My Portfolio

I honestly don't know that I can list five life choices I regret. Have I made mistakes? Oh, yes! But, I've learned in life that to change one thing would change everything; it would be impossible to go back and change something without any effect on everything else. I am who...

What are 5 of your core beliefs? I believe in God, our Heavenly Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost. I believe they are three distinct personages with specific roles, perfectly united as one in purpose and love. I believe God communicates with us, His children,...

What three lessons have I learned from family member s (grandparents, aunts/uncles, parents)? Laughter is often the best medicine . Mom always taught us to laugh through difficult, painful or awkward times. This she usually did through example... more specifically, laughing through our difficult times, with or without us. I remember...

Robert Mathias Catron His  Story        Robert Mathias Catron was born on April 27, 1863 in Caldwell County North Carolina to parents John Catron (1819-1873)and Elizabeth  Ann(Dula) Catron(1828-1900) He was the youngest of the 10 children born to this family.  They lived in North Ca rolina until after the end...

Mrs. E.A. Catron (Elizabeth Ann) Her Story         Elizabeth Ann Dula was born on Sept. 1,1828 in Lenoir, Caldwell Co. North Carolina to parents Thomas Beasley Dula(1786-1829) and Elizabeth Hulme (1787-1855).  She had five brothers and two sisters, she being the youngest.      In 1844 in Caldwell Co. North Caroling...

Johnnie Catron His Story         John Catron was born on Nov. 22,1819 in Virginia to parents Christopher Kettering/Katrine/Catron (1787-1854 and Mary (O’Neill) Kettering/Katrine/Catron (1798-?).      In November or 1844 he joined in marriage with Elizabeth Ann Dula(1828-1900) daughter of Thomas Beasley Dula Sr(1782-1829) and Elizabeth (Hulme) Dula (1887-1865).        In...

Thomas Dula Catron His Story          Thomas Dula Catron was born 4 th  child of 9 to John Catron and Elizabeth (Dula) Catron in Jun. 4,1852 in Caldwell Co. North Carolina. He lived with his family in North Carolina, until they moved to Caldwell Co. Missouri after the Civil...

James Christopher Catron His Story           James Christopher Catron was born on  June 4,1856 in Caldwell County, North Carolina to parents John Catron and Elizabeth Ann (Dula) Catron.  He was 6 th  of 9 children born to the couple.  They lived in Patterson, Caldwell Co., North Carolina until after...

Laura Carton Her Story        Laura J. Catron was born on Feb, 18,1862 in Caldwell County ,North Caroli na to parents John Randolph and Elizabeth Ann (Dula) Catron.  By the census of 1870 they were living in Grant Twsp, Caldwell Co. Missouri.  She was child number 8 of 9.        ...

William F. Catron His Story        William F. Catron was born to parents John Catron (Nov. 22,1819-June 8,1873) and Elizabeth A. (Dula) Catron on January 20,1849.  He was the 2 nd  oldest of 10 children born to the family.  He was born in Caldwell Co. North Carolina.  In 1860 census...

  On the road …again! Afghanistan to Zambia   Chronicles of a Footloose Forester By Dick Pellek   It's Saturday, Where Is The Yardstick?   There were seven kids in the Pellek household, so there was plenty of mischief under our roof, and elsewhere.  Five boys and two girls kept our...

How blessed am I to have had Virginia as a dear friend to love. Our last dinner together was at the Embassy, always one of our favorite spots. Mickey Stant, Virginia and I would gather there many times when we first met and solve the problems of our world! This last...

As I think about Virginia and her life as I witnessed it, I see a life spent in pursuit of self awareness. Her journey to wholeness began when she chose to apply and was accepted into  the counseling program at Northwestern State in Louisiana.  There she not  only achieved a graduate...

When i went to bed last night, i was thinking about Gin, and suddenly just came apart laughing over this memory. During the first semester of 1975-1976, El Dorado High School was being enlarged.   Ginna had a corner classroom, and a new classroom was being built next door.   For...

As a teacher, Ginna was a rarity.  She was willing to allow her carefully crafted lesson plans -- always wisely titled "tentative plans" -- to be subverted in order to satisfy the intellectual curiosity of her students.  She guided and directed, but she was flexible.  She didn't view a student with...

                                               ALICE MAY (AUSTIN) STEPHENS                                                ...

                                                 W. H.  AUSTIN  (HIS STORY)   William H Austin was born in Herkimer County New York, on April 7th 1844.  He died at his home in Hamilton...

Joseph “Jody”Rufus Streeter His Story        Joseph Rufus Streeter was born on December 27,  1884 to parents Charles Edgar Streeter and Sarah Frances (Clare) Streeter.  He was born in Hamilton, Caldwell County, Missouri. In the 1900 census he lived with his parents in Hamilton, Mo., as a single person.     ...

Fred Clare “Freddie” Streeter His Story        Fred Clare Streeter was born on April 7 th  1886 to parents Charles Edgar Streeter and Sara Frances (Clare) Streeter.  He was born in Hamilton, Missouri, and lived with family in Hamilton through the 1910 census.      On May 27, 1915 he joined...

Percival Henry Streeter His Story       Percival H. Streeter was born to parents Charles Edgar Streeter  (1846-1916) and Sarah Frances (Clare) Streeter (1860-1926) on December 5 th , 1882 in Missouri.      He lived with his parents through the 1900 census in Hamilton, Missouri.  On February 20 th  1907 he...