Women’s History Month, Sister Shirley…

Autos of beauty

Erika Newsome, race car driver...

For today, (Tuesday):

In the past I have said a lot about Shirley. She and I were mom and dad’s second family. We were raised together and for 9-10 years we shared the same bedroom. She would slip me cookies in bed. She taught me to ride a bicycle; put up with a kid brother playing hop-scotch.  Shirley once drove on the drag strip in a 1953 Buick

 She interrupted my bed time prayers when I made an error in English. Shirley thought I should use the proper English when talking to the Lord. One night it got so bad that I had to call mama to tell her ‘if Shirley interrupted my prayers one more time I was gonna knock her down. Mama explained I should not get mad during prayers, said good night and left our room. She had to get the last word, “You were wrong Jackie!”

 At 17 she organized a trio and entered them in a talent contest. They opened with Shirley playing the accordion and switching smoothly to the piano. They won the talent contest and appeared on TV. In 1952. We didn’t even have a TV to see her.

 She grew to be a lady of culture. I guess the only one of our family to have ‘class’; I joked and laughed at her and with her. WE had fun. She did know which fork to use and enjoyed entertaining. When she would get a little high ‘falootin’, I would remind her of the time she jumped out of the hayloft of our black friend’s barn, into a pile of straw and manure yelling Geromimo. She could get away with anything with dad, she was his pet. LOL

   Shirley on the way to sing Country/Western

In her late 70’s Shirley (a widow) was asked to sing with a band; thus fulfilling her dream to be an entertainer. She was successful locally because she was a very good pianist and had a great voice.

That girl could get anything to grow.  She was also an artist and many times her growing was decorative; watermelons and cantaloupes in her front yard. She was my last surviving sibling leaving us two years ago. I miss her. 

   Queen Shirl Taken at her surprise Birthday arranged by her boy friend Smokey Coe During a Senior's meeting..
 

It was very rewarding to hear stories of her picking up the tabs of folks less fortunate at stores. You may remember Lucy from Aol Journals and blogger. I ran across a cancelled check for $350 to a veterinarian In Nebraska. It was a VET bill for Spunky, Lucy’s Beagle.

Every one stay safe.

Nite Shipslog