sitting by her grave in the Allen Cemetery. Lou was his world.

He has many memories from childhood where he worked in the field, mowed lawns, plowed gardens and many other things kids do to make a little spending money. As a kid he remembered living in a shotgun house behind the Artesian well. Up in there was where a number of Sun Ray Refinery employees lived. C.C. worked for the refinery cleaning out the big oil holding tanks. Once they finished the tanks in Allen, he and Morris Stick (another Allen boy) were sent by train to the C.C. Camp in Raleigh, Wyoming where they did the same job. They were picked up on Highway 1 by a horse-drawn Army wagon and taken to Holdenville to catch the train to Wyoming. While there they were also assigned to other jobs for the company like blowing up mountains to make for building new roads and planting trees for wind breaks.

C.C. spent many years in construction, working without modern day tools. One job he did when he was young and strong was to help build the Allen School Auditorium. One by one, he threw bricks up to the guys working on top of the building. He also helped with the construction of the Allen football stadium and other buildings in Allen. He did construction work in Ada too, including working on the Golden Dome at ECU as well as several dormitories and the ECU football stadium.

He was employed at the Grady Miller Gin in Allen for many years then, as he grew older, he started a small engine repair business, working on lawn mowers, rototillers, washers and dryers. He always enjoyed working in his garden.

C.C. now lives in Ada and, in order for him to stay in his own home, his son Kenneth lives with and takes care of him. His daughter Beverly and a home health nurse lend a helping hand. C.C. often talks about his and Lou’s life and the wonderful family he has including his “extras.” Then he starts naming aunts, uncles, and cousins by the dozen. He loves every one of them.

C.C. still loves to laugh and is able to walk, slowly and carefully, and he gets a kick out of teasing his nurses.