Recalling Gillespie School north of town

This week’s historical note taken from James Clark’s 2007 book on the history of the Vardaman area.
Students attending Gillespie School in 1945 were eleven: John Joseph and Billy Fred Alexander, Walter Claud Haire, Cecil, Lester, Hubert, Max Lee and Gerald Drew Holder, Edd and Winnie Mae McKenney, Nila Rose Stroup.
This school was located north of Vardaman just off Hwy. 341 west on present day CR 102. Some called this school “Nubbin Ridge.”
Congratulations to John Allen and Rita Leachman on their 25th wedding anniversary January 12.
Birthdays this week: Jan. 12 Bobby High, Goldie Hardin, Gail Spencer, Cora Buchanan, Ruth Bailey, Ricky Parker; Jan. 14 Mavis Gaskin; Jan. 15 Danny Tutor, Odie Glaspie; Jan. 16 Wanda Moore, Pam McGreger, Abi Freely.

Billy F. and I attended the grave service January 4 at Gesley Corner near Grenada for cousin Susie Chandler.
Cousin Gloria and Larry Brown from Paris also attended the service.
Sorry I missed the funeral of Ravis Winter but did have the exact time of his service.
Have known him and Kathryn through the years. They were married for 53 years.
They operated a “quick stop” in Vardaman for several years.

A former Vardaman pharmacist, Jack Spencer, died last week. For some time, he operated G&S Pharmacy in Vardaman.
Teresa Holder Parker, also from the Vardaman area, died last week. She was well-known for her many years of work in area restaurants. She and Phillip Parker were married for 50 years.
Sympathy is also extended to another Vardaman family, the Gerald Griffins.
Bro. Truman Carter, 81, of Amory died January 6. He was a Baptist minister for 63 years.
One of his last speaking engagements in Calhoun was at Lantrip a few summers ago.

He was a very colorful minister using extensive wit throughout his sermons. He once said, “The Lord likes humor, or else he would not have made a monkey.”
Good that June Sexton and Dalton Poynor were both back at church Sunday.
June was recovered from Covid and Dalton from appendectomy surgery the previous weekend.
The new Covid vaccine is in our area and several plan to be inoculated this week.

Received the stimulus check last week without the problem like before. This was a paper check rather than the card sent the other time.
Thanks to Douglas and cousin Rachel Reynolds for my Sunday restaurant meal.
Sympathy to all the bereaved families mentioned above and others that I am aware of including Diane Harmon, Donna Mills, Ruby Green, Timmie Lewis Jones (buried Saturday at Cane Creek.)