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wilda gaye martin 51
USA
12 Posts |
 Posted - 11/05/2006 : 04:02:51
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I would like to share some things about my family. My mother RUBY MARTIN was a teacher at Craig school and at E Rainelle grade school, where she taught for 17 years. She raised my brother AFTON and ME He was the good kid. Mother always made sure that we had good magazines to read, and he found out about the boy scouts. He pestered so many men in town to help start a boy scout troop. He finally found someone and I think he was the 1st to be an eagle scout in the county. Chris I hope you read this because you were right about that. He did make canoes and helped others also and went in the E. Rainelle "crick" as well as other places. He also started a debate club in high and it fizzled out after he graduated in '45. He worked very hard and got his B A degree then kept going until he got his law degree. He became the Executive Director for the Kentucky Council of Human Rights and represented minorities for many years. He was the first lawyer to represent a white person in a job dispute. Of course they won: after all he was a Rainelle boy.
He ran marathons, skied at Aspen every year and rode a very fancy mountian bicycle for many years all over the country. Four years ago he was found on a trail unconscious and has never been the same. His health worsens all the time so all of you please pray for him. He has been featured on: "Sixty Mminutes" ,in magazines, and newspaper articles, for his dedication to equality for everyone.
When he dies he will leave behind one proud sister and lots of famous friends.
Do you wonder why so many of my teachers would ask me. "Why can't you be more like your brother?" I only felt pride not jealously, and still do today.
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Evelyn Utterback Drake 56
USA
67 Posts |
Posted - 11/05/2006 : 10:28:21
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Those of us who knew Ruby Martin thought so highly of her. She was very active in the Methodist Church. One Sunday, when I lived in Jeffersontown KY, I was in church and they introduced Ruby Martin. I looked and sure enough it was your Mother. After the service I talked with her and found that she was visiting your brother, Afton, there. Later that I day I went to his home and visited for quite awhile. As I remember, it was a chalet type house that sat high on a hill.
It's always good to hear about some of our Rainelle High grads "making good" in the world. Congrats to all of you.
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Andy Aide Pendleton 64
USA
297 Posts |
Posted - 11/05/2006 : 13:24:09
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Wilda, Thank you very much for writing your wonderful story about your dear brother Afton. Our website has truly allowed us to communicate with ones from the past and far away. We do appreciate hearing where classmates are and what they have done with their lives.....from your post your brother, Afton was a man of knowledge, compassion, resources and love for mankind. Our hearts and prayers are with you, Afton, and the entire family....
Wilda if there is any resources in the way of pictures pertaining to your brother and his life it would most certainly be our a pleasure and honor to share them with everyone.
Andy |
Edited by - Andy Aide Pendleton 64 on 11/05/2006 13:26:09 |
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wilda gaye martin 51
USA
12 Posts |
Posted - 11/05/2006 : 20:57:50
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EVELYN,
I do remember Mother visiting your church, she talked of it often as well as visiting Elda in Ca. She really thought a lot of both of you even though she didn't get to teach you. She often wrote about the times she saw you girls or got a letter from you.
Mother was so proud of all her students. She always felt she formed their lives. She died in June 1982 and I had so many former students come up to me at the funeral and church and tell me she actually did that.
WILDA GAYE MARTIN |
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wilda gaye martin 51
USA
12 Posts |
Posted - 11/05/2006 : 21:14:40
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Andy,
My neice has lots of things and I will try to get some from her. My brother ran for U S congress in 1990 and his daughter Julie was his campaign manager. He lost but they all had a good fun campaign. Julie is about as proud of her Dad as you are your'es.
One thing I have not read about you dad is that he brought in hores and for a small fee we kids could ride. I liked that as well as the skating rink so close by.
There is one thing I would like to add about your dad. He liked making money and achieving his goals but first and foremost was his kids. One time Mother tutored one of your brothers and she was so proud to learn that George didn't just want you kids to pass but he wanted you all to excel and after reading so much that you have written and can see he got his wish.
Both of you parents were always so nice to me, but I must confess that your Dad intimidated so much when I was younger. I think I must have been a little shy but I sure have gotten over that. He finally told me one time that he didn't bite and I was safe around him and I got over it.
WILDA GAYE MARTIN |
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ML2006
USA
256 Posts |
Posted - 11/05/2006 : 21:35:03
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| What a joy to read these posts about families and the lives of people from our home area. If everyone who reads this posted something about their families, we would have a biography of Rainelle for our posterity. I would enjoy reading more stories about our residents and what became of them. |
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Andy Aide Pendleton 64
USA
297 Posts |
Posted - 11/05/2006 : 22:00:51
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Thank you Wilda for your warm reply....
Dad has forty Harness horses that he races in different states...He loves his horses.......They are all named after members of the family..lol.....The great grandchildren are now claiming horses...
Dad's bark was always worse than his bite....lol..
Wilda it will be great if you can share your info concerning your brother Afton....
Andy |
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Patty Cox Osborne 67
128 Posts |
Posted - 11/06/2006 : 00:03:14
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Let's see how many East Rainelle 'kids' had Mrs. Martin.
I'm #1---I had her in the 1st grade!!!
Patty |
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Janet Ballengee Estep 68
USA
119 Posts |
Posted - 11/06/2006 : 08:30:11
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Mrs. Martin was my first grade teacher. I remember one day after recess she led us to the class room and we marched around the room with her as our leader, just like we were in a parade. What fun she was! She taught us to write by making sticks and circles on our papers, and she told us that we were setting the table, so we had one stick ( a fork), then a circle (the plate), and then 2 sticks (the knife and spoon). At least that's what I remember.
And in those days, teachers made home visits. My mom had a flower bed at the side of our house that had cosmos growing in it, lovely tall pink and red flowers. Mrs. Martin came to our house to visit. I believe she must have done this in the summer before I started school. But when she came, I was very embarrassed or shy or something. Anyway, I ran outside and hid in the cosmos at the side of our house. After my mom and Mrs. Martin had a little talk, they came outside and found me in the flowers. Mrs. Martin was a kind woman, but extremely bright, and a very talented teacher. |
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wilda gaye martin 51
USA
12 Posts |
Posted - 11/07/2006 : 01:45:01
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Janet,
You were one of the lucky ones. She sometimes visited homes and came home and cried because that home only had one fork and each kid took its turn every night or so getting to use it. Some of them had maybe one or two towels or something that most of us took for granted. Needless to say, she always came home and cleaned out drawers, and cabinets to divide. This was of course long before garage sales
WILDA GAYE MARTIN |
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Connard Estep 53
USA
57 Posts |
Posted - 11/07/2006 : 19:13:18
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Our family moved to East Rainelle in 1941 I was enrolled in the first grade and Mrs.Ruby Martin was my teacher. I think she was involved in the Hot lunch program somehow. does anyone recall that or is my memory fuzzy ? How long did she teach, What year did she retire and from where ?
Another Martin Family in E. Rainelle lived up 13th street area somewhere. I think the Fathers name was Kay Martin and he was a horse Trader as I recall. Was he in the same family as Mrs. Ruby Martin ? |
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wilda gaye martin 51
USA
12 Posts |
Posted - 11/08/2006 : 01:51:16
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CONNARD,
Mother taught at E. Rainelle for 17 yrs she had a stroke in '67 and retired then. She taught homebound children and substituted for several years after that.
We lived on 13th St beginning in '45, but we had no horses, but I do seem to remember a Kay Martin that had a lot of kids, one in my grade named Whorlen, but they moved and he did not graduate with my class of '51 |
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Patty Cox Osborne 67
128 Posts |
Posted - 11/08/2006 : 16:41:21
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Wilda,
The reunion committee recently sent out our second letter and I have discovered that your letter is in the 80+ that has been returned because of an incorrect address. If you will e-mail me directly, I will glady see that your address is corrected in our database and with your class contact person.
Thanks so much...Have a Great Day!
PS-I was one of the lucky ones that had your Mother for my 1st grade teacher!!!
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Pride in my family
