Pap, Tipper, and Steve -1970 something at Sherlock’s—a house we rented
Today would have been Pap’s 87th birthday had he lived. Hard to believe he’s been gone since 2016.
I was always a daddy’s girl. From the very beginning I thought there was nobody like my daddy. Over the course of my life that belief never changed one iota.
Pap was my go to person for any question I had. From world events to trivial drivel that no one else would care about it was him I called and he was always there no matter how silly the question nor how many times I called on him for answers.
On days like today I ought to dwell on the meaningful things Pap taught my brothers and me—things like the greatness of our Lord and how to be a good human being while living in this ole world, but I find myself thinking of other things.
Things like the way Pap’s eyes twinkled when he laughed. The mischievous smile he had when teasing children. His steady footsteps impacting the ground as I rode on his back across the rough places back in the mountains and in everyday life. The way he yawned. The pan of fried taters he could make that were better than any I’ve ever eaten. The sound of his foot tapping to whatever music was being played by him or others. His dogged insistence that one should be grateful for their lot in life because things could always be worse.
Pap was a true mountain man. He loved the old ways and traditions and did for his family and friends before ever thinking of his ownself.
Here’s a list of posts about Pap from the archives. If you’re a new subscriber they might be interesting to you, and if you’re an old subscriber you might enjoy revisiting them as I do.
- Going to the Cornfield with Pap
- Shooting Contests in Appalachia
- Love Jerry
- I Twice Belong to Thee
- I Walk in Silence When it Comes
- Gathering Shocks of Fodder
- Pap’s Birthday
- Yellow Flowers and Yellow Throats
- The Day Pap Died
- September 2, 1945
- When Pap was a Boy
- Pap and the Big Rock
- Jerry Marshall Wilson 1937-2016
- The Rolling Store Took Squirrels Too
- Pap Visits the Dockerys
- Making Marbles out of Rocks
- The Pear Trees
You can also visit the Blind Pig and The Acorn YoutTube Channel to hear some of Pap’s amazing harmony singing.
Tipper
p.s. Granny still has the little chair Pap’s feet are in—many a child has sit in it over the years. The lamp is now in Paul’s house although with a different shade. And I have the green glass ashtray and the green and brown bowl that is beside it—it may not be the exact same bowl but since Granny gave it to me I like to think it is 🙂
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Happy Heavenly Birthday to your daddy. Love the photo. Paul looks a lot like Mr. Wilson and I sure can see the twins in your face Tipper.
Not enough words to explain the love between a daughter and a dad!
Pap lives on because of all the wonderful memories you have and share of him. I bet a lot of us feel like we ‘know’ him even though we’ve never met.
After a lot of time passes you somehow get past the loss and remember all we gained from our dad’s. There is always the realization what a better place our world was when they were here.
My dad has been gone from this life for 60 years. He would have been 70 had he lived another 5 months. He would be 130 years old if he were alive. He was born not very far from Tipper in the Needmore Township of Swain County, NC, just West of Bryson City.
I miss him every day, sometimes hourly.
I was a daddy’s girl also. I miss him so much and even though he’s be gone 27 years there isn’t a day that goes by what I don’t think of him. He would have been 109 years old this past April although I know he wouldn’t have lived to be that age and I wouldn’t want him back in the shape he was in. I know he is in heaven with my mama and brother.
Thinking about loved ones who have passed on, yesterday, 7-15, is our family’s time to remember. On that date, in various years, my uncle was killed in combat, my older brother died, and my mother-in-law died. Sad day for us, yet we have lots of photos and sweet memories of those three, and of our parents, to ease the sadness. Death is a mere footnote to life.We who remain accept that and move on.
Memories are a wonderful thing – such a great comfort as time passes – even though they can also often bring tears and some pain from the missing of a loved one and the ‘before times.’ At times it can be like the ‘scab’ on our heart has been torn off again. It is very true: great love does bring great grief. Big hugs Tipper.
I wrote a comment at 4:30 this morning but I musta done something wrong it didn’t get posted. I know what I ought to do when thinking on my loved ones that have passed on, but I often fail to do it. My Daddy would have been 102 years old on July 5th of this year. He died on January 21, 1991. I still miss him and often think of him. He was just a simple Christian man that only had an 8th grade education because of having to drop out of school to help his sharecropper daddy. In my mind no one has had a better Daddy. I now have his two most prized possessions, a single shot Winchester 22 rifle and a BF Avery tractor. It considered it an honor when people say I am a lot like my Daddy.
Tipper I have been reading the old post about Pap, “ Gathering Fodder” brought back good memories of being a child and trying to help my Granddaddy Kirby pull fodder. When we went back to gather it up, it would be him, me and his mule Kate. Sometimes instead of pulling fodder he would just cut the cornstalks and tie them in bundles for shocks.
Happy birthday to your dear Pap. I can feel how much you miss him! If my dad were still alive he would be 100 years old. He’s been gone since 1991, but I still miss him terribly! I take heart in the belief we will all meet again! Thanks for sharing your lovely memories! ❤️☮️
Come this October, I’ll be the age my Dad was when he died. That seems so odd to think it or to write it. We expect our parents to always be older than ourselves and it is a facer when that changes flipping things upside down. There are events like that in life. If still living, he would have been 95 this year. Now he is ageless but I continue aging. He had a hard life in many ways. Your continuing recall of Pap is, I venture to think, the very best memorial he could wish so long as the missing him is not a sadness. From all you have shared about him, he took care of that by his life.
I just read all the posts about the life of Pap. What a joy! I get Blind Pig on my computer at work. But it brings back memories of my Grandad Joe Childers . Sometimes I still smell his pipe. But every time I tune into Blind Pig I read all those family names I grew up with. I find myself wondering if they are kin to my old friends from high school or neighbors near my old home place . I’m sure they are. The funny thing is, I remember rolling rocks down the side of the mountain, as well. But we were trying to see how close we could get to the river. We never did make the river but it was fun trying. There were no houses in the way but I know we hit a fence post or two.
I know your daddy was a wonderful man and I know your heart longs for him every day! Happy Birthday in heaven dear Pap! I’m sorry your beloved Pap has passed on, but the way I see it every day I live here I’m another day closer to heaven with my departed loved ones and sometimes the missing comes clear up like a big lump in my throat. I can actually feel a forlorn, achy feeling in my heart and head sometimes studying on my losses of loved ones. I said to the “air” not long ago I sure would be relieved to get a sign from mommy that she’s watching over me. Not long after, I looked over in my weed bin and there stood a lone, gorgeous, healthy scarlet sage -her favorite flower! I know that I know that she knows and that’s that! May God bless and comfort you, Granny, Paul, Steve and your wonderful family this day as He reminds you of Pap’s precious blood flowing in those fine GREAT GRANDSONS OF THE JERRY WILSON LINE FROM NOW ON!!!! Your dad was a handsome man and fine singer!!! What a blessing and great man!!! The way he looked at things was spot on too!!! What a treasure WHOS broken out of the clay prison into heaven!!!
Morning everyone. I was a daddy’s girl. He had a 2 car garage, his car was all the way to one side. The rest of the garage was his work shop. He was a welder, so he had pieces of metal he turned into candle holders, tables with glass on top. He gave them to my mom and one of her sisters, or me. The best and worst thing he did was retire. Having nothing to do wasn’t something he liked. He planted some vegetables, learned to play the harmonica, took up wood carving. I would sit quietly in a corner of his garage watching him build something. My sister and brother never came into the garage, it was our space. He rarely spoke, and never about his past. I’m not a very curious person, so I never asked any questions. I did learn early why my uncle had numbers tattooed on his arm. My dad was forced to do labor for the Germans. He never complained about life. Never lectured us on how to live our lives. Was kind and helpful to everyone. He went to Church every Sunday. Didn’t smoke, drink or use bad language. He was a blood donor. But none of these things are what I think about. I remember the wink he had only for me. He had the brightest gray blue eyes. His last couple of weeks were bad. He didn’t recognize anyone. I lived 2 hours away, up a mountain so I didn’t see him daily. When I got to the hospital my mom warned me he didn’t recognize anyone. When I entered the room he looked at me and winked. He knew who I was. It’s almost 20 yrs. I still miss him terribly. Anna from Arkansas.
When I read your older post titled “the day Pap died”, it really touched my heart. My own Dad is still with me, but he is failing day by day. He, like your dad, wants to die at home. We spent time yesterday doing little things to make him feel better. My hubby took his car and washed it, and got it inspected and new license sticker on it. Although my dad will never drive it again, it was worrying him and now his mind is at ease about it. I cut his hair because he doesn’t leave the house anymore. It was the first time I ever did that and it was kind of therapeutic to me to comb through his long white hair and carefully cut it. It was just a little thing, but it made him feel better and brightened up his day. By the way, I always loved it when my dad fried the potatoes too, because even though my mama has always been a great cook, his always tasted the best!!
Brenda-praying for you all!!
Tipper today my Dad would have been 99 oh how I still miss Him. He was killed Dec/8/2004. A young man I think was about 28 driving an 18 wheeler dropped his. ELL phone and was trying to pic up out of floor and hit my Dad head on!there was a railroad track there but the bank below my Dad tried to miss or dodge but because of the high bank he could go no where, my Dad had retired several years earlier and was working for the Lauren’s advertiser. He had just dropped off the last of the
Papers at a little cricket store in enoree a few miles up the rd. And was coming back for the day He was going fishing. After He had got home? He was a driving tje company ban it was a kermershal van it was big. But the driver hit Dad head on and since tje ban was against that bank ? It took the full force of the truck that was going at 55 or 60? The trooper told me, the motor was like in pieces and the transmission? Well it decentagraded wasn’t a piece no bigger than ya hand. It tore my Dad half in to from the straddle to his shoulder, there’s more ? But that’s about all I can say at the moment. He was a preacher and
Lived every one He was like a stand in preacher or would preach at different places. He lived a Godly life and
loved the Lord oh so much. I know that I will see Him again in Heaven. I’ve had two visions of Him in Heaven maybe I tell ya sometime. Love and God Bless.
Danny-I’m so sorry he was killed.
Danny, I don’t remember hearing about the wreck but should, I live near Princeton which is only a little ways from Laurens or Enoree. A friend and coworker was killed because of someone running a stop sign while talking on a CELL phone. By the way , SC schools are suppose to ban cell phones in 2025.
I read a few of the other posts about Pap. Thank you for sharing these beautiful and so personal memories with us. The anniversary of my dad’s passing is just a couple of days from today. I was thinking about that day. As the paramedics were working on him in our driveway, I saw three little white butterflies fly up from where he lay, two in front one in the back. I watched as they flew up between the houses and disappeared. I knew at that moment he was gone. I was sad but at the same time I felt peace, knowing Daddy was in a far better place. Once again strong and healthy.
God comfort thee
I was a daddy’s girl, too. This past January he would have been 116, and also I recall the twinkle of his eye, him working in the yard, him woodworking, his innate kindness to every animal, and his gratefulness for things like meat and desserts as he had come up in extreme poverty as a child after his father was killed, leaving his mother to feed eight children. I adored him and was fascinated by his quiet nature. I still think of him nearly every day.
My dear friend Pipper,
You could have written this about my dad who left this world in 2009. So many things you describe and more was my dad. We are beyond blessed to have had them as father’s. God has been so good to us children. Be happy and blessed in the Lord.
Just finished reading this, Tipper, plus “The day Pap died”. They are both breathtakingly precious….
Tipper, it sounds like you had a wonderful father just like I did. This past June 26 my Daddy died 24 years ago. He had just celebrated his 75th birthday. He was always thinking of others and your comment, “His dogged insistence that one should be grateful for their lot in life because things could always be worse” is what mine would often tell me and the other four children when we would complain. He was raised in eastern Ky, Harlan, Hazard, and other areas. It was a very poor area. Daddy lost his parents at the ages of eight and eleven in the thirties. There was no Medicaid or help other than the church or friends and family. He and his seven other siblings were passed around to family and friends who helped to raise them. He managed to get through the seventh grade. The local school paid him a small amount of money to start up the fires in the stoves in the morning and clean the building. He walked miles to and from the school each school day, even during the winter.
He loved his garden and working outdoors. He would plant a huge garden every year and could grow anything. He had a green thumb. He read a lot of books and taught himself how to do plumbing jobs at home and other things that needed to be done. He always told us children to “get an education.” I think of him every day and miss him so much, but he was saved, and I will see him again one day. Thanks for telling us about your wonderful father.
I know how you feel about your dad. I thought the same about mine. My dad worked two jobs . Carpentry during the day and journeyman at a GM factory at night. Since he was working all the time, we only saw him for any length of time on the weekends. Even then he was working in the garden. He was a quiet person but from him I learned so many things like a good work ethic. The only time I saw him cry was at my mom’s funeral. He was a great man.
Good Morning Tipper! I lost my dad in 2014 and completely understand how you feel today. It’s the little things that mean so much. Things that are hard to explain, like how they made you feel so loved. You have been such a blessing to me and so many others. God bless you and your sweet family!
Happy Birthday Pap! ❤️
Did Acuff do the Way Back in the Hills song?
Don-not that I know of 🙂
Yes, he did, Don.
I knew I remembered hearing it on the Opry as a young kid…best I remembered Acuff did it.
This posts makes me want to cry. What a lovely memory to share with us. I hope he is having a wonderful Heavenly birthday.
How blessed you are to have had such a father.
This one made me cry Tipper! My daddy will be gone 10 years next week and I have been thinking on him for weeks now. Thank you for sharing this with us. I too think on the things like you do. Wonderful memories fill my heart and tears of missing him and Momma and now my brother never stop. We will be together again one day. The older we get the sweeter Heaven becomes and the greatest of all is seeing our sweet Savior! May your day be flooded with sweet memories of times gone by!
p.s. I just gave a little upholstered rocking chair to my brother’s great grandson that our daddy bought used 67 years ago for our dear brother. Quality stands the tests of time and children. So many have sat in it watching cartoons!
Time does fly. Hard to believe I am 81. Even harder to believe that my son Nick is 60. Named for my granpa, Nick Byers who died in a farming accident a month short of 80 at Ivy Log.
Tipper, I also know what I ought to do, but doing it is also hard for me to do. Look at the time right now, I just woke up from dreaming about my daughter and wife. I often think of my Daddy and miss him, he would have been 102 years old on July 5th of this year and died on Jan. 21, 1991. He was just a Christian common man with only an 8th grade education, but I worshipped the ground he walked on. I have his two of his most prized possessions, a single shot Winchester 22 rifle and BF Avery tractor. One of my many memories of him from childhood is of laying in the floor beside of him in front of our fireplace at night eating parched peanuts during the winter months from peanuts we had grown. I also inherited my joy for teasing or picking at you from him but never done out of meanest. I have told this before, on the night of his visitation, at the mortuary people from all walks of life were lined out of the door and through the parking lot on the 20 degree January evening/night. It is a great honor to me when people tell me you are like your Daddy. For many years he made small children’s rocking chairs from scrap lumber and would give them to the women of our church when they were expecting their first baby.
I intend to read everyone of the post about Pap. I find comfort in listening to Pap along with Paul singing those good old time gospel hymns.