Fifty-nine years

Happy Anniversary Gurney and Grandaddy


They met as kids, decades ago, as they both lived in the tiny town of Inglenook Alabama. Little Betty Joe Robinson spotted the charismatic James Weldon twirling his batton in front of his girlfriends house, trying to impress her of course.

Although the image is instilled in her mind today, at the time she wasn't impressed. Little did she know that only 8 years later she would marry this "lad" (as my Grandaddy might say).

They were only engaged 3 months because he says "she absolutely flipped over me". Although she describes it as simply a case of opposites attracting. She was always quiet and shy, and he was known for never meeting a stranger. They had a simple wedding at the home of her parents on July 31, 1948. Two years later they had a little girl, Donita, and four years after that came my mom, Gina Kay.

They have led a fascinating life that I hope to record here, so hopefully this story will grow. For now, I'll just address the story everyone wants to know - "why does your grandfather curl his mustache?". It seems like such an obvious question, it's the first thing everyone notices when meeting him. But I have honestly never given it much thought because it is just so, I don't know, Grandaddy. It just fits. He has always marched to his own beat. Only today did I ask him the reason he decided to sport this style. I guess he wasn't born with it.

When he was head of the art department at Loveman's some 30 years ago, he bought print materials from a man in New Orleans. The guy had a (Creole?) mustache that stuck straight out to the sides. When asked how he accomplished such a feat he told Grandaddy that he had to use a mustache wax that could only be found in Paris. Later, this man gave him a tube as a gift. Grandaddy, being the unabashed character that he is, tried it himself only to find that his mustache naturally wanted to curl. So he went with it. And he is still going with it. I wonder if it would even go straight? I'll never forget the mornings my brother, cousins, and I would sit at his bathroom door and watch him sculpt his 'stache.

I love how unique my Grandaddy is.

His wife is the perfect complement for him. He, the dreamer, and she, the realist. I love that Gurney (named this because my oldest cousin couldn't say "Granny") has always spoken honestly with me. She always seeks to do what is right, no matter how hard it might be. I'll never forget the time I took a case of makeup from their home when I was little. It wasn't something she used, and I'm sure she could have just let her grandaughter have it, but the truth was that I took it without asking (I even stuck it under my shirt!). She came to our house near tears to tell my mom what I had done. I'll never forget the shame I felt when apoligizing, but I'll especially never forget the look in her eye and the grace that abounded when she said, "I forgive you". It wasn't about the makeup anymore. Her unconditional love for me and everyone that she is around continues to flood my heart.

I sat down to write about many other things, and now can't believe I just wrote about a mustache and makeup, but I hope to return and fill in the blanks. There is much more to say about two of my favorite people in the world. I love you both!