Not Fade Away: Labor Day is just around the corner

As Labor Day approaches, I've been reminiscing about family reunions from times past.

I also spent a little time this weekend trying to organize some old photos, including reunion pictures. I came across this photo of Aunt Beatrice, Aunt Ruby, Uncle Jesse and Uncle Charlie. It was the last time the four of them were all together again. We were in Winder, Ga. because it was close to Aunt Bea and her family and she was unable to travel.

That was a GREAT reunion! After we ate, we went across the street to a local church and shared a few hours of singing hymns and sweet fellowship. That was about seven years ago. How times flies, and oh all the questions I wished I would have thought to ask!

Seated: Beatrice Baucom, Jesse Baucom
Standing: Ruby Baucom Rosato, Charles Baucom

Uncle Jesse was one of the older children in the family, and Uncle Charlie was the second to youngest son. Bea was the oldest girl and Ruby was the youngest girl. And they were the greatest generation.

Right: Mother Bennie Hall Baucom & Children.

They came up as children through the Great Depression. Some of them went on to become members of greatest Armed Services this world has ever seen. They grew into young people who fought, and won WWII, or held down the home front while their men were at war. Then they built America back up while raising their own children.

I always think of them on Labor Day, because they all worked so hard, all their lives. And they started early. My own grandfather left school in the 4th grade to help support his family. He worked at Avondale Mills, where he met my grandmother and later worked for many years at Lamson and Sessions. He was sharp as a tack and served as the treasurer of the union there.

Uncle Jesse served for many years as the treasurer of the Jefferson County Employees Credit Union. (If memory serves, Uncle Jesse was the bailiff for one of the judges who put Martin Luther King in jail in Birmingham.)

I'll never forget being called for jury duty and Judge Mac Parsons telling the open court about going to see Uncle Jesse to get approval for the money to buy his first new car.

And there was the time that ol' Hanging Judge Jack Montgomery let me off on a traffic ticket when I told him Jesse was my uncle!

I think my grandfather and his siblings were rather accomplished for all their blue collar backgrounds and I'm proud of them. If they were here, I know they'd be proud of the high number of college graduates and business owners that are their children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Baucom Family, Lee Avenue, West End

The Baucom siblings lived lives of quite normalcy and their names are not written in the history books. But their memory is engraved upon the hearts of those they loved, who loved them in return.

Children of Estelle "Doc" Baucom and Bennie Eliza Hall Baucom: They are all gone now, but not forgotten.

James Edward Baucom Sr

Comer Eugene Baucom

Ben L Baucom

Jessie T Baucom

Beatrice M Baucom

Katherine E Baucom (Kitty)

Viola L Baucom (Lois)

Garland Baucom

Margie Baucom

Ruby Baucom

Charles Baucom