The Hineston Chronicles Volume 7 Number 4

The Hineston Chronicles 

Volume 7 Number 4

Photo posted to
Historic Hineston
Facebook group by
Jack Melder

Carolyn's Corner

Week #1 - #Ancestors52

Getting Started

My father, Oscar Carl Dyess (1915 - 2006)

s/o - J. B. "Josie" Dyess - Sarah Matilda Smith

gs/o - Edmond D. Dyess - Margaret Mathis

g-gs/o - Thomas D. Dyess - Nancy Jenkins

gg-gs/o - George W. Dyess - Elizabeth Everett

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Living with a Dyess Story teller, my father, is one of the greatest adventures a girl could ever have. Daddy was one of ten children. He was number six. They lived in a very rural area, Valentine, of Rapides Parish, Louisiana, Life was hard for a share corp farmer and his family.

He married the love of his life, Edna Taris Bonnette. He was a minister before he married mother and life was hard but they never told us it was. I was six years old before I had a "store bought" coat A lady in the community made my sister, Lola Kay Dyess Desormeaux, and my clothes from flour sacks. We felt rich and there was NEVER a doubt we were not loved above everything else.

Daddy always made my sister (my only sibling) and me feel special. He used to say, "All that makes me happy is for two little girls to call me pappy". It never occurred to me that he might would have liked a boy - he made it feel so special to have two little girls.

After a long day of work, daddy came home to a great home cooked meal. We sat at the table and listened to daddy's day and in turn they listened to Lola and my day. Looking back, Mother never seem to have a day - she would sit there, smile, and made us all feel so special.

After dinner, mother cleaned the kitchen while daddy, Lola and I would go to the living room. Lola and I would have daddy sit in a chair. He had thick beautiful red hair. Lola and I would divide it in the middle and style his hair every way you could imagine. When he grew weary of the "beauty shop treatment" it was story tellin time.

We loved the stories; and, some of them we made him tell us over and over. Sometimes if he thought we needed more than the old stories, he would make up stories. He had the ability to tell the stories where you could smell the leaves and flowers, feel the breeze rushing against your checks, and could feel the animals; fur he was talking about. His immigration was endless.

Not only did he love his family, love telling stories, he instilled this love into my heart, mind, and soul. He is the main reason I am obsessed with genealogy. He and I would tour cemeteries, visit family and friends, talk about "old times", gather information to incorporate into our family history.

I was a very curious, inquisitive child. To my mother, I frustrated her. Many times she would turn to me and say, "You ask more questions than I can answer. You are making my heart hurt. Go ask your daddy!" So off I would skip to find daddy who never grew tired of the endless questions, why this, why that, who was that, why! why! Why!

Out of all his stories, one story remains my favorite. One of daddy's younger brother was Bernice Glatt Dyess (called B. G for short). B. G. seemed to be a favorite with their father, J. B. "Josie" Dyess. Thus, the story goes:

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One cold, crisp, frosty, morning, they were all out cutting wood getting it ready to bring into the house to keep the fireplace going. All were busy working except B. G. They knew better than to tell on him because they would all be in trouble.

Therefore, B. G took advantage of the situation. He climbed a tree and would swing from frozen limb to frozen limb singing a slogan, -- "Look, I'm Papa's little pet squirrel." he did this over and over again tantalizing the working siblings on the ground. "I'm Papa's little pet cat squirrel. I'm Papa's little pet cat squirrel".

SNAP! A frozen limb broke, down came B.G., frozen limb and all! Knocking the breath of out him for a little while, B. G. lay on the cold frozen ground. As the working siblings would pass by, they would glance down at him repeating his slogan in a mocking tone, "I'm Papa's little pet squirrel!" over and again.
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Daddy would end the story with a big grin on his face. We would beg and beg him to tell the story over and over again. We loved the slogan!

I'm so thankful I had this early beginning in my life, so glad that I'm still carrying on his tradition of family love, family history. I truly love my family just as much as Daddy loved us - sometimes I think more - if that is possible.

Daddy was very progressive in his work, thoughts, etc. We started talking about the DNA part of our research. Listening intently, he told me, "Callie Baby (that is what he called me), order that kit and scrap my cheeks." He was the first Dyess to do the DNA and his DNA has broken down brick walls for us. I still have some samples left at FTDNA and at times, I have different tests performed! This makes Daddy always with me.

The following picture, made January 5, 2006, is one of the last pictures made of Daddy. It was made for a newspaper article of daddy, his life, his ministry, and his family. The second picture is the last picture that Daddy and I had made together, October 2005, at event for B. G. (Papa's Little Pet Cat Squirrel).

I cannot end this without saying, "Thanks Daddy for all the family love you instilled in me. Thanks for going to all the family reunions with me - everyone loved you - you were always the STAR!" You will always be my STAR!
#Ancestors52

Reunions

GOLEMON Reunion - May 19, 2018 - Please give us a time and place. Thanks!!!!!

LEWIS Reunion - September 8th (Gardner Baptist Church), Gardner, LA Begins around 10AM; bring a dish; bring pictures; etc.

TERRELL Reunion - September 22nd Can someone give us a time and place?

SMITH Reunion - October 20th - (Bentley UPC Church) Bentley, LA Begins around 10AM; bring dish; bring pictures, etc.

BONNETTE Reunion at Hineston - Can someone please give us the date and time?

Obituaries

Percy Leon “Tommy” Rougeou, 81, of Boyce, passed away on Friday, September 29, 2017, and was buried in Hemphill Star Cemetery , Boyce, LA

Harl Rodney Lewis, 80, of Gardner passed away on October 4 2017. Interment was at Calvary Cemetery, Gardner, LA. 
Kayla Marie McFarland Book, 61, entered eternal rest on October 13, 2017. Interment was in Calvary Baptist Church Cemetery, Gardner,

Alice Laverne Wellman, 87, passed away at home on October 21, 2017. Burial was in Laurel Hill Cemetery, Leesville, LA
Dottie McDowell Nichols,70, passed from this world on Sunday, October 15, 2017. Internment was at Mt. Moriah Cemetery, Hineston, LA
Bobbie Gene Lott, 87, passed away peacefully on October 22, 2017, and was interred in Forest Park Lawndale, Houston, TX
Donnie Sue Hughes, 78, was a resident of LaCamp, Louisiana at the time of passing.
Velva Barentine,78, of Pineville, passed away on October 25, 2017, and was interred in the Alexandria Memorial Gardens, Alexandria, LA.
Johnny Lynn Long, Sr.,age 61, of Boyce, entered eternal rest on October 29,2017.  Interment was in Hemphill Star Cemetery, Boyce (Cotile), LA.
Lee Joseph Lafont , 53, of Calcasieu, entered eternal rest on Monday, October 30, 2017 
Ella Dyess Townley, 96,of Elmer, entered eternal rest on November 1, 2017. Interment was in New Hope Cemetery, Elmer, LA.
Edna Ruth Thiels, 82, of Cotile, passed away on November 03, 2017. Interment was in Hemphill Star Cemetery, Cotile, LA.
Mary Madeline Hack, 74, passed away on November 12, 2017, and was interred in Mt. Moriah Cemetery, Hineston, Louisiana
Ronnie Rachal, Sr.,48, of Elmer, entered eternal rest on Friday, November 10, 2017. Interment was in New Hope Cemetery, Elmer, LA
Jackie Eaves Williamson, 88, passed away on November 23, 2017. Burial was at Cannon Cemetery in Merryville, LA.
Rodney Wayne Boswell, 66, passed away on November 25, 2017, and burial was in Ebenezer Cemetery, Hicks LA.
Dorothy Faye Warren, passed from this life on November 30, 2017, and was interred in Calvary Baptist Church Cemetery, Gardner, LA.
Nola Lewis Smith , 82, of Elmer, passed away on Sunday, December 10, 2017, and was  buried in Calvary Cemetery, Gardner, LA
Joseph C. Vermaelen,72, passed away at his residence on Tuesday, December 12, 2017, a memorial service will be held at a later date.
Clarence Eugene “SMITTY” McArthur ,94, of Glenmora, entered eternal rest on Monday, December 11, 2017. Burial was in Roselawn Cemetery, Glenmora, LA.
Jerie Mae Rachal, 38, of Elmer, entered eternal rest on Monday, December 11, 2017 and was interred in New Hope Cemetery, Elmer, LA.
Trent Joyce Nichols, 84, of Elmer, entered eternal rest on Sunday, December 17, 2017.  Interment was in Camp Eight Cemetery, Otis, LA.
Carlos Miranda was born in Puerto Cabezas Nicaragua in 1948 and died in New Orleans 
on December 21, 2017. He attended Oak Hill High School in the 1960’s.
Reverend Bert E. Riddle, Jr., 85, of Glenmora, passed away on Wednesday, December 27, 2017. Burial was in Melder Cemetery, Glenmora, LA. 
Altha Louise Robinson Walters,76, of Otis, passed away on December 27, 2017and was buried in Camp Eight Pentecostal Church Cemetery