| I came into this world on May 28, 1922 in Cement, Oklahoma on what is now called 7th street and just a block from where I live now. When I was two Dad bought 10 acres south of Cement and we moved the house I was born in out there and spent all my young years there. I feel our Mom and Dad were the greatest parents anyone would ask for. I know they sacrificed a lot for us. They taught us to work— when people asked Dad why he farmed he said "I have 5 boys and 6 girls and you don't see them loafing the streets". I respect them for all they taught me end for all they did for me. By having such a wonderful brother as Junior, I learned to never make fun of handicapped people and to help them if I could. There are so many memories of Mom and Dad but the thing I remember most is the love they showed to all of us. I remember when I was a kid, I was driving a team of horses and one of the horses fell and I fell out of the wagon and broke my right are. Out of 11 children this was the only broken bone in the family. We all thought this unusual considering all the things we had to do on the farm. I remember I used to get in trouble a lot with Dad because I would stay after school and play marbles instead of coming straight home. Sometimes he would send some one to find me. As I look back now it must have been quite a sight, sometimes bees would swarm around the house and we would al go out and beat on pans and throw water on them so they would settle someplace and Dad would put them in hives and we had lots of honey. I graduated from high when I was 16 but just before my 17th birthday. I had planned a party for my birthday but I came down with the mumps on that day so no party. I went to CCC camp (Civilian Conservation Corp, founded to help the jobless) for 6 months in Grand Junction, Colorado doing construction work. I don't remember how much I made but I got to keep $8.00 a month and the rest was sent home. After that I went to Oregon and worked in timber. In 1942 I joined the Navy. I was stationed in San Diego, California for 4 months and then sent to Signal School in Champayne, Illinois. After I finished the school I went to Boston,. Massachusetts and went aboard the U.S.S.. Ashville and was a convoy escort to Cuba. We also experimented with submarine weapons. got out in 1945 and bought a service station in Cement. I met Marjorie Wiggins and we got married. We sold the station and went to Redlands and then to Hanford, California where I worked in dairy. Joy was born there and the other children were born when we lived in Cement. At one time we lived in Oregon and Washington where I worked in construction. After that I worked as a rough neck for my brother-in- law Gene in Odessa, Texas. In all my traveling I have never found a place I liked s much as Cement. In 1955 we settled down permanently in Cement. I bought a truck and worked with Donald. We lived in a mobile home on Mom and Dad's place. Margie was always good to help Mom and take her places. Margie and I divorced in 1971. I continued to work in the trucking for Donald until 1977. I met Bea and we were married in l972. After working for Donald I went to work in the Gypsum plant south of Cement and worked there until I retired in l984. After I retired I drove a school bus for the Vo-Tech school in Fort Cobb. Bea and I have been very active in our Baptist church. I sing in the choir and Bea has taught Sunday School and works in the shut-in ministery. I feel I have been very fortunate in my life, I have never been out of work for a very long period of time. I have fairly good health. I have been blessed with four wonderful children who have given me some lovely grandchildren.
By J.V. Robertson |
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