HOMER LARRY SHOOK (1935 - 1956)

Here is a photo of Larry Shook, the 7th of Ruth and Hoyle's 10 children. Tragically, he was killed in a car accident while traveling home to Pigeon Roost from Maryland, where he had been working with his brother, Rhonda, at that time .

My Aunt Mildred and I talked on the phone about Larry tonight for a good half hour. She said his personality was different from the other boys. She described him as easy-going, sweet, good and tender-hearted, a young boy without a temper.

When he was little, he had a serious infection in his lungs that required him to stay three months in the hospital in Banner Elk. My mom, Steve Shook, talks about what a good patient he was and how all the nurses loved him and spoiled him to death. She talks about how she used to let him put on her glasses when she had to care for him to divert his attention.

Once Larry got home from the hospital, he lost a year of school because he had to stay at home to recuperate. According to Aunt Mildred, he never fussed, and he always helped Grandma (Ruth Shook) around the house while the other children were at home. As she crocheted and quilted, Larry learned as well.

If anyone else has memories of Larry, send them to me, and I'll post them OR you post them on the blog yourself. It has been heartwarming to learn more about him as I write in his memory and honor on this post.

(Posted by Tanya Shook Wilder)

MEET THE ROMANOS (BETTY ANN MICHAEL ROMANO & FAMILY)

Grady and Myrtle Michael's oldest child, Betty Ann, and her husband, Ray, now live in Vero Beach, Florida. Their children, however, reside with their families in Louisville, KY. All of them plan to attend the family reunion in July, 2009.

Betty just recently sent me these photos.

Betty (Michael) & Ray Romano

Betty & Ray's daughter, Jennifer Romano Tanner, and family..

(Left to right: Steven, Jennifer, Emily, Michael Tanner)

Betty & Ray's son, Tom, and family

(From L to R: Christina... 15...attends Sacred Heart Academy in Louisville... Art
Stephanie...19...attends Western KY University... Journalism
Sherri..the Mom...Teacher and every thing else that goes with being a Mom...
Tom... the Dad...YUM Corp
Nicholas... the littlest one, in front)

(Posted by Tanya Shook Wilder)

BROTHERS - BRADLEY, ZEB, & RHONDA

I just received this photo from my Uncle Rhonda Shook. I don't know when it was taken, but I am inclined to think it must have been at their father's funeral back in November, 1985. If anyone knows different, let me know. The photo was taken in Grandma & Grandpa's front yard. The bush behind them still stands.

(Bradley, Zeb, Rhonda Shook)

(Posted by Tanya Shook Wilder)

HOYLE, GRACE, AND TOM

Taken at the family reunion (circa 1955/56) at Tom and Ada Shook's house, this is one of the two photos I've seen of the Shook siblings together in their adult years.

(I'm noticing that in each of the photos taken that day, the person on the left (as we look at the photo) is a bit blurry and out of focus. It must have been the camera since all the shots are that way.)

One of my (now) fondest memories of Aunt Grace is one that took place one day when Billy Rominger (Audrey Shook Rominger's younger son) and I were sent to pick up Aunt Grace to bring her over to Pigeon Roost for a family gathering. I don't recall what the get-together was all about, but Billy and I, who were about 16 at the time, for asked to drive up Grandfather Mountain Road to Aunt Grace's house.

Evidently, she was unaware we were coming. Maybe she didn't have a phone back then. I distinctly remember Billy knocking at the screen door, hearing Aunt Grace shuffling around, looking in through the screen, and seeing her coming to the door with a shotgun in her hand! She thought we were there to break in her house or something, and she wasn't going to let that happen. Billy and I turned to each other and started screaming, "Aunt Grace, it's Audrey and Zeb's kids! We've come to pick you up to take you to Pigeon Roost!! Aunt Grace, we're Hoyle's grandchildren!" We were petrified!

It took a some convincing, but Aunt Grace finally agreed to get in the car with us and go "over to Hoyle's." As I recall, Billy was driving, and he went really slow down the road, through Banner Elk, and over to Pigeon Roost. I sat in the back seat, not knowing at that point in time whether I was going to laugh out loud or cry!

To this day, Billy and I laugh about our escapade with Aunt Grace. Shortly thereafter, she was diagnosed with breast cancer and passed away, but the memory of that day will be with Billy and me forever.

(Posted by Tanya Shook Wilder)

JACK MICHAEL'S FAMILY

Jack Micael, his wife, Dot, and their children, Terri and Tim, live in Georgia. Jack is Grady Michael's youngest child. I remember him and Dot bringing the kids to visit us in Boone when Myra and I were little and the happiness their visits always brought my father. Here are a couple of photos Jack recently emailed me. (I apologize for the small photos, but Blogger reduced the jpeg size automatically.)

(Tim, Terri, Dot & Jack)

Jack & Dot's grandchildren and great grandchildren

~Front Row L-R:
Jarrett (Tim's oldest), Baby Mattie (Holly's youngest) (The girl holding is a friend, Lindsey), Jasper (Heather's oldest)
Second Row L-R
Holly (Terri's youngest) Katie (Holly's oldest), Tanner (Heather's youngest), Amelia (Tim's youngest), Heather (Terri's oldest)~

(Posted by Tanya Shook Wilder)

SISTERS - RUTH & ADA

I love these photos of Ada & Ruth. I think the first was taken at the Matney Community Center for Grandma's (Ruth's) 90th birthday. I'm not sure where or when the second was taken, but obviously, it was a few years earlier.

(Posted by Tanya Shook Wilder)

SISTERS - ETTA & ETHEL

I have no idea when this picture was taken of (Mary) Etta Beard Michael and Ethel Beard Triplett. I have a vague memory of Aunt Ethel from when my family would go over to Cove Creek to visit Aunt Ethel's daughter, Mae Edmisten and her husband, Howard. (I always called them Aunt Mae and Uncle Howard, and I knew them fairly well since they attended our church in Boone and my dad fished a lot with Uncle Howard.)



Does anyone have any stories about Grandma Michael and Aunt Ethel? And, can anyone answer the question as to their last name? Is it Baird or Beard? Somewhere along the way, I've heard that Beard got changed to Baird, but I don't know the accuracy of that memory.

(On an entirely different note, I again invite anyone to add a post to the family blog. It's really quite simple. E-mail me for instructions if you lost the ones I sent when I started the blog, and I'll give you a really easy tutorial. Or you can leave a comment on the blog, and I'll get in touch with you from there.)

(Posted by Tanya Shook Wilder)