The Greatest Generation

This is Mrs. Ginnie Byrd. She is 96 years young. Mrs. Ginnie is another one of the fine folks of Byrdtown who helped pattern my son, Todd. Later she went to work in the cafeteria at Antioch Elementary School. She could put a hurtin' on raisin buns, macaroni and cheese, biscuits and yeast rolls. (Her chocolate pie was fought over at Homecoming!)

She was also an excellent knitter until a few years ago when her eyes failed her. She had pretty red hair back in the day.

This is Mr. Orren her husband of 63 years TODAY! He was my husband's Scout Master once upon a time. About 20 years ago he sold us a gasoline push mower so Hubs could mow our little brick courtyard. He told Curtis the secret of getting it to start every time on the first pull. It still runs like a top!

Mr. Orren worked in the shop at Sonoco for 39 years. He was an Air Force Pilot in World War II. I guess that makes him a part of The Greatest Generation. When Hubs asked him about those days he told us about flying over Germany and how they would send up missiles full of Flack. Flack was chunks of scrap iron that when disbursed could hit the airplane propellers and soon end your flying days. Now I know where the saying, "Don't give me any flack!" came from.

When I asked Mr. Orren, if he built their home, he told me he made most of the cement bricks the house is made of. He poured cement into a form let it sit up and then emptied it out and cured it. One at a time, folks; one at a time! The house has ten foot ceilings!

Now we know what made them The Greatest Generation! Courage, Persistence, Ingenuity!