August 8, 1908

Today would be my grandparents 100th wedding anniversary! Of course, they aren't around to celebrate it and have not been for some time, but I thought that I would do a little family post in honor of them. My mom has been reminding everyone of the significance (to her) of 8/8/08.

My uncle had this oil portrait done for them on their 50th wedding anniversary based on the original photo. I am lucky enough to be have the oil portrait as well as the original smaller one which was used as a guide for the oil portrait. At the time the oil was done, my grandmother could not remember the color of her dress. However, my grandfather remembered it very well and was able to tell the painter exactly what it looked like, down to the color if her blouse!

It almost looks "ghostly" because the picture has faded.

This is the original of the picture. I had it matted and framed years ago

Here is my grandfather at about age 15

My grandmother was born in Davie County, North Carolina on January 11, 1886. She and her siblings were orphaned when she was very young. The children were all sent to live with different relatives. She said she remembered some of her brothers went out west and she never heard from them again. She died in Lowndes County, Alabama in 1969.

Ossie Ann Howard McCall: January 11, 1886 - July, 1969

My grandfather was born in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina on February 2, 1882. He met my grandmother in Cooleemee, North Carolina 1904.

They lived in High Point, Rhonda, and Cooleemee, North Carolina and moved to Alabama in 1946 where their sons were in the military and they wanted to be close to them. They lived in Lowndes County, Alabama until 1972 when my uncle and grandfather moved back to N.C. My grandfather died in Cooleemee, North Carolina in 1977.

Walter Houston McCall: February 2, 1882 - January, 1977

Since I am posting "old" pictures, here are some of my daddy. I have a "family table" in my dining room that I have a lot of old family pictures on.

This is my daddy about the time I was born (excuse the cracked glass - I haven't got around to replacing that)

Daddy in later years, probably sometime in the 1960's

Louis Mitchell Turner: October 7, 1919 - January 4, 1980

My daddy and his three brothers. Daddy is the little boy on the far right.

His mother died when he was three years old, leaving his daddy to raise three boys. His mama was outside washing clothes when her clothes caught on fire. My daddy said she lived about 3 days after that - he said it must have been around Christmas because he remembered getting a little toy drum for Christmas.

And here's me at a tender age. (My brother took a pen to this picture and you can see his scribble mark at the bottom right!)

If any of ya'll think you might be kin to me, please let me know.