SCENE IN PASSING
MARIE WHITEHEAD herald@mediactr.com
Our special friend, Louise Nicholson, must be ready for a few days of rest and relaxation. She just ended a week long celebration of her 98th birthday. She could easily pass for decades younger. Saturday, Sept. 22, her real birthday, launched a seven day observance which included a party. The lovely, mountain top home of William and Marie May was the setting for more than three dozen friends to wish her well. Her special friend, Suzann McCarty, provided personal chauffeur service with William's golf cart from the bottom of the hill. A few of us managed to walk the walk, but it was sweet of Suzann to offer the ride.

Everyone present was special to the honoree and she enjoyed the smiles, hugs and well wishes. Her longtime friend Peggy Abernathy assisted Suzann and Marie with hostess duties. There was a guest book for registration. Some folks were so busy having fun, they never got around to signing it.

Among the friends who came were Marie Mehner, Jim Mehner, Mavis Parrott, Irene Womack Todd, Dorothjy Daniels, Jim Bob and Louverl Griffin, Charley and Boots Burfoot, Harvey Cotton and spouse and your writer, who can't remember everyone who was there.

Louise l Nicholson, center, celebratres her 98th birthday with hostesses Peggy Abernathy (left) and Marie May.

Later in the week, Janis, the daughter of Louise, and her family arrived for a several day stay. Janis' daughter Hollie Rountree and her children, Emma, almost two now and two-month-old Isabelle. They brought joy to the heart of Louise. Janis lives in Sequin and Hollie's home is in Round Rock. They regretted so much not being here for the party on Sept. 22.

Louise's husband, Bonnie Ray (also known as Nick), was among our very first friends and advertisers. He was in the grocery business for many years. With the Better Half, they had lots of good laughs about life in Rusk. Nick's brother Quinton Nicholson and his beautiful wife, Bobbie, operated a restaurant next to the Cherokee Theatre. Looking at the theatre site, across the street was Brookshire Bros. where Prescription Pharmacy is located. Traveling east on that side of the street was the Cherokee County Rural Electric Co-op, and next to them was Lee-McCarroll Chevrolet. Our newspaper was once located in that building. I"ve seen the photo of Walter Long operating the flat bed press. Across the alley, still going east, was Perry Bros, now Flowers 'n Things.

In a file photo from 1989, Bob Gregg and Emmett Whitehead shared a laugh on their mutual birthday, Oct. 9.

Some of our under the weather folks are feeling better. Like Ike Daniel, James P. Richards, Adrienn Hughes Stanaland, her baby boy, Cooper, also Dottie McClure Norton and her family.

Here is another pair of happy fellows you may recall. Thanks to friend Mary Gregg for the loan of this photograph. It is a privilege to share it with you on the eve of a birthday for our two spouses. They laughed with good wishes for each other every Oct. 9, but friend Gregg always, but always, reminded my Better Half that he was a year younger. These two men had a special bond, connected by many threads - one of the strongest being E. R. Gregg. This picture was taken in Nov. 1989 at a Fish Fry in Alto-- one a county commissioner, the other a county judge. Was it a political gathering? Or, just a fun, fund-raising event for the Lions Club 18 years ago?

Happy reading, and here's a final, borrowed thought: "Beside us, behind us, before us, below us. In every imaginable place someone is by our side." Think about it.