11/25/2009 11:30:00 AM
JUST AMONG FRIENDS
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By RACHEL EVANS
While a divided family can't talk football, they can eat together very well. Such was the case Friday evening, Nov. 6, when Helen and Lavon Sistrunk's three daughters, eight grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren got together when Neshoba Central High School and Pearl High School's football teams met on the gridiron at Neshoba Central.
The tension point was that Helen and Lavon's granddaughter, Rachel Thomas, marched with the Neshoba Central Band as a flag girl.
On the opposing team, their great-granddaughter, Anna Lauren Bicker, was a flag girl for the Pearl Band. Rachel's parents, Steve and Jane Thomas, grilled up some hamburgers and sausage for the amicable group before the game. Their talk skirted around football, dwelling more on the off-side kicks of salads, pies and banana pudding.
Jane and Steve's son, Steve Thomas, who lives in Starkville, joined the revelers. Joyce Bicker lives in Byram. Her family was represented by Jimmy Bicker who came from New Hampshire for the family gathering, along with his wife, Marcey, and sons, Wyatt and Brooks. Sarah Bicker Hudson, her husband Brad, and daughter, Dylan, came from Memphis.
Suzanne Bicker Robertson, her husband Mickey, Anna Lauren and Neeyle headed the cheering section from Pearl. Joyce's daughter, Rebekah, was killed in a car wreck this past year. Her husband, Cory Blunt, and sons, Soloman and Isiah, came from Byram for the party.
Philadelphians, Judy and Jimmy Bates attended, along with Jennifer, Brad, Maggie Clair and Max Mabry Gressett of Lake, and Jeremy Thomas, Rose and Jackson Wayne Thomas who live in Jackson.
P.S. Pearl won the game.
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There is a great void at Peggy's Restaurant and in Philadelphia. Betty Jean Horne Seales, a vital part of Peggy's, passed away on Oct. 28. Thirty-five years ago, Betty came to the side door of Peggy's to see if Peggy Webb needed any help.
"When can you start?" was Peggy's reply to this great lady who became the "finishing touch" and a friend to everyone associated with Peggy's, staff and customers alike. "She was a God-send, filled with the spirit. We miss her terribly," Larry Winstead told me.
"We are all charged daily to maintain the degree of excellency set by Miss Peggy with her 10 black skillets." "Betty was family to us," Stan Webb told me.
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As I write this, the LSU Tigers are gearing up for their invasion into Oxford against the Ole Miss Rebels. The confrontation of these two teams 50 years ago will probably bring to mind the game of 1959 played on Halloween night in Baton Rouge when Billy Cannon broke seven tackles on a 89-yard punt return that ultimately gave the Tigers a 7-3 victory over Ole Miss and placed Billy Cannon in the annuals of college football fame.
All the football world knows that by the time his college career was over, this future college football hall of famer had won a national title (1958), Player of the Year S.E.C. 1958 and 1959, Player of the Year AP and U.P.I. 1958 and 1959, and Heisman Trophy winner (1959). Neshoba County takes personal pride in the fact that Billy Cannon received the very first Neshoba County Fair Youth Award which was established in 1959 and presented to him at the Fair on July 29, 1959.
Patsy Dunigan Clark, the daughter of Neshoba Countains James and Zexa Dunigan, who now lives in Louisville, and I are old enough to remember "the run." We thank her for sharing some memories with us. Patsy's mother was a sister to Billy's mother.
"One of Billy's favorite stories came from an LSU fan who sat in the stadium the night 67,500 roared. "I thought you were pulling for Ole Miss," the fan said to his friend. "Man I was," the friend replied, "But I can't pull against a run like that!" Billy is the son of Harvey and Virgie Savell Cannon, and the grandson of Will and Nancy Kilpatrick Savell.
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While on the subject of Ole Miss football, the Rebels defeated Tennessee 42-17 when the two teams met in Oxford on Saturday, Nov. 14. This winning game made the Ole Miss Rebels, 7-3 overall, bowl eligible for the second straight football season. Go Rebels! Under the Philadelphia Grove Tent for the Ole Miss-Tennessee game were, Bud and Many Dees, Pat Hardage from Carthage, Romily Enochs, Joe Jordan, John Kizer from West Point, Don, Ellen and Steven Kilgore, Adam and Casey Mars, James Paul and Corby Mason, Don, Sharon, Richard, and Samuel McKay,
Marianna Breland from Forest, Mary Margaret Johnson from Madison, Keith Miller from Belden, Matthew Miller from Houston, Texas, Chris and April Posey, Austin Posey, Jarred Simmons, Gene Tolbert, Ken and Patrice Turner from Jackson, Tom and Molly Turner, Steve Wooten from Oxford, Artair Rogers from Oxford and Toran Dean from Oxford.
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Wayne Kirkland passed away last Wednesday, Nov. 18, and heaven got a little prettier. He and Babs built a number of houses here in Philadelphia, and immediately, the landscaping took on that "Wayne look." Just imagine how beautiful he'll make the lawn around his heavenly home. Our love and prayers of comfort are extended to his family.
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How many times have you heard someone say, "you can't but anything for $5." But you can! Five dollars will ignite a light of love for the Neshoba County Hospital Auxiliary, saying to someone special in your life: "I do this out of love and respect for you."
The gift may be in the form of an honorarium or a memorial. The monies raised will be used to purchase arts and crafts, or the all important Bingo prizes, things to enhance the lives of the patients and residents. In the past, this project helped to purchase a bus to transport residents, as well as equipment needed for the hospital. All gifts are tax-deductible. Make checks payable to Neshoba County Hospital Auxiliary, and mail to P.O. Box 648, Philadelphia, MS 39350. The Lights of Love lighting ceremony will be held next Monday, Nov. 30 at 6 p.m.
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The First Baptist Church Senior Adult Ministry group, known as B.A.L.L., met for their monthly potluck luncheon on Nov. 17. Dr. Eugene Dabbs spoke to the group about his fifth and most recent mission trip, to the Ukraine. Those present were Mary Bennett, Buck Bounds, Judith Brewer, Loree Brown, Jane Cole, Eugene Dobbs, Everett Estes, Mildred Estes, Katherine Farned, Ollie Flint, Estelle Fowler,
Lamar Fowler, Mazell Goforth, Wilmer Goforth, Jean Griffith, Ruth Hamilton, Rena Harmon, Joan Hight, Eunice Jones, Roy Jones, Sue Lewis, Ada Mae Mooney, James Mooney, Peggy Mott, William Nation, Jane Parker, Myrtis Richardson, Ellene Turcotte, Robert Turcotte, Elmo Winstead and Mazine Winstead.
Judy Brewer joined the group as a new member, while Aaron Tucker and Cecil Wyatt were welcomed as guests.
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On Monday, Nov 2, at 5 a.m., 13 members of the Smith family left for the Smokey Mountains. This group included Grace Smith Guthrie (87 years young) and all six of her daughters and four sons-in-law: JoAnn Killebrew and Bubba, Mary Quinn and Sonny, Yvette Williams and Horace, Rachel Tucker and Gary, Linda Chennault and Margaret Peebles and one of her sons and daughter-in-law, Larry and Betty Smith.
We thank Betty for sharing their trip with us.
"We rented a three-story, six bedroom, six and a half bath cabin high in the mountains of Pigeon Forge, Tenn. The mountains were in full fall foliage and simply breath-taking.
"We drove across into Cherokee, N.C. and on to Maggie Valley. One of the highlights of the trip was on the way across the mountain we saw a bear cub and stopped and got pictures and on the way back saw a good size bear in the woods. We toured Cade's Cove and saw lots of deer and turkey and of course did a little shopping in Cherokee and Pigeon Forge.
"We had a lot of good cooks who pitched in and cooked a big breakfast for everyone including all kinds of homemade jams and jellies. And of course we had bacon and cheese that we brought from Williams Brothers. And there were also all kinds of treats to nibble on like fried apple pies, cornflake candy, trash, peanut brittle, cookies, pecan roll, caramel cake and that's just to name a few.
"We went to the Dixie Stampede on Wednesday night, the beginning of their Christmas show. If you've never seen the Christmas program it is worth the drive up there just to see the show. Especially, the Nativity Scene, with all the animals including camels and the dove that circled the building. It was absolutely amazing. After the show we drove into Gatlinburg and toured the city lit up with Christmas lights.
"All too soon it was time to pack up and head home - which wasn't nearly as fun! God blessed us with a safe trip and family memories that will last a lifetime."
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