Visiting Uncle JD

Yesterday was such a beautiful day (and cool!) that we decided to drive up to Cleveland for a little excursion. Beautiful day for a drive. Ran into a couple of teeny sun showers, but nothing that lasted longer than five minutes. We went to an old cemetery in the middle of Columbia (in Lorain County). Man, was it gorgeous! Well taken care of for one o old. No new burials, just old monuments. Didn't stay long, as we were only looking for a couple and then it started a little shower, which sent us scurrying back to the protection of the car. Then we headed to a Cuyahoga County public library branch to get a card. Mom and Sarah found some cool online databases available from some Cleveland libraries if you have a card. Online newspapers mostly.

However, we drove right through North Olmsted and Historic Olmsted Falls. Well, we made an unplanned detour . . . passed directly infront of Sunset Memorial Park, the cemetery where Uncle JD is buried. So we got to go visit him again! I was so thrilled. Twice in a month! The cemetery had raised and leveled his stone, so now you could see all of it. I think this was the most exciting part of the day. Totally unplanned and very nice.

You know, Uncle JD has been my "adopted" uncle ever since I can remember. I used to love looking through Mom's large photo album, full of all the old family pictures, and find all the pictures of Uncle JD. "JD" is short for James Denver. James Denver Gillespie. He was born 1 March 1928 in Smith County, Tennessee. He was the youngest of Mama and Papa Gillespie's children. Gramma Chaffin (his sister) always said that JD looked exactly like their cousin Stanton Henry. We actually found a photo of Stanton for the first time the other day, and she was really right. Obviously, he looks like the Henry side of the family (His siblings don't look like him).

JD joined the Army in 1946 and served in Germany. While there, he met and married Aunt Margaret (whose full name was Anna Margareta Elfriede Wacker). They came back to the US when he was discharged, and in 1951, they moved to Cleveland where he was the second man hired before the opening of the Ford Factory (Cleveland Engine Plant No. 2) in Cleveland. He said that he would have been the first except another man pushed ahead of him. Grampa Jim said that JD was an excellent mechanic and loved to work on cars. They never had any children. Mom says that they lived in a modest little house that was pretty immaculate. On 30 December 1977, he came home and laid down on the sofa to take a nap and never woke up.

Aunt Margaret remarried and lived in Tennessee. I have spent hours over the years looking online for a death notice for her, as we could never find out if she had died. When Gramma was still alive, she told Mom that Margaret married a man named Paul Minke. How many times have I tried looking for "Minke". Mom talked to her cousin Duwayne last month about Aunt Margaret and it turns out that she married Paul "Mencke"! What a southern accent can do to a name! She passed away last year, and I was able to find her obit, make a FindAGrave memorial for her and someone took a photo of her grave marker!

Going to visit his grave, I was sitting by it thinking how sad it is. He had no kids. They lived away from his family, so he is buried by himself. Who'll remember him? How many stones are like that? People that have no direct relations to remember them. I think that is very sad. So I am remembering my very special Uncle. Sadly, I never got to meet him, but I feel like I know him. And I know that one day in Heaven, I will finally get to meet him. The great-great uncle I never knew. Oh, what an exciting day that will be!

Here is a fantastic poem that he wrote. I think Mom got this from Aunt Lucille (his sister). What a fantastic piece to leave behind.

A SINNER'S PRAYER

I went out for a walk one day
on a cold Winter's morn.
Then I saw a vision
of Gabriel with his horn.
I fell down on my knees to pray
and to Jesus I did say,
"Please cleanse my soul of sin, O Lord,
for I repent today.

I am just a lonely sinner, Lord,
who is learning how to pray.
So, won't you shine your light on me,
so I can see the way?
I pledge my soul to Jesus,
to do with what He may,
In hopes He'll take me to His Father
on that Judgment Day.

O, Jesus, can't you hear my plea?
I put my trust and faith in you
who walked upon the sea.
Oh, yes, I love you, Jesus,
I look for you today,
Who gave His life upon the cross
so my soul can be saved.

Yes, I want to go to heaven
to sit by His right hand;
I want to climb those golden stairs
into that promised land,
If I could meet my Savior,
who wore the crown of thorn,
Then I could die in Peace, O Lord,
let Gabriel blow his horn."