Betty’s Week

By Betty Shearer

    Many civic organizations, businesses, and individuals put a lot of money and effort into beautifying the City of Water Valley for the Watermelon Carnival. We appreciate all this hard work.

  One of these is The Garden Club of Water Valley. President Betty Baker Thomas asked that we publicize the fact that one of the decorations of this organization was stolen. It is a wooden watermelon and it was taken from the Blackmur Library. The Club would greatly appreciate its return. The guilty party is asked to just return it to where it was taken from at the Library.

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  Newspaper delivery continues to be slow, but hopefully is improving. The Oxford papers are now being taken to the Oxford P. O. by another employee of that office, who resides in Water Valley. We do appreciate this. Vallians are so good to help out in emergencies.

  For the many folks who have been concerned about our usual Oxford Paper Boy (Al Davis), here’s an update.

  Al had triple by-pass surgery last week and is doing very well. However, it will be sometime before he is back at work. Keep he, Betty and the family on your prayer lists.

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  While on the Davis family, let me confess that I crashed a birthday party Sunday night. Hunter Moore was celebrating his sixth birthday at his adult Party and I had not missed one so after church it was on to the party. This party is always bitter-sweet. Ed loved Hunter and Hunter loved Ed. Ed got to enjoy Hunter’s first party and most of that night we discussed how smart and sweet this child was—so at these parties I really miss Ed, thinking how he would have enjoyed seeing him grow up.

    Hunter’s birthday is August 9, just one day after Mom’s on the 8th.

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  We celebrated her 94th on Saturday. Present for the occasion were all six of her children, their four spouses, five of her seven grands, and three of her seven great-grands, several nieces and nephews, her pastor and a host of friends.

  Jim didn’t get to come. Jimmie and I had both talked to him and I knew he really wanted to be there. Late Friday night Jimmie says, “I really expected Jim to call today and say pick me up at the airport.” I kept thinking that all next year we were going to hear from Mom, “Well if Jim had made it I’d have had all my grands with me on my birthday.” William saved the day—he couldn’t make it either.

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  The cooler weather and rain has been wonderful. Saturday afternoon we were all sitting outside and Jimmie and I exclaimed, “Wouldn’t this have been nice last Friday and Saturday?”  

  Brother Bo asked about my grass over the weekend and I explained that last time I looked it was almost dead and certainly did not need mowing. Took another look this morning and it’s knee deep. He’s going to yell at me, because he hates to cut tall grass,

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  School began last Thursday and from all the reports I’m hearing things are going fine. I know both students and teachers are thankful for this cooler weather.

  Bobby Murphree was in yesterday, discussing the upcoming football season. It’s hard to believe that in just a couple of weeks the Blue Devils will take the field.

  Ran into our new Jr. High Football Coach, also an assistant HS Coach, Richard Russo, last week at Varner’s Print Shop. I looked at him and he looked at me, both of us knew our paths had crossed before. He says, “Do you sometimes play Bridge in Panola County?” “Yes,” I answered, “sometimes in your home.” It’s good to have Richard working in the Valley. He and his wife, Sarah, are a great young couple, with a couple of beautiful babies. I’ve enjoyed getting to know them.

  Haven’t seen a football game in a couple of years, maybe I’ll make a few this year.

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We lost another of my original Main Street Family this week, with the passing of Mr. Clyde Ray. One of my earliest memories of Mr. Clyde, other than being in Ray’s Department Store, was at football games.

  During the early years in the Valley, we purchased season tickets and much like colleges and universities today, seats were assigned. The Shearer’s seats were right in front of the Ray Family. We got to visit with them at each game for many years. They were very enthusiastic supporters of the Blue Devils. With each loss of a long-time Main Street Family Member, many wonderful memories come to mind. I have enjoyed the Ray Family—they were good friends and business associates. Sympathy is extended to his family.