Our
Memories
of
Carroll R.
Patterson
Our
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| Doris Hereford, one of Carroll's six sisters | Carroll spent a lot of
time with me and my family when I was married to Bob Osterman. Every time
I think of our spelling lessons (asking him and Bob to spell words out of
the phone book), I crack up laughing.
I remember how much he loved his family, especially his grandchildren. Mama always said, "If Carroll comes home, I know he will come to see me." And he always did. Carroll was a great teaser, but did not like to be teased too much--especially, playing hearts. He meant business when he played that game, and wanted to win (he said he didn't, but we all knew better), ha! He taught Mama to play. You should have seen him laugh when she would get the Queen of Spades. This is just a scratch. I really loved that man, and I know he loved me. He showed it. |
| Amy Bell, Carroll's granddaughter | When I was about 4 or 5, Mom and
I were spending a couple of weeks with Granny and Pat in the trailer. It
had rained earlier in the morning, and I was outside playing with Pat when
a turtle walked through the yard. He told me to come closer so he could
show me something, and then he took his cigarette
out of his mouth and lit that little turtle's shell on fire! At first I
thought it was mean, but he just laughed and told me it wouldn't hurt the
turtle. Then he stamped out the fire and sent the turtle on its way.
He thought it was funny, and I thought it was crazy which just made him laugh harder. |
| Steve Badger, Carroll's son-in-law | When Carroll and Ruth lived in
Des Almands, Louisiana, Carroll took me fishing. It was very cold,
and the boat ride lasted almost an hour (as I recall). As we neared where
we would fish, he told me to jump out of the front of the boat onto land,
and pull the boat ashore.
When I jumped out of the boat, I sank into mud up to my waist! Well I struggled through the mud and pulled the boat in. Carroll found some wood, built a fire, and made me strip down and dry my clothes--I would have frozen otherwise! I don't recall if we caught any fish or if I caught a cold. What I remember most was Carroll saying to me over and over, "Steve, I am so sorry that happened to you and not me!" Then he would laugh out loud--cause he really didn't mean it. I still smile when I remember this. |