My other two moms…

Not sure how to start this actually. I am at a small loss of words, which is not like me. I was ready for a relaxing weekend with my family. Jace and I had court on Wed. and I took Thursday as a day of vacation to make for a better weekend.

My parents called Thursday evening and decided they were on their way out to big Lubbock. So, that would add another fun thing to the weekend. They called around 9:30PM and said they were getting a room in Abilene. They arrived at the house around 9AM Friday morning.

The first thing mom told me was Gaynell, a very close family friend, was allowed to come home, but she still was not doing well health wise. We talked about how Gaynell would keep her grandchildren in line, and how she used to keep us in line. We would refer to her as the “wicked witch of the south” and our mom was the “wicked witch of the north” – because, due to their geographic positions in Angelina county and the fact that we swore they could communicate with telepathy – especially when we had done something we should not have. LOL

We woke the next morning to have mom tell us that Gaynell had went home to the Lord at 3AM that morning. It brought a bit of gloom to the day to say the least. We spent the day visiting and shared some good stories about the Smith family. I won’t go into the stories I could tell, I could go on and on with them. I will simply say this.

The Smith family came into our lives as friends. We were both dirt poor, but helped each other as if one big family. Even though we did not have much – there is nothing that they would not have given for us. They were the definition of “good people”. Like daddy stated – we were married at their house, that says a lot to me – and it does. They were and still are a very important part of our family. Gaynell will be greatly missed. Especially when I would jump on the phone to interrupt her and mom’s conversation just to hear that growl and for her to promise to beat me if I needed it. LOL

Funeral services for Gaynell Smith, 68, of Diboll will be held at 4 p.m. Tuesday, May 5, 2009, in the Carroway-Claybar Funeral Home Chapel with Bro. Bailey Alders and Bro. D.R. ”Mac” McNaughton officiating. Interment will follow in the Whitehouse Cemetery. Mrs. Smith was born Feb. 19, 1941, in Jackson County, Ala., and died Saturday, May 2, 2009, at her residence. Survivors include her husband, Milton Lamar Smith; son, Michael L. Smith; daughters, Michelle Kubiak, Misty Smith Havard and Marlena Phillips; nine grandchildren; one brother; two sisters; and a host of friends. The family will welcome friends and loved ones from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Monday at the funeral home. Carroway-Claybar Funeral Home, Lufkin, directors.

Then, as mom and I were looking online to read Gaynell’s obituary, pasted above, we found that my good friend Stephen Forrest’s mom had passed. I was really shocked. I had known for some time Gaynell’s health was poor and had braced myself somewhat for her passing – but not for reading that Mrs. Forrest had passed. 

Stephen and I played in bands since high school and his family was very instrumental in my walk with Christ. Stephen’s daddy, R.C. Forrest was a pastor at the church where I first got the chance to teach Sunday school. Later I went to another church where his brother Gary was the pastor. The four Forrest brothers, Gary, Mike, Billy, and Stephen had adopted me “unoffically” into their southern gospel group the “Forrest Four”. LOL

There are a lot of memories there too. Mrs. Forrest was always kind and made me feel welcome – which was a good balance from brother R.C. whom I feared a little since I still had some “hellian” in me. LOL She will be greatly missed as well.

Funeral services for Mary Louise Avery Forrest, 71, of Lufkin will be held Saturday, May 2, 2009 at 2 p.m. in the Cross Timbers Cowboy Church with Brother Jacob Fitzgerald, Brother Gary Forrest and Brother Ford Adkins officiating. Interment will follow in the Treadwell Cemetery. Mrs. Forrest was born May 24, 1937 in Lufkin, Texas to the late Lessie (Harrell) and Leonard Avery, and died Thursday, April 30, 2009 at her residence. Mrs. Forrest was a lifetime resident of Lufkin. She was a devoted and faithful pastor?s wife and a loving mother. Mrs. Forrest was an active member of the Cross Timbers Cowboy Church, where she taught a women’s Bible study. Survivors include her husband of 54 years, R.C. Forrest, Jr.; daughter and son-in-law, Jan and Eddie Kupec; sons and daughters-in-law, Gary and Susan Forrest, Mike and Wanda Forrest, Billy and Dana Forrest and Stephen and Nicki Forrest; 11 grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; brother and sister-in-law, Leonard and Molly Avery; sisters and brothers-in-law, LaMyrle and Howard Hall and Verda and L.J. Hall; sister, Patsy Hightower; brother-in-law, Gary Benoit; sisters-in-law, Nell Shoemaker and Jean Phillips; sister-in-law and brother-in-law, JoAnn and James Ray; and numerous nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends. In addition to her parents, Mrs. Forrest was preceded in death by her sister, Debbie Benoit; brother, Vernon Ray Avery; father-in-law and mother-in-law, Dick and Addie Forrest; and brothers-in-law, James Hightower, Ray Phillips and Hardy Shoemaker. Pallbearers will be Robert Forrest, Eric Kupec, Blake Powers, Glen Hays, Justin Forrest and Caleb Forrest. Honorary pallbearers will be the men of Cross Timbers Cowboy Church. Carroway-Claybar Funeral Home, Lufkin, directors.

I ask that you keep these families in your prayers. They were awesome, instrumental, and important to my life and will be greatly missed.