Papaw Charlie

I wrote this story few years ago. 

Once upon a time lived a boy named Charlie. He lived by the tall mountains and in the deep hollows of North Carolina. Charlie liked to run and play but he was a hard worker. He helped the family hoe the garden and feed the chickens.

 When Charlie grew up, he went into the army, doing what he done best, hard work. When Charlie came home from the army, he married a lady named Atlas and together they started a new life. They worked hard on starting a new home. They had to live in a couple of humble places in the beginning, but after their third child they bought a piece of land. They, then, built a house. Charlie and Atlas had seven children and taught them what they did best - hard work. 

Charlie drove a truck all over the country. Many times he wouldn’t get to see his family for weeks at a time. But while he was gone, his children and wife would grow a garden, can food, clean house, and went to school. The children were always trying to please their daddy. They worked hard while he was gone, doing what their daddy taught them best -  hard work.

 The older Charlie got, people said the grumpier he got. But some say he was a hard worker all his life and stood for what he believed was right.

 All of Charlie’s children soon grew up and had families of their own.  Charlie was having grandchildren left and right. So, Charlie again had more children to love and to teach hard work.

When Charlie was getting older he stopped driving a truck and instead  grew Christmas trees and ran a country store.  Many times he had some of  his grandchildren come and help him. Charlie also grew tobacco, like everybody else in his community. Once again he and his sons, sons-in-law and grandson would be out in the field with him, all the while, he taught them hard work.

Charlie was also very good at wood working.  He made a cradle, grandfather clock, stools, benches, and other beautiful pieces of art.

                Charlie had to take of his parents when they were old. He loved them and cared for them until their death. This was his way of thanking his parents for their hard work. He was thankful for the life and legacy  they left for him and his children and grandchildren.

Purple Eye and Papaw Charlie

 All of Charlie’s life was one of  hard work and with that - loving his family.  The Bible says "you’ll reap what you sow", and Charlie reaped what he sowed.  For the past couple of years Charlie’s children took care of their daddy. The children had to take their daddy to the doctors.  They  helped their daddy  in anyway they could.  Then the day Charlie died he had all of his children and some of his grandchildren  around his bed and singing:

  

My latest sun is sinking fast

My race is nearly run

My longest trials now are past

My triumph has begun

Oh come angel band

Come and around me stand

Bear me away on your snow white wings

To my immortal home

Bear me away on you snow white wings

To my immortal home

         And his children sung to him until his eyes sealed in death.

Charlie’s children had spent his final moments with their daddy thanking him for the legacy that he left to their children and grandchildren. They also thanked him for the years that he taught them hard work.

 Charlie’s children are working hard to raise families and to honor their father who has gone. They are teaching their children and grandchildren hard work and  the love that their daddy taught them. Charlie’s children are now telling their children about the hard working and loving father they had.

Just about everyone of Charlie’s children and grandchildren has, were, or are small business owners. There are ranges of interests between them that go from painters to construction businesses owners to everything in between.

Charlie had 7 children, 15 grandchildren, and 16 great grandchildren and counting. Charlie’s first child was Mamaw S and Mamaw S's first child was a son named Pops, and Pop's first child was a  daughter named Grace.  That makes Charlie my great grandfather. Papaw Charlie made the cradle that my brothers and sisters and I have slept in as a little babies.

                                 The memories and the legacy that someone leaves behind is what makes death beautiful. May we always remember  when someone you know dies, that it may not have been the day or the week or the month they died that really made it beautiful, but the traditions and hard work that they the left behind.

 Written by: Grace