March 31

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO...

Lottie and Luttie Thomas 1892

Gray Barrett Burford 1987

Jennie Odelcie Hicks 1914

ALSO...

Aaron Beekman 1793

Berdella Jordan Gard 1868-1950

Iva Jane Gibson Feller 1885-1953

Susan Adair Burkholder Till 1952

March 30

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO...

MY MOM

Wathada Jewell Burford Thomas 1936

Jewell Alma 'Judy' Burford White 1918-1999

Mom was born on Aunt Judy's birthday, and for some reason beyond explanation Aunt Judy was allowed to choose her name. She has never yet been forgiven. 

ALSO...

Jon Morley 1975

Margaret Gard Reel 1832

Randy Scott Anderson 1980

Theodore Louis Radde 1944

Uncle Ron

Last time I had a psychic reading, the first thing she said was, "There's a guy standing behind you making funny faces." I knew immediately it was Uncle Ron. I'd had a few readings before and it was always my dad who showed up. And the psychic had told me once that both my grandmothers are watching over me, too. But this is the first time Uncle Ron showed up. Well, I know why. And I know why he was making funny faces. He is trying to tell me that I need to remember how to have fun -- a skill I've pretty much lost somewhere along the way to retirement. Uncle Ron always knew how to have fun, and he put a lot of happiness into my life when I was growing up. 

One time we came home from visiting some other relatives and found the tree stump in front of our house had turned purple while we were gone! Well, it seems Uncle Ron had stopped by and when he found that we weren't home he waited a little while to see if we would get home soon. While he was waiting he wandered around back into the garage and found a can of paint. (Why we had a can of purple paint in the garage is beyond me.) So he proceeded to paint our tree stump purple. By the time he finished, we still weren't home, so he left.

I don't think it took us too long to figure out who had left this unusual calling card. (This was long before the advent of cell phones.) It wouldn't be anyone else but Uncle Ron. There weren't very many situations he couldn't turn into some kind of a fun time. 

Uncle Ron was taken from us way too soon. He died in an automobile accident while he was still in his 30s. But there's a story there, too. Uncle Ron's son -- Ronald Gene Burford, Jr. -- was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis when he was a baby. He took medications and had treatments and went frequently to a special medical clinic in South Bend, Indiana. (There's another funny story about one of those trips.) Of course, we were all praying for little Ronnie, as were all our church friends -- who were mostly relatives, too. Well, lo and behold, one time when they took little Ronnie to the clinic, the doctors told them that he didn't have cystic fibrosis any more! They had no explanation for it. They knew for a certainty that he did have CF before, and they knew for a certainty that he did not have CF now. And that's all they could say about it. There is no cure for cystic fibrosis, and people don't just outgrow it. At that time, the life expectancy was 10 years. Well... I can't tell you everything I know about it, but let's just say that there are those of us in the family who believe that Uncle Ron made a bargain with God to give his life in exchange for little Ronnie's. Today, nearly 50 years later, that boy is alive and well and has children of his own. 

 

March 29

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO...

Ronald Gene Burford 1944-1981

ALSO...

Earl Douglas Baker 1965

Eli Mowery 1874-1925

James Leeth 1799

Patience Gibson 1673 (England)

Walter Lee 'Sonny' Johnson 1934

Verlie Ethel Edra Arnold Garrett 1921 

(I have an obituary for her son, and according to it Verlie was still alive in 2018. She may still be living! If so, then she is 100 years old today.)

March 28

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO...

Brandon William Armijo 1981

Brody Vance Searcy 1996

Ezra Lough 1859-1891

Kathleen E Frye 1954

Melva Jean Baker 1958

Norman B Squires 1835-1881 

I don't have a picture of any of the birthday people today. But I do have an anniversary picture:

Lori Michelle Butler married Jason Daniel Miller 28 March 1998.

March 27

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO...

Dallas Miftlin 'Dale' Miller 1852-1903

OBITUARY for Dallas M. 'Dale' Miller (from the local newspaper):

Dallas M. Miller died at nine o’clock last night at his residence 466 Paw Paw street, of apoplexy, after an illness lasting only eleven days. The funeral services of D. M. Miller were held at the late residence of the deceased at 2 o’clock p.m. yesterday. Burial: Lake View Cemetery, South Haven.

More about Dale Miller:

March 26

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO...

Fairy Jane Stoner 1906 (left, with her brother Pearl)

Kenneth Leeth 1908-1951 (front left in the photo, with siblings, twins Dennis and Daisy, and baby brother Carl)

Christine Ellen Arnold Riggs Lucas 1933-2005

Christine has two memorials on FindAGrave website. Her children's last names are Riggs, and her gravestone gives her last name as Riggs. So I assume she later married someone named Lucas. (Sort of the same way Cleffie's headstone says Burford, and not Reed.)

ALSO...

Peter Marcellus Lough 1839-1922

Stephen S Gibson 1943

Wilma Joan Davidson Gay 1953

March 25

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO...

Nancy Ellen Carter Haigwood 1884-1972*

ALSO...

Earl Lavane Nicholson 1919-1971

Reinhold Till 1906

March 24

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO...

Abner Samuel Rhoades 1885-1968

Thelma Erlene Burford Slocum (right) 1924-1999

Also...

Elizabeth Maude Reiter Ford 1892-1958

Noble Thomas Warren 1929

Shelli Marie Newman 1973

Susan Thomas 1806

MARRIAGES

Margaret Ellen Squires married William Wesley Morrison 1858

Martha Lough married James A Delzell 1868

MEMORIALS

Martha Louisa Elizabeth Rhoades Sandridge died 1984

 

Melinda Paralee Carter (right) died 1943

Vera V Till died 1997

Also...

Cecil Myrick Hurlbut Jr died 1917 (age 2m)

Ralph E Cartee died 1986

March 23

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO...

Annie Gertrude Gibson Kinney 1873-1943

"Gertie" is in the back row, a little right of center, holding a baby (her son, Samuel Kinney). 

This photo of the Gibson clan was taken in 1908.

Also...

Ethan Allen Parker 1874-1875 (died age 1)

Jane Ellen Middlebush 1941

Jeffrey C Thomas 1953-1993

MARRIAGES

Ned Jonas Carter married Melinda Clingan 1851

Phebe Jane Herdman married John Wesley McCoy 1876

MEMORIALS

John Barry Carwell Jr died 1986

Maude A Bennett Cartee died 1921 (age 29)

March 22

I don't have any photos of the birthday people today, nor the marriages. I do have some pictures of Birdie Leona Hays -- wife of Marlie Arnold -- who passed away on this date in 1978. In this group photo Birdie is on the far right. The others are, from left, Jessie Tamsett, Maude Cartee, Etta Arnold, and Annie Arnold (my great-grandmother).

BIRTHDAYS

Anthony Brian Parks 1957

Dolly Lou VanMeter Rardain 1959

Geneva Faye Price Rader 1934

Mary Ann Gard Morgan 1836

MARRIAGES

Cynthia Armstrong married Andrew Woods 1871

MEMORIALS

Birdie Leona Hays died 1978

Lindel D Arnold 1984

Nellie Margaret VanMeter died 1919 (age 1y 4m 24d)

March 21

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO...

Alexander Oscar Burford Sr 1820-1858

John Mark Tatum 1965

Ola Bernice VanMeter 1912-1912 (died age 15 days)

William Thomas Madura 1996

Unfortunately, I don't have any photos of these people, nor are there any anniversaries or memorials for this 21st day of March. So instead I'm going to post some pictures that I recently discovered from a branch of the Burford family that was less familiar to me -- the three children of Alexander Burford Jr and his first wife, Helen Virginia Lockard, and their descendants.

Alexander Oscar Burford Jr, with his first wife Helen Virginia Lockard and their three children Raymond, Edith, and Hazel.

Edith, Hazel, Raymond

Edith Burford married Will Searcy. In this photo are her daughters: Laura, Eleanor, Nellie Jane, Willene, and son Bill's wife Estelle, with some of their children.

Raymond & wife Ruby, Hazel Burford Johnson, half-brother George Alexander Burford & wife Willie Mae, with their daughter Erlene & husband Arnold Slocum (the baby is their son Larry). Mallie is Raymond & Ruby's daughter-in-law. 

March 20

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO...

Lori Anne Burford 1964

David Allen Burford 1944

Also...

Stephen Hayden 1776, Annie Loria Herdman 1878

ANNIVERSARIES...

Benjamin Franklin Gard married Elizabeth Kitchen 1855

Wanda Ann Searcy married Walter Lee 'Sonny' Johnson 1964

March 19

 HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO...

Georgianna Thomas 1908-1992

Also...

Lawrence E Gibson 1880-1964

Ola Mae Owen 1899-1973 

Eugene Vincent 1928 

Franklin Elmer Seals 1877-1899

James Wilson Gibson 1796-1872

Lawrence Everett Bostick 1910-1997

March 18

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO...

Charles Dewey Dunn 1898-1898 (died age 25 days)

Stanley Burford Luker 1985

ANNIVERSARIES...

William Cartee married Nancy Carter 1898

Richard Gerald Hombs married Barbara O'Connor 1967

Allen Ethan Parker married Julia Ann Umphrey 1852

MEMORIALS...

William Edward Searcy Jr died 1976

Raymond Eugene Burford died 1994

Lillie Susan Rhoades died 1893 (age 15 days)

March 17

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO...

Betty Louise Carter 1929

Brandon James Treat 1986

Calbera W Mowery 1866-1889

Charles Callis Owen Jr 1970

Nicholas Gibson Lough 1833-1898

Prince Lough 1856-1857 (died age 1y 3m 22d)

ANNIVERSARIES...

David Vincent married Phoebe Barlow 1984

Daniel Parker married Rebecca Pillars 1825

MEMORIALS...

David Jackson Owen died 1951

Elmer Lee Owen died 1918

March 16

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO...

Lester Morris Burford, Jr 1939

Earl Dallas Parker 1892-1973

Helen Loeta Padgett Carter 1912-1939 

 Minerva Evalee Hicks Jones 1922-1995

ALSO...

Danny Leroy Turner 1982  

Jane Matilda Gard 1844-1845 (died age 1)

Wendy Lynn Bayman 1971

MEMORIALS...

Oma F Gibson died 1898 (age 2m 11d)

March 15

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO...

Charlotte Hicks Williams "Aunt Tot" 1879-1956

 Mildred Louise Burford 1923  (daughter of George and Willie Mae)

ALSO...

Edward Gus Heinze 1923-2004

Johnnie Alvista Sharp 1923

Lillian Elaine Baskins 2004

ANNIVERSARIES...

Allen Lough married Rosa Mourcer 1880

MEMORIALS...

George Rufus Carter died 1967

March 14

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO...

Mary Elizabeth Carter Dunn 1860-1920

 Stephen Ford 1863

ALSO...

Jean Ann Pierce 1953

Jeannie Lee Arnold 1948

Seth Gard 1775-1845

MEMORIALS...

William H Gard died 1870 (age 3m 1d)

Lydia Sink Gibson died 1857

March 13

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO...

 Malisa Evaline Burns Hicks 1845-1920

My great-great grandparents John Henry Hicks and Malisa Evaline Burns Hicks

Both of my grandmother's grandfathers were named John Henry.

Barbara O'Connor Hombs 1943

ALSO...

Alton Orr Thomas 1881

Edith Abbie Stuller Ford 1890-1952 (wife of Otho H. Ford)

Edna Mae Morehead 1890-1962

Karen Verlena Arnold 1958-1958 (stillborn or died at birth)

Melonia March Arnold 1954

Paul Franklin Jones 1933

Robert D Lough 1859-1940

ANNIVERSARIES...

John Paul McFadden married Amy Gwynne Dickens 1993

MEMORIALS...

Charles Fletcher Jones Jr died 1995

Catherine Courter died 1872

Moses Parker died 1905 (son of Elial Parker)

Samuel Walls died 1812

March 12

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO...

Audrey Treat 1896-1897 (died age 1y 9m, cause of death diphtheria)

Sherman Tecumseh Walters 1899-1980 

Also...

Addie Gard 1861-1884

Clara Lou Queen 1943

Donald Paul McFadden 1944

Ira Otis Dunn 1892-1958

Lois June Baird 1932

March 11

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ... 

Alexander Oscar Burford 1858-1929

William Rodney Treat 1922-1973

Also... Joseph M Seals 1885-1956, Logan Edward Heinze 1996, Wanda Lynne McMillin 1958.

March 10

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO...  

Electra Lough 1862-1927, Granville Gibson 1836-1913, James Gard 1830-1830 (died at birth).

I don't have pictures of any of them.

ANNIVERSARY... 

Dorothy Mae Arnold married William Lafkin 10 March 1956.