My Family Stories

"Colleen, She Who Loved Fiercely" She sought escape from Chesterfield's small streets, A beauty school graduate with fire, The World's Fair called to all her heart's desire, First taste of freedom, bittersweet and fleet. She loved her daughters fiercely, tried her best, Though worn and weary, never ceased to care, She gave them life and love beyond compare, Her beautiful legacy, her truest test. The cancer stole her voice, her vibrant soul, Had danced and fought and loved with all her might, Yet still she burned with such a stubborn light, She'd played the underdog to find her whole. She lived, she loved, she suffered, and she grew, And found at last the peace she came to knew. The above sonnet was made from an interview with her sister, Connie Marshall. Here is the summary of this interview: Colleen's Early Life Connie's earliest memories of Colleen are colored by sibling friction, including a story Colleen loved to tell about Connie threa...

"Touch Your Nose and Think of Her" She had a spark that no one could contain,  Her laugh would land before the punchline came,  She'd itch her nose and take the playful blame,  And laughed the hardest at her own refrain. She set your nails and set your whole heart right,  Her crafting hands could fill a room with cheer,  She made you feel like some might want you near,  And talked with you from morning into night. No judgment crossed her face when you came home,  Her love was wide enough for every flaw,  She gave you more than you thought love could draw,  And made sure no one ever felt alone. She burned so bright we still recall her flame,  And carry her forever in her name. "Still Catching Fire" She would talk for hours, never lost for words,  Her laugh would fill the room before she spoke,  A fire in her that no one ever broke,  Who'd pick the daisies free as summer birds. She never turned you aw...

"Bouncing into my Heart" In your back yard where soft green grasses lay, A rabbit hopped with grace beneath the sun, Its tiny paws would dance in morning’s ray, A gentle heart, whose journey now is done. Beside the tortoise, calm and wise of shell, The rabbit brought a joy that brightly shined, With bounding leaps and stories it would tell, A friend who left warm memories behind. Now in the hearts it touched, it finds its rest, A spirit free, like winds that softly sweep. Though gone from sight, it lives within the chest, In cherished dreams where love and memories keep. So let us hold that joy, both calm and bright, A bond of love that never fades from sight. "For Mr. Banks, our friend in fur" A young dog, we loved our golden doodle dear, With curls that bounced like joy upon the ground, In every leap and bound, his love was found, A spirit bright, forever full of cheer. He'd walk with me, so faithful, always near, His furry hugs to Dad ...

 In Silent Codes, a Sentinel's Resolve Since fifteen, sparks flew from a tesla's coil, A boy with dreams of circuits in the air. He knew his path was destined, clear, and fair, To fix it all with more than basic foil. In the '60's, the Air Force called his name. A wiry youth, two pounds above the line. For cryptic keys and secrets to refine, He took the oath and set his heart aflame. Through sleepless nights, the ciphers were his shield. A silent sentinel in Guam's harsh light. A guardian of peace in endless night. He kept the codes secure, the truth concealed. Keymaster, a Tech Wizard at his core, Code Keeper whose legacy will endure. A Chance Encounter, Love’s True Design One call, one night, a doorbell rang too soon, His gentle spirit knocking, fate designed. Two paths aligned, where wires and hearts entwined, A chance encounter under July’s moon. He wasn’t searching for a love so true, Yet found it waiting, curlers in her hair. Whose calm...

 "From Darkness to Light" Baseball bat thrown, its cruel path unseen, Across young eyes that sparkled in the sun, Till blackened nights replaced where light had stun, And shadows grew where childhood had been seen. Yet through the dark, a strength within him grew, A keen, sharp sense to guide him through each day, With touch and sound, his world isn't even gray. And love, like the dawn, still made it's way through. He sought a cure, a flame within his chest, That burned for the sight of his mother's smile. A plea to heal, to end his darkness' trial. Light returned but with colors never blessed. And with restored sight, he lived unrestrained, His world reborn, no longer shadow-chained. "In St. Louis' Embrace" In St. Louis' streets, where dreams were spun, A family grew beneath the city's gaze, Through crowded lanes, in youthful, carefree phase, Buddy led the way, their guiding sun. With every game, a brother’s bond ...