In Memory

November 10th, 1979 dawned bright and frosty at our Ozark farm in Missouri. From our front patio, my husband Clayton and I watched the river run clean and clear. Ducks and geese dined on the leftovers from the corn harvest across the way. Two of our senior citizen horses nibbled at remaining grasses in our pasture while the young buckskin, Smoky, in foal, whinnied for oats. Inside our warm house, our granddaughter Jami played on the kitchen floor. We’d celebrated her third birthday just ten days before. She looked forward to big plans. She and “Poppa” would do a little fishing in the morning. Then a horseback ride with Aunt Lynn and grandma, a nap and out for an evening with neighbors.

All went well until after dinner. Then, Clayton began to suffer an asthma attack. The next few hours flew by in a mad rush to get home, call the doctor, drop Jami off with Aunt Lynn and the final, futile dash to the hospital.

We still find it hard to talk about, so we call each other and murmur words of sorrow and comfort. We remember.

Lucky for us, Grandpa Glenn came into our lives. He stepped into the role of husband, step-dad, grandfather and great grandfather. We love him dearly and congratulate ourselves that he found us.

Clayton Barnett 7/2/49

5 Responses to In Memory

  • Rennie Diemer says:

    This entry brought tears to my eyes. I also loved Clayton as my “other father”. I remember such fond times. Like the fork fights at the dinner table. That trained me for future fork fights with my father in-law, to keep him from stealing my frosting off my cake.( A Diemer tradition). I think because of my training I was able to keep my frosting and capture his fork. That was the first and maybe only time I actually impressed my mother in-law. lol I also miss him. I’m so happy you and Glenn found each other. I hope to have that Blessing some day also.

  • Glenn Haynes says:

    I too, knew and loved Clayton. During the years when Beth was my “Star” salsperson (Internationally,) Clayton’s was the only shoulder I could lean on when Beth made it abundantly clear I was the worse Manager in creation.
    When I came to Kansas City and called on Clayton at his office, moaning about his wife’s latest antic, his reply was usually, puffing on his unlit pipe “Glenn, you’ll just have to learn to live wth it.”
    Peophetic indeed…

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