Opal Bernice Goatcher Guffey passed away today at the age of 93. Aunt Bernice was my genealogy buddy and I will greatly miss her. Her and I have been corresponding for years. She is the only person I ever wrote letters to (who does that anymore?) Very few people are left on Denton Island and it was always good to go out and visit the past.
According to Jaqueta, Aunt Bernice always had the best garden on Denton Island. I have different memories of Aunt Bernice and Uncle Doyle as a child. I remember the cows (the big cubes of salt) and hiding from Uncle Doyle when he decided to teach all the kids to swin. His method of teaching was simply throwing you in and you sunk or swam. Not the way I wanted to learn.
My reconnection with Aunt Bernice began several years ago when I started to research our family and put books together with pictures and our family genealogy. I had taken the books to one of our family reunions at Jacksonport and after that Aunt Bernice started writing me and feeding me information. She was happy that I wanted to gather this information to share with all the family. Last summer was a real treat when Daddy and I went to visit Aunt Bernice and Janice and I taped Daddy and Aunt Bernices conversation. I watched it tonight while I grieved over her passing and had to smile. The bulk of their conversation was talking about their aches, pains, medications, doctor appointments, who had died, who was about to die and cemeteries.
I tried to find a letter that Aunt Bernice had written me several years ago where she said something that stuck with me. Wish I could remember it word for word but it went something like "We're still here, guess the good Lord has decided not to take us yet" (referring to her and uncle Doyle both at that time). Well, I guess the good Lord decided it was time for Aunt Bernice to join Uncle Doyle again. I will miss you Aunt Bernice.
According to Jaqueta, Aunt Bernice always had the best garden on Denton Island. I have different memories of Aunt Bernice and Uncle Doyle as a child. I remember the cows (the big cubes of salt) and hiding from Uncle Doyle when he decided to teach all the kids to swin. His method of teaching was simply throwing you in and you sunk or swam. Not the way I wanted to learn.
My reconnection with Aunt Bernice began several years ago when I started to research our family and put books together with pictures and our family genealogy. I had taken the books to one of our family reunions at Jacksonport and after that Aunt Bernice started writing me and feeding me information. She was happy that I wanted to gather this information to share with all the family. Last summer was a real treat when Daddy and I went to visit Aunt Bernice and Janice and I taped Daddy and Aunt Bernices conversation. I watched it tonight while I grieved over her passing and had to smile. The bulk of their conversation was talking about their aches, pains, medications, doctor appointments, who had died, who was about to die and cemeteries.
I tried to find a letter that Aunt Bernice had written me several years ago where she said something that stuck with me. Wish I could remember it word for word but it went something like "We're still here, guess the good Lord has decided not to take us yet" (referring to her and uncle Doyle both at that time). Well, I guess the good Lord decided it was time for Aunt Bernice to join Uncle Doyle again. I will miss you Aunt Bernice.
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