Flora "Flo" M. Edwards

I was born January 30, 1916 on a farm located a mile from Madison, Kansas, in a two story homestead house. Our family doctor, (Dr. Lose) made house calls to all the people around as needed.

Our home had no electricity or indoor plumbing, but we had a wonderful life on the farm. Each room had a kerosene lamp on a table and one hanging on the kitchen wall. The kitchen had a big cook stove for our cooking, baking and heating water for all our needs. My mother’s cooking and baking was wonderful. The days she baked pies, she made my sister and I pie crusts with sugar and spice. We looked forward to this treat. Mother’s homemade bread was so much a part of our meals. We had a parlor but didn’t use it in the winter as our heating stove was in the dining room. Our bedroom upstairs was heated by an open grate in the middle of the room above the dining room. We stood next to the grate to get dressed in the mornings.

My sister, Alva Carrol, was born October 12, 1919. Our playmates growing up were the farm animals born in the spring. Our father brought us home a stray puppy one Saturday night in his coat pocket. Someone had abandoned the little thing on a sidewalk in town. We named her Trixie and she was a wonderful dog. She would sit on the top of a hill everyday waiting for Carrol and I to come up the hill from school at four o’clock. We always wondered how she knew the right time to be there. We always had a dog and cats but the cats were feral cats used in the barn to get rid of rats and mice.

On one particular Sunday on the farm, we had a large family dinner. The ladies were chatting in the house, doing the dishes and the men were standing around the barnyard talking. The children had gone down to the river (Virdigris) and we were sitting on the plank that went from bank to bank, with our feet dangling in the water. Carrol fell in and started floating down the river (the water was high because of a former storm); I jumped in and tried to wade toward her and catch her, a tree branch slowed her down and I was able to reach her. We got out and managed to get to the house dripping wet, both of us scared and crying. We spent a lot of summer time wading in the river and gathering rocks and shells, (unless the river was high), which was any time after a flood.

I loved spending time with my Dad riding on the hay wagon and going with him when he brought the bales of hay to store in the barn. The hay barn was across the river wherethe hay and corn fields were.

I spent most of my time outdoors with my dog and the farm animals, but my sister Carrol didn’t like the outdoors so she spent her days in the kitchen helping our Mother around the house.

We had neighbors living about a mile from our home. We visited back and forth which was such a treat. The neighbor men all worked together when it was time for the harvest and the women cooked for all the men.

Carrol and I went to school in town since we were as close to town as we were to the country school. We loved school and being around our friends. I remember we had to cross the railroad tracks to get there.

We had aunts, uncles and cousins living in Madison and the surrounding area. It was a very happy life. (The Holland’s, Oliver’s, Curry’s and Taggart’s).

I remember one Christmas (which was the best ever), when my Father made us doll furniture, (a doll bed and a dish cupboard). We still have the cupboard in the family. We were not allowed to play in the spare room upstairs for a few weeks before Christmas because my father was making a “surprise”. Christmas morning we went downstairs to see our presents, which were a beautiful kitchen cabinet and doll bed. These were left behind when we moved at a later time with my Aunt Amy. My sister Carrol and Rawley (her husband) made a trip back there years later and brought the cupboard to me. I was so thankful.

My father was a carpenter as was his father. Our Grandpa Oakley built a home in Dunlap, Kansas for him and my Grandma.

We moved from the farm when I was eleven or twelve. My father bought us a home in town where he leased a gas station. The name changed from Maryland Gas station to Continental then to Conoco. When we made the move to town, Carrol and I were sent to school and our Father moved all our belongings to our new home in a hay wagon using the work horses. When we got out of school we went to our new home instead of the farm. We had to give up our little dog Trixie because she was so used to running around the farm that we knew she would not be happy without her freedom. Neighbors took her, but we missed her so much.

My school years were happy times with all my friends and we knew everyone as the town was very small. Girl friends were special and boyfriends (or so we thought). The country families went to town on the weekends for shopping and visiting, - so that meant the girls and boys got to go to the movies. This was a real treat for us because when we lived on the farm our family never went to a movie. One of my favorite fun things was roller skating on the many sidewalks around town. I fell while on one of my skating trips and cut my knee quite badly. I skated to my Dad’s gas station and he had to cut the cotton stocking out of my knee. I still have a scar.

My favorite Aunt and Uncle (Willis and Amy) lived at the top of Standpipe Hill and Carrol and I made lots of trips up there to play with our cousins Randall, James and Gladys Oliver. My Dad worked at the gas station until the depression came and we lost everything. There were no more jobs available in our home town, so our Dad went to Denver where his brother, Uncle Carl, lived. Carl thought he could get Dad a job at Fitzsimmons Army Hospital where he worked. Mother, Carrol and I remained in Madison for a while. Mother got a job in a café washing dishes. Uncle Willis furnished us a house. After a year or so we decided we all wanted to be together. Mother packed our trunk, got rid of the furniture and my piano, and we rode the train to Denver and our new life. We were only allowed 350 lbs. in our trunk, so most of our possessions had to be left behind.

It was a long period before my father found steady work. He was with PWA for a time, digging ditches and whatever jobs were available. We also got Welfare coupons for our groceries. Eventually he went to work at Gates Rubber Co. until he was able to apply for a carpenter job. He started working on the building of large apartments and shopping centers. He worked as a carpenter until he retired in 1976. We rented several places in Denver. I was in high school when we moved to Denver and I went to West High school for four years. We lived across the street from a library in our first home and I did a lot of reading for my past time which I really enjoyed. Books always meant a lot to me. When I was in my Junior year, I met Mark. We were soon dating steady and spent as much time together as we could. I was invited to go on trips with his family and had so much fun. We went on camping trips and they pulled a two wheel trailer. We put pine boughs in the trailer and blankets which was Alice (Mark’s sister) and my bed. We were married on November 3, 1935 at Mark’s parent’s house at 609 Elati. Alice and Carrol were maids of honor and Morris (Mark’s brother) and Delaney (Monte Cathey’s step-son) were the best man and witness. Mark’s mother and my mother cooked our wedding dinner. In January 1936 Mark went to work for the Rio Grande Railroad. He worked there for forty-one years. He loved working for the railroad and we had many friends and train trips.

Our first home was a two room that we rented from my Dad and Mother. In April we found a three room terrace on Galapago Street where we lived for sever al years. We had two wonderful girls, Gloria Ann born April 11, 1937 and Patricia Jean born June 3, 1939. How much we enjoyed them and such a happy life we had. We fell in love with the mountains and spent every weekend there that we could. Mark’s parents owned a cabin in Trumbull Colorado and the men spent their time fishing. We hiked all the mountains that we could. We used to go to the resort in Decker’s Colorado just down the road from the cabin and dance to blue grass music where Alice’s brother-in-laws played in a band. Gloria was married to Leroy Beard at Westside Christian Church in Denver in June of 1954. Leroy’s parents, Ilene and Dane, drove in from Fillmore California for the wedding. Leroy was in the Air Force and stationed in Denver. He was then transferred to Lincoln Nebraska and had a son (Albert Eugene) on April 24, 1955. Leroy was sent overseas soon after and was killed October 1955 while returning home. Gloria and Albert moved back to Denver and moved in with Mark and I until Albert was seven years old. We enjoyed having them live with us and watching Albert grow. It was at this time that Gloria started corresponding with Leroy’s brother, Carrol, who was stationed in Alaska in the Air Force. Gloria went to California to visit with Leroy’s parents and fell in love with Carrol (who was on leave). They married on July 15, 1962. They were transferred to Texas and a year later had a daughter Susan Ann born May 23, 1963. At the end of Carrol’s service, they moved back to Denver. They lost a baby in 1964 named Michael and on December 24, 1965 they had a son Robert Dane.

Gloria and Carrol have seven grandchildren, Nathan and Dusty (Albert’s children); Brian, David and Chris (Susan’s children); Matthew and Joshua (Bob’s children); Gloria and Carrol have lived in Coweta, Oklahoma for 24 years.

Patti and Larry Brott were married at West Side Christian Church on February 2, 1957. Larry was called into the Army and was sent to Germany in late 1961. Patti was pregnant with Larry Dean who was born on July 2, 1962 at Fitzsimmons Army Hospital. In September of 1962, Patti had permission to take her baby and join Larry in Erlangen, Germany. They lived there until June 1963. Larry was discharged in 1963 and came home to Denver where Patti had a lovely home waiting for him. Mark Allan was born to them on August 15, 1964.

I worked for Bellco Credit Union for 20 years where I met wonderful friends and enjoyed working. Markie and I had such a wonderful life together and with our family. Camping was a big part of our lives with campers, tent trailers and trailers. Mark and I joined a campers club and we met once a month for a two day camping excursion. We would have a big pot luck with the other campers and really enjoyed ourselves. The camper club also met one night a month where we met at a favorite restaurant. We would also have a huge garage sale once a year at Del and Betty Malik’s, with the money raised used for the club. The friendship was wonderful and enjoyed by all. Mark and I belonged to the Masonic lodges where we met many more friends. The best part of our wonderful and happy lives was our church, Westside Christian Church, which was the heart of our lives. Gloria and Patti were very close to the activities at the church and their friends from the church. Our church life began in 1940, where I started taking my girls to Sunday School. The friends from the church remained our friend throughout the years. Mark and I bought our home in August of 1954. We were very proud of our home and enjoyed the house and yard. We lived in our house for 30 years and were so happy. Mark passed away in September of 1985 after a short illness. In June of 1986 I sold the home and moved to Holiday Hills. I bought a beautiful mobile home. I enjoyed all the friends that I met which helped with my sorrow so much. There were so many activities at the church and in the mobile park. I still had my dog Candy who was so much company for me. I met a special friend at the park, Frances Almquist, who remained one of my dearest and closest friends besides my two girls. Frances and I spent much of our time together and took many trips. I joined an oil painting class at the park and continued to paint until I moved. I have moved several times trying to find a place where I could be content. Patti and Larry divorced in 1975 and she remained alone until she met Dave from where she worked. They married July 20, 1979. They have a very happy life, living in Denver, Conifer and now residing in Cottonwood, Arizona. I now live in Oklahoma with my girl, Gloria. It is a place where I can feel secure and as content as possible.

97, passed away on June 23, 2013 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. She is survived by her daughters; Gloria &(Carrol) Beard, and Patti &(David) Reeger, also 9 grandchildren; Mark, Dean, Bob, Sue, Al, Michael, Randy, Tracie, and Brad, 17 great grandchildren; Mary, David, Joe, Des, Josh, Matt, Brian, David, Chris, Dustin, Nathael, Tab, Janell, CJ, Just, Stef, and Melissa, 7 great great grandchildren; Mat, Haley, Chase, Braxton, Emmalynn, Natalie, and Tony.

Flo was preceded in death by her husband Marcus Edwards, grandsons Dean Brott, and Michael Beard, sister Carrol Molino, and her parents Alva & Sarah Oakley.

Visitation Sunday, June 30, 2013, from 1pm to 3pm at Olinger Crown Hill Mortuary. Services Monday, July 1, 2013 at 12pm in the Chapel of Peace located at Olinger Crown Hill Mortuary. Interment to follow at Olinger Crown Hill Cemetery.