For Sister Number Five

Daddy had just graduated from Asbury College that Spring. During the summer he had moved his five children, pregnant wife, and a small trailer load of belongings from Mackville, Kentucky to Griffin, Georgia.  He had enrolled in Emory University's Candler School of Theology and accepted an appointment from the North Georgia Conference of The Methodist Church. Daddy would serve Midway, Sunnyside, and Vaughn churches near Griffin. Our modest, and might-as-well-say-it, sort of rundown parsonage was at 333 South Ninth Street. 

Santa arrived with our Christmas present a few days early that year at the Griffin/Spaulding County Hospital. Mother held a beautiful little girl, my fifth sister, up to the window so we could see her on December 19. 

You gotta admit, that's a cute baby cleaned up for Olan Mills...

... or cleaning up the icing spoons and bowls for Mama.

The whole family for Christmas. This must have been 1955 when Beth
would have been a few days past her first birthday.

When I think of little Beth I think of what a cutie she was and I think of fishing. I think of the day most of the family climbed into that '54 blue and white BelAir to head to a lake for a day of fishing. Hot and tired and six of us, at least, if not all eight, were riding back from the lake when somehow Beth got a fish hook embedded in her earlobe!  A few years later, when we were on another fishing outing in a trout stream (maybe Noontooley?) a very surprised Beth reeled in a Hellbender! 

Another Olan Mills picture taken at Belk Gallant department store in Griffin about 1958.

This Olan Mills shot was taken in a second story studio on the square in Ellijay about 1960.

This snapshot was taken the front yard of our parsonage on Dalton Street in Ellijay about 1960.

Mother used those Olan Mills coupons... maybe 1962?

I sometimes fought with my closest sister, Carol. Maybe even with Debbie occasionally. But little Beth could do no wrong in my book. She was only ten when I went off to college. 

A school pic. I wonder what grade -- I'd guess about fourth.

I took this sideways picture of Beth in the yard of Trinity's parsonage on Timothy Avenue in Rome.

Two more of my pictures of Beth... 

... in the yard at Trinity's parsonage.

Beth and a couple of her buddies on a Trinity church school outing
to the Pocket in northern Floyd County.

Beth's Sunday School class at Trinity, Easter 1964.

A picture we printed ourselves of  Beth in the yard in Rome.

Our family did a lot of camping. L-R: Terry, David, Beth.

Sometime in there she became a wonderful singer. When Sheila and I wrote our vows and planned our wedding ceremony we definitely wanted her to sing. It was almost a Beth Shaw concert. She sang "Bridge Over Troubled Water", "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face", and "Follow Me" -- yes it was a 70s wedding.

Now, sixty-seven years after that day in December 1954 when Mother held that pretty little baby up to the window, Sharlyn Beth Shaw is going through some rough times. But she is a strong and determined woman, and she will do it. 

I thought this would be good time to share some random pictures of her and hers; maybe she will enjoy seeing these during her recovery.

Glamorous Beth -- High School?

Outside Tallahassee heights United Methodist Church, August 8, 1971, immediately after our wedding.

The bride...

...with Mother...

... and Daddy.

Lyn and Steve holding Matthew, Josh, and Andrew.

Watching Josh with his cousin Andrew.

Steve putting devil's horns on Beth.

I love these two shots...

...I wish they were better exposed.

Singing to David's accompaniment at Mother & Daddy's 45th anniversary celebration.

Baby Josh trying out his walking skills in the hallway at the Trinity-Austell parsonage.

Beth with Amanda and Josh at Mexico Beach.

Beth, Josh and Amanda with me, Sheila, and Brannon...

... at the Coosa Valley Fair, 1984.

Cousins Brannon, Amanda & Josh...

...on the bench in our front yard on Cedar Avenue in Rome.

Brannon and Amanda with Grandshaw, 1986, just four days before Daddy's death.

Lillian's new uncle Chuck...

...gives her a ride on his motorcycle.

Then it was Jessica's turn.

The Perfect Seven with Mother

The Seven with Mother at Don's funeral.

Beth with Jan.

Celebrating with Mother at a book-signing at Barnes and noble in Rome. L-R: Beth, Debi, Mother, Carol, Joan, Terrell.

L-R: Mother, Beth, Amanda, Josh.

...and of course I could do another whole post on the next generation: Beth's five grandchildren.

West Rome Graduates, 1965

Knowing my Dad, I am sure there are more pictures from my 1965 graduation from West Rome High School, but I found these few slides this week and scanned them. Daddy, who was pastor at Trinity United Methodist Church from February 1962  until June 1967, was sure to photo our Trinity graduates.

Todd Zieger and Gordon Walden, a Trinity kid. Gordon's family lived on Avenue A and his parents were still living there when Sheila and I bought our Avenue A house 1993. Mr. Walden died not too much later, but I was glad I got a chance to talk to him a little about our house and its residents.

Judy Wessinger, a Trinity kid and good friend.

Anne Ergle, another Trinity kid, with her father (and Daddy's fellow Marine and good friend) Bill Ergle. Anne's funeral just a couple of years ago was the very last time my mother preached (from a pulpit). The Ergles were close to our family -- kids near our ages and they lived just a few blocks away.

Alice Jeffries (Keel) my West Rome Highlighters partner at WIYN back in the day. Alice was such a smart and kind kid, and she and I ended up both being teachers with an interest in the environment.

Paula Craven (Dickerson) another Trinity kid. Paula's Daddy, Paul, built the new parsonage on Timothy Avenue where we lived 1962-67. He also built the Nativity scene structure each Christmas season for many years before that task was passed down to his son Frank. The Cravens lived just around the corner and down a block from us. Paula figures in a couple of my most hair-raising high school adventures. Here's one: she was with me the night I was stopped by a Georgia State Patrolman, who (Horrors!) turned out to be my uncle, Tom Baird. I see him looking into my window with wide eyes and hear his voice even now: "Terry Shaw!"  I didn't get a ticket but it that stop was an effective check on my acceleration habits; from that day forward I imagined my uncle's patrol car behind every bridge wherever I drove.

Melvin Tolbert 1928-2022

I was honored to sing today for the funeral of Mel Tolbert. Mr. Tolbert was still driving himself to church just a few weeks ago. I enjoyed talking with him in the parking lot the last time I saw him. He still remembered my folks. He was a young father when my father was pastor at Trinity in the sixties. His daughter Cynthia is my sister Carol's age and she became a teacher in Floyd County Schools. She and I both taught at McHenry School for a while.

Our wonderful organist/pianist at Trinity, Debra Malone, rehearsed with me and accompanied me during the funeral on "In The Garden" and "How Great Thou Art"