia in 1944 for training before being assigned to the CBI (China, Burma, India) Theatre where he was a gunner on a B-25.
While on a pass to Myrtle Beach from Columbia Jack met an attractive young woman named Sarah from Greensboro, North Carolina. They got married and after WWII Jack moved to Greensboro. Along came the Korean War, and Jack was called back to active duty. He served in Korea and Viet Nam. Along the way Jack and Sally (our father insisted that she be called that because there was another Sarah in the family) had two children, Patricia and Mike. Pat and Mike grew up military brats and lived in England, Alaska, Michigan, Ohio, New Mexico and South Carolina. There were probably other places that I don't recall.
Pat is the office manager and accountant for a group of physicians in Albuquerque and Mike flys for an airline on the west coast. I still think of them as kids, but Pat is talking about retiring as she is only three years younger than me.
If Jack and Sally mind me popping in on them on my cross-country motorcycle trips they don't let on. I think this is the third or fourth trip across the country where I have managed to go through Albuquerque.
I wanted some photos of the two of them, so I took pictures that represent typical family activity. Sally, being of southern stock, was featured making hand-rolled biscuits, and Jack, being a Bender man, was featured in his recliner. He said it wasn't a typical picture because he was awake.
I've always thought it was interesting having a brother who was old enough to be my father and a father old enough to have been my great grandfather. I don't know how the concept of "half-brother" was conceived, no doubt it is a legal issue having to do with the descent and distribution of estates, but from my perspective there was never anything half about Jack. He also married very well.
4 comments:
I never knew that about Sally's name. It's funny because our mother's name was Lorine pronounced like Colleen, but Daddy didn't like that so he always called her Loraine (rhymes with rain) - everyone did after that except her family in Tenn and Aunt Mack & Uncle Billy in Albuq. In fact, Mama always introduced herself as Loraine.
That must be a typical Bender male pose, because Jack looks so much like our father. I have many memories of him sitting in his chair in the evening just like that.
Jack and Sally must like you there, she cooked for you and Jack stayed awake.
I can testify to the recliner pose. I thought I inherited it from my beloved maternal grandfather. Apparently it's on both sides of my family. I hope Sharon doesn't find out or she won't get me a new one.
Jaybird: Looks like you're into the redwoods. If you try to ride through one, make sure it's got a hole cut in it. I made it as far north as Coos Bay on a great summer trip in '74. Always regretted I didn't make Washington and BC. I noticed the third corner is Port Townsend. This is a mecca for wooden boat builders. Take a little time for the waterfront.
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