Forever Our Dad

I just completed a gift book for my dad, Frank Dalton Powell Sr.  It includes photographs and memories through his life.  About ten years ago, I convinced Dad to write down some of his childhood memories including the loved ones he grew up with- his parents, grandparents, siblings, so forth.  It's been my intention for several years to do this book for him, but I didn't get around to it, until the last 2 months of 2016.  

Forever Our Dad

Dad was thrilled to receive it.  Inside are photographs that capture every aspect of Dad's life- his childhood, family, years in the Navy, marriage to our Mom, his children, grandchildren and some of his favorite vacations.  You may browse the book by clicking on the title below the photo. 

Frank Dalton Powell Sr

Frank Dalton Powell, Sr.

Frank Dalton Powell, Sr., the man I call "Dad", was born in Marion County, Mississippi, the son of the late Berley Arlo Powell and Letha Marie Bedwell.   His earliest childhood years were spent growing up in the "Bedwell Community" in rural Foxworth, Marion County.  The family later moved closer to town.  After the death of his mother, Frank lived with his grandparents for the most part.  There was a brief period of time that he and his siblings lived with their father and stepmother, but his best memories come from those years spent with his grandparents.  

Like most young males in that time, Frank gained employment at an early age.  One of his first jobs was delivery of newspapers.  With the money earned from that job, he purchased his first bicycle.  Just before he was of legal age to acquire his drivers license, Frank drove a truck for a local meat/grocer owner, making deliveries and running errands as needed.  Eventually, he was hired to butcher meat and it was that training that would lead to his future employment as a meat cutter.  

Frank enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1956, serving a period of four years.  He states that his stent in the Navy took him places he would have otherwise never had to opportunity to visit.  Frank met Lula Sue Simmons while on one of his leaves from service.  They promised to keep in touch so when Frank returned to naval service, he and Sue were "pen pals", writing each other as often as possible.  I wrote about their relationship in my Sharing Memories posts- see Oceans Apart, Coming Home, Dilemmas, Secret Vows, and Their Secret Revealed.  Frank married Lula Sue Simmons on 08 December 1960 in Columbia, Marion County, Mississippi. She was the daughter of Woodrow Wilson Simmons and Susie Johnson.  She had previously been married and had a young daughter from that marriage, Susan Gail (me).  

During the first few years of their marriage, Frank and Sue resided in the Columbia and Hattiesburg areas in southern Mississippi.  Their first child, a son, was born on their first anniversary- Frank Dalton, Jr.  Just 18 months later, their daughter was born- Sandra Rennae.  Frank and Sue, along with their three children, moved to Jefferson Parish, Louisiana and it was there that their last child was born- a son, Tony Duane.  Frank was employed as a meat cutter with the A&P (Atlantic & Pacific) Food Stores for many years.  After the children were all in grade school, Sue worked with the same company, but she was a meat wrapper in their packaging plant.  Frank and his family resided in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana for several years while working and rearing their children.  

After their move back "home" to Columbia, Mississippi in the mid-1970's, Frank managed the meat department at the Real Value Food Store, locally owned and operated by Prentiss and Emma Pritchard, while Sue was employed as a meat wrapper with Jitney Jungle Food Stores. They puchased a house on Lafayette Street in Columbia and resided there for several years.  

After 26 years of marriage, Frank and Sue divorced.  Their house on Lafayette Street was sold.  Frank later married Shirley Swafford on 20 June 1987, but their marriage was brief.  On 13 September 1990, Frank married Velma Jean Odom.  They remained together until her death on 09 January 1996.  After the death of Velma Jean, Frank moved in with his younger brother, Berley, who was also single.  They shared the expenses of maintaining a home which benefited each of them.  The two brothers spent a lot of time together- traveling, camping and going to church.  For ten years, the arrangement worked out well for Frank and Berley, until Berley's death on 28 March 2006.
  

Though they considered themselves friends after their divorce, Frank and Sue spent more time together after each lost their companions.  They often spoke on the phone and occasionally had coffee together.  They took a trip together, spending three weeks on the road from Columbia to Canada and back.  That was Sue's last "big trip".  When Sue's health deteriorated, Frank was a good friend to her, assisting her as much as possible during those last few months of her life.  Sue died 14 November 2007.  

Frank later moved to Spring, Texas where he currently resides with his youngest son, Tony.  He visits back "home" as often as possible and continues to enjoy road trips.

1. Mom & Dad, c.1978  2. Dad with children Susan Gail, Sandra Rennae & Frank Jr  3. Dad with great-granddaughter, Caroline Lashae  4. Powells: Ethel, Selma Ruth, Berley Arlo (their Father), Berley Alton & Frank Sr. 5. Siblings Ethel & Frank Sr  6. Siblings Frank Sr & Berley Alton

Sharing Memories 2012 (Week 12): Family Additions

Mom & Dad, Spring 1961

Let's see, where was I in my story? Oh yes, Mom wanted to have more children... three more children to be specific. Well, she was granted her wish.

On their first anniversary, Mom and Dad were welcomed by a new baby boy. I don't remember anything about my baby brother coming home from the hospital because I was only two years old (nearly three) when he was born. Mom said she would have to watch me closely, however, because I would try to pick him up and play with him like one of my baby dolls. She told me that one day she was outdoors taking the laundry off the clothes lines and she heard Frank Jr. crying. She rushed inside to find me sitting in the rocking chair with him, scolding him... "Be quiet, baby!". She never figured out how I was able to get him out of his crib.

Mom & Dad with Frank Jr and I, 1962

A mere eighteen months later, Mom delivered a baby girl whom they named Sandy. They had their hands full, I'm sure, with three young children. Mom was defining the term "barefoot and pregnant" in those days. She still desired one more child before she called it "done". 

Mom & Dad with Sandy & Frank Jr, 1964

Sharing Memories 2012 (Week 11): Dad and Daddy

It didn't take long for Mom and Frank to settle into married life. Right away they talked of having children. It had been Mom's desire to have four children- one down, three to go.

They had the painstaking task of "undoing" the effects of having one spoiled little girl...me, LOL. I had been allowed to pout and whine to get my way, without hardly being punished for my misbehavior... thanks to my Granny and uncles. Mom agreed with Frank that he should treat me like his own child and discipline me accordingly. As long as he was doing it properly, Mom would not defend me or stand in his way. It took time and patience but eventually my behavior improved and I was no longer the screaming little brat that demanded everyone's attention.

Eventually, I would call Frank "Dad". After all, he earned the right to the title. Just like Mom, he fed me, bathed me, clothed me and held me. He was, and still is, everything I needed in a father. When I mention "Dad", it is Frank that I am referring to. When I mention "Daddy Charles", it is my biological father that I am writing of. I just wanted to make that clear so there will be less confusion for my readers.

I have many wonderful memories of times spent with Daddy Charles which I will write about as well.  I treasure them enormously.  How blessed I was as a child to receive love from two fathers, each in their own special way :)

"Anyone can be a father, but it takes someone special to be a DAD"...

Sharing Memories 2012 (Week 10): Their Secret Revealed

It had to happen sooner or later. Most secrets are not kept hidden for long, with a few exceptions.

Over two weeks later, on a Sunday morning, Mom was getting dressed for church. Frank knocked on the door and was greeted by her mother. He was invited inside to wait while Mom finished getting ready. The living room was full of Mom's family members... her brother Alton and his wife were there, as well as her brother Elton and others. Frank was growing a little anxious and was hoping his wife would hurry so they could leave.

Then the question came. The question that demanded an answer. With a firm tone and raised eyebrow, Granny approached Frank. "I am going to ask you something Frank, and I want an honest answer. I want to know if you and Sue are married." She hesitated a moment then continued, "If the two of you are not married, then you should be".

Frank froze in silence for a moment. He needed to think quickly. Did Sue give their secret away? What should he say? What did her mother mean by saying we SHOULD be married? What did she know? He wanted to be honest, yet he didn't know how to respond. He would just simply tell the truth, regardless of the outcome. "Yes, we are married... and we have been married for two weeks". There, it was out. Their secret was exposed.

Granny: "Well, why have ya'll kept it a secret? Why didn't you two say anything? It would have been nice for the family to be a part of your wedding."

Frank: "First of all, you don't like me. I don't know why, but you never have liked me. Second of all, my grandmother doesn't agree with me marrying Sue. Therefore, Sue and I have no place to stay." He went on to explain to Granny that he had been saving to get their own place.

Granny: "Well, it doesn't matter now what we think. Since you two are now married, you should be together. You are welcome to move in here, and stay until you can get your own place."

Frank: "We should be able to get our own place in a week or two, so it won't be long".

Granny: "It doesn't matter. Stay here as long as you need to."

When Mom entered the living room, she was briefly reprimanded by Granny for keeping the marriage a secret. She was stunned that the secret was out, yet relieved at the same time. She glanced at Frank, wondering what had been said. He would explain it all to her on the way to church.

When they arrived at church, Mom whispered the news to Frank's sister about the marriage. Before church was over, everyone knew. The cat was out of the bag. Before long, everyone in the county would know about the marriage. Gossip spreads fast in a small town, especially in this little town full of people with nothing better to do, LOL.

Mom and Frank lived with Granny for a few weeks then settled into their own apartment. The times were hard, and they knew they would have to struggle for a while, yet they were together.... finally. Granny never did say anything further against Frank. She grew fond of him and over the course of time she learned to love him as if he were one of her own sons.

Sharing Memories 2012 (Week 9): Secret Vows

I remember Mom and Dad talking about this little "secret" years ago, when they were younger.  Their "love story" means even more to me now.

They wanted more out of their relationship. They wanted to begin making plans for a future.... for their future, together.

Mom and Frank had discussed planning a wedding but felt that their families would interfere because they were against it. What were they to do now? They wanted to marry anyway, despite how others felt about it. They were both adults and were capable of making their own decisions, after all. Perhaps when their families realized how much they loved each other, they would come to their senses and accept their relationship. They decided that, no matter what others believed, they were going to do what their hearts told them to do.

It was Thursday, December 8, 1960 when Mom and Frank tied the knot. Mom and I were dressed in our Sunday best. She could hardly wait for Frank to appear. This was the day they had chosen to marry. They would keep it a "secret" for a little while, and would continue to live apart until they could afford their own place. They would tell their families about their commitment when they could finally move in together. It would not be long now because Frank had saved nearly enough to get their own place.

They drove out into the country, to a small store where the Justice of Peace resided and operated his business. With me between them, Mom and Frank stood there and recited their wedding vows. This is the day they had long awaited. It was not the kind of wedding ceremony that they had hoped for, but nonetheless, they were now husband and wife.

After the marriage vows were exchanged, Mom and Frank (and me, of course) spent a little time together riding in the country and sharing thoughts about their ceremony and their future together. They had wished that their families could have partaken in their ceremony. They had wished that they could have gone on a honeymoon, away from it all, just the two of them. That would have to wait. For now, they were excited about getting their own place and beginning their new lives together.

For the next two weeks, Mom and Frank managed to keep their marriage a secret. They saw each other as often as they could, just like before. However, there was some "talk" going on among family members and some of them grew suspicious.

Sharing Memories 2012 (Week 8): Dilemmas

More from Dad's memories:

They were finally together again. It had been one long year of missing each other, of pouring out their feelings onto paper. At last they were back in each others arms. During the year apart, they both realized that they wanted to take their relationship further. They knew that one day they would marry. Now that Frank was discharged from the Navy and settled in at home, there were plans to be made, plans for the future....

Frank took a job and decided to live with his grandmother until he could save enough money to move into an apartment of his own. He spent as much time as possible with Mom during his evenings and days off. They spoke of marriage often but had some reservations about planning a wedding right away. They were facing some unresolved issues at the time.

Mom knew her mother was not particularly fond of Frank; she thought that Frank considered himself "too good" for their family. She assumed this because Frank was better educated and more reserved than most members of Mom's family. Her assumptions were based on misconceptions, of course. She feared Mom was "rushing into things too quickly" and wanted Mom to realize that she was still a young woman and had plenty of time for marriage... later.

Frank had hinted to his grandmother about the possibility of asking Mom to marry him. Frank's grandmother did not agree. She thought that it would be a mistake because Mom had already been married and divorced once, and furthermore had a child from that marriage. She told Frank that he should date other women.... single women with no children. She feared that he was "getting in over his head" if he married a woman who already had a child.

Despite the opinions of those they loved dearly, Mom and Frank continued to see each other.

Sharing Memories 2012 (Week 7): Coming Home

The story continues from my Dad's memories:

When Frank left home to return to his duty abroad, he had one more year to fulfill his obligation. He had previously considered staying in the Navy and retiring, since the benefits were outstanding. However, Mom was not keen on the idea of traveling abroad and moving constantly from one place to another. At that time, she was still very attached to her own family and already had one child in tow. After several discussions about it, through letters, Frank decided that he would finish his obligation to the Navy then come back home, to the woman he had fallen in love with, the one he intended to marry.

Mom and Frank could hardly wait until the year was completed. They were both anxious to see each other again, to be together. The frequent letters to each other kept their hope alive.

In October, 1960 the long awaited day finally arrived. Frank was honorably discharged from active duty in the Navy. He would be coming home.

Sharing Memories 2012 (Week 6): Oceans Apart

I'm interrupting my own childhood memories to write about the beginnings of a long relationship- that of my Mom and her second husband, who I would come to know as "Dad".  I am writing this from the memories of my Dad, though my Mom briefly told the same story many years ago.  

Modern technology has provided us with wireless home phones, pagers, cellular phones, ear phones, and iphones. We can communicate with anyone at anytime around the globe. Some would say we are very fortunate to have these great amenities in our modern lives.

Things were quite different in 1960. Most households in the south were not furnished with even a simple home telephone. If they were fortunate enough to have a home phone, it was usually tied into a "party line" which means the phone line was shared with a neighbor or two. International calls were impossible to make from the rural homes of south Mississippi. Therefore, letters were written and mailed.

So it was with my Mom. She began writing to a young man whom was then in the Navy. Frank was from her hometown and was a "friend of a friend". He had come home on a 30-day leave from the service. On his very first day at home, a weekend night, he received a call from his sister asking him to accompany her and a gentleman friend to a club in Bogalusa which was about an hour drive away. Frank was hesitant, reminding her that he had just returned home and furthermore did not want to be the "odd" one in a group of three. Minutes later, Frank's sister called again, this time convincing him to go out that night since she had arranged a "blind date" for him. This "blind date" was none other than my Mom. Apparently, she was fortunate enough to find a babysitter that night.

The date between my Mom and this gentleman that night was only the beginning of a new relationship. During the next few weeks, Mom went on several dates with Frank, taking me along on most of them. I was there, between them, as they went on dates to the drive-in movies and theatres, fairs and restaurants. Their time together would pass all too quickly. As Frank prepared to return to duty, he vowed he would stay in touch with Mom.

Thus the letters began. The letters that would become longer and more frequent....words that expressed how much they missed each other and longed to be together. As their feelings for each other grew, they began writing about commitments and a future together. The only thing that separated them then was distance, for they were oceans apart.