~Altus, Oklahoma and if you meant the world to them.~
The last week of school has finally arrived, and these final days will be filled with things aplenty to do. Record keeping must be finished, my classroom cleaned up, and the final load of things to be stowed away in the back of my car. I'm sure glad that I have been taking things back to Newkirk little by little for the past 6 weeks. If not, a small moving truck might have been in order.
There are so many people that I've tried to see and be in contact with during these final few days in southwestern Oklahoma. I'm afraid I won't be able to see them all personally to tell them good-bye. I wish that I could have but time constraints won't let me. It seems strange to say it, but there is actually an entire town that I would have liked to have seen one more time. It's one that is filled with good and kind people, several of whom I have grown to know, respect, and feel great admiration for.
Altus, Oklahoma~
My late sister and brother-in-law, Wes and Sherry St. Clair, called Altus their home for nearly 40 years. Wes was stationed at the Air Force base there and Sherry taught for Altus Public Schools. It was a great community for them to settle in, and both of them soon got to work in helping out in any way that they could. They were the epitome of a volunteer, always raising their hands and saying "yes" whenever a need arose. Wes and Sherry gave of their time, treasures, and talents time and time again.
The St. Clairs were just like that.
Mike and I came to the Red River area in the summer of 2015, in large part to be in closer proximity to the Altus community. We wanted to be able to spend more time with Sherry and Wes, especially since Sherry's health had begun to decline. Mike and I must have made a couple of trips a month from our own home in Burkburnett to see them during that two year period before Sherry died in the summer of 2017. We continued to make the journey to Altus even after that as we checked in to see how Wes was getting along. When he died only 7 months later, it was a strange feeling to know that our days of going to Jackson County were now nearly through.
There are so many good people over there. Sherry's friends and colleagues from her days at Roosevelt Elementary have now become my friends. Wes's acquaintances from his time at the base and around their neighborhood are now folks that we know and are friends with as well. Mike and I have drug Main Street in Altus more times than I could ever count as we headed towards their old home on Cherokee Strip in the north part of town. Each time we have driven by, especially after both of them were gone, I imagine in my mind that Sherry and Wes once went into those places that line the street. Strange as it sounds, that is a comforting thought.
One thing is for certain.
Mike and I really miss them.
There were so many people, many more than I could ever name, who I would need to say "thank you" to. Please know what an impact you made upon Sherry and Wes. But there are two people that I would like to say thank you to in particular, Bobby Wakeman and James Dykens. I didn't have the chance to meet Bobby until I was at the funeral home on the morning of Sherry's services. As I was standing at the casket and remembering that sweet woman before me, this tall man walked up and introduced himself to me as someone Sherry had a great influence upon in the days of his teaching at Roosevelt. Bobby, now retired, was working part time at the funeral home. After talking for quite a while, Bobby told me that he was the one who would be bringing Sherry home to Haven, Kansas for her burial the next morning. I thought to myself how honored Sherry would feel that it would be her friend and colleague whose job it would be to bring her earthly remains back to Laurel Cemetery. I remember telling Bobby, who immediately replied back that it was his honor to do that. James was Wes's good friend and a neighbor who lived down the block a ways. James is also a fellow "Kansan" and I had the chance to meet him before either Sherry or Wes passed away. Wes always told me that if I was with Sherry and had need of any help that I was to call James. Several times when Sherry would lose her balance and fall, it was James who was called to assist in getting Sherry up from where she had fallen. After Sherry and Wes had both passed away, I helped to get their house cleaned out. Once again I remembered Wes's admonition to call James if I needed help. Sure enough I had to do that a couple of times. He always came with a smile on his face, no matter what he had been doing before I needed him. To Bobby and to James, you are two men that I will admire forever.
So dear Altus, Oklahoma I am afraid that I won't be able to make the trip there to see your beautiful city before I go. More than likely I will never pass your way again. I want to thank you for taking care of Sherry and Wes while they were there. If you were someone who meant the world to them, well I want you to know something.
There are so many people that I've tried to see and be in contact with during these final few days in southwestern Oklahoma. I'm afraid I won't be able to see them all personally to tell them good-bye. I wish that I could have but time constraints won't let me. It seems strange to say it, but there is actually an entire town that I would have liked to have seen one more time. It's one that is filled with good and kind people, several of whom I have grown to know, respect, and feel great admiration for.
Altus, Oklahoma~
My late sister and brother-in-law, Wes and Sherry St. Clair, called Altus their home for nearly 40 years. Wes was stationed at the Air Force base there and Sherry taught for Altus Public Schools. It was a great community for them to settle in, and both of them soon got to work in helping out in any way that they could. They were the epitome of a volunteer, always raising their hands and saying "yes" whenever a need arose. Wes and Sherry gave of their time, treasures, and talents time and time again.
The St. Clairs were just like that.
Mike and I came to the Red River area in the summer of 2015, in large part to be in closer proximity to the Altus community. We wanted to be able to spend more time with Sherry and Wes, especially since Sherry's health had begun to decline. Mike and I must have made a couple of trips a month from our own home in Burkburnett to see them during that two year period before Sherry died in the summer of 2017. We continued to make the journey to Altus even after that as we checked in to see how Wes was getting along. When he died only 7 months later, it was a strange feeling to know that our days of going to Jackson County were now nearly through.
There are so many good people over there. Sherry's friends and colleagues from her days at Roosevelt Elementary have now become my friends. Wes's acquaintances from his time at the base and around their neighborhood are now folks that we know and are friends with as well. Mike and I have drug Main Street in Altus more times than I could ever count as we headed towards their old home on Cherokee Strip in the north part of town. Each time we have driven by, especially after both of them were gone, I imagine in my mind that Sherry and Wes once went into those places that line the street. Strange as it sounds, that is a comforting thought.
One thing is for certain.
Mike and I really miss them.
There were so many people, many more than I could ever name, who I would need to say "thank you" to. Please know what an impact you made upon Sherry and Wes. But there are two people that I would like to say thank you to in particular, Bobby Wakeman and James Dykens. I didn't have the chance to meet Bobby until I was at the funeral home on the morning of Sherry's services. As I was standing at the casket and remembering that sweet woman before me, this tall man walked up and introduced himself to me as someone Sherry had a great influence upon in the days of his teaching at Roosevelt. Bobby, now retired, was working part time at the funeral home. After talking for quite a while, Bobby told me that he was the one who would be bringing Sherry home to Haven, Kansas for her burial the next morning. I thought to myself how honored Sherry would feel that it would be her friend and colleague whose job it would be to bring her earthly remains back to Laurel Cemetery. I remember telling Bobby, who immediately replied back that it was his honor to do that. James was Wes's good friend and a neighbor who lived down the block a ways. James is also a fellow "Kansan" and I had the chance to meet him before either Sherry or Wes passed away. Wes always told me that if I was with Sherry and had need of any help that I was to call James. Several times when Sherry would lose her balance and fall, it was James who was called to assist in getting Sherry up from where she had fallen. After Sherry and Wes had both passed away, I helped to get their house cleaned out. Once again I remembered Wes's admonition to call James if I needed help. Sure enough I had to do that a couple of times. He always came with a smile on his face, no matter what he had been doing before I needed him. To Bobby and to James, you are two men that I will admire forever.
So dear Altus, Oklahoma I am afraid that I won't be able to make the trip there to see your beautiful city before I go. More than likely I will never pass your way again. I want to thank you for taking care of Sherry and Wes while they were there. If you were someone who meant the world to them, well I want you to know something.
"You mean the world to me now too!"
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