Remembering Parents

I got to thinking about letters, which no one writes any more, and how letters are often used to remember events, circumstances, things that have happened in the past that need to be expressed or that you remember most about someone else. I would like to issue a challenge to all of you that read this blog to pick up on this idea and express some things that you remember most about your parents or your in-law parents or both. Some of your parents are living and some are not, it doesn’t matter. But, what I would like you to do is to contribute your expressions by using this blog page. Don’t put it into a “comment”. You each have the privilege of an author, so make it your blog as an author to my Family History Blog. I’ll begin this by expressing the things I remember most about my parents.

My father, Royal Harvard Brooks, married my Mother 26 may 1926 in Riverside, California. The problem with my remembrance of my father is that my acquaintance with him was only over a period of 6 years. My first recollections of anyone occurred when I was about 6 years old and my father and Mother divorced when I was 12 years old. After the divorce I have no remembrance of a relationship with him.

However, I remember that my father was a generous man. He took me to his used auto parts business at one time. The business was one in which he purchased autos that would not run or were considered as junk cars and then the parts were removed and sold as parts to restore or fix used cars. To illustrate his generosity, I remember that persons would come into the business seeking an auto part and he would answer, “ yes, the part is out there on _________, help yourself.” They would bring in the part to pay for it and if they had no money or wanted to pay later. “That’s Ok, pay me when you can”. No records were kept and eventually, the business failed. Another example: When family or friends came to visit, you would not leave without a gift of some kind for you to take home. It might be canned fruit, canned tuna, a box of oranges, or whatever he had on hand, but you would always leave with something.

My Mother Hazel Vanessa Gibson

If there ever was a saintly women, she was that person in deed and personality. In my previous blog I copied a letter from her to me where she extolled my virtues. I never took sufficient opportunities to express how I felt toward her like I should have. I have published her autobiography which some of you have read. The greatest remembrance I have of her is her great desire to keep the family together and to maintain relationships with each other. Her sacrifice for me and my siblings was constant. She always found ways for me and my siblings to have close relationships with the extended family. Our trips to the beach in southern California were always highlights. Chop suey at Grandma Gibson’s house made by Uncle Jim, bar-b-que’s at Aunty Martha and Uncle Jim’s home, gardening with Uncle Bill on Sunnyslope, all of this occurred because of her unselfishness in making my childhood such an enjoyable experience. After I was married, she was very generous in helping us get established. Our first purchased home was obtained because of her generosity to us. She is gone to the other side of the veil now and I miss her and the ability to share confidences with her.

Think back my authors! Do yourself a favor.

RHB