Curtin,OR was a small community with a gas station/grocery store, post office, church and one room school house back in the early 50's. It hasn't changed much as I stopped by there in 1999 when I traveled South for a family reunion.
Our grandparents had 90 acres a couple of miles up Bear Creek Road out of Curtin.
The ranch was made up of workable land for hay, gardens, livestock,and those darn chickens, besides a few acres of good first growth timber.
Dickie and I both spent the better parts of our childhood living there with our grandparents his father, my mother and our siblings. It was Dickie and I against the world , the older kids wanted nothing to do with these two little brats as we were the cutest of all, it's a fact!!
If something bad happened it was always me or Dickie who were blamed, we could never defend ourselves as the older kids ganged up on us.
Dickie's mom died when he was 13 and everything changed for him. Different people moved in and out of his teenage years and he joined the Army thinking it would help him sort out his life, it didn't.
We grew apart, I married and had my family, he didn't. We kept in touch and he would stop by every so often or call and we would have good visits, he stayed close to my mother as she was like a second mom to him.
He had turned to drugs early on and was over that by the time he was in his 30's.
He loved the Indian culture and had collected arrow heads while living in Lakeview,OR during the time his mom was alive .He enjoyed making his Indian crafts and hiking around the country.
In the summer it wasn't unusual to have him turn up at my door,tanned, shirtless, shoeless and a scarf wrapped around his head, looking for a soft cot, nice bath and a good home cooked meal. I loved talking with him late into the night about his adventures and he had many.He would stay a few days and then off he would go, maybe return in another year, but I knew our childhood bond was always there.
He always dreamed of having a normal, settled life, but he could never stay in one place long enough, he had a wondering spirit inside him, just seeking something he would never find until now...........Peace
Bio by his favorite cousin me!
Our grandparents had 90 acres a couple of miles up Bear Creek Road out of Curtin.
The ranch was made up of workable land for hay, gardens, livestock,and those darn chickens, besides a few acres of good first growth timber.
Dickie and I both spent the better parts of our childhood living there with our grandparents his father, my mother and our siblings. It was Dickie and I against the world , the older kids wanted nothing to do with these two little brats as we were the cutest of all, it's a fact!!
If something bad happened it was always me or Dickie who were blamed, we could never defend ourselves as the older kids ganged up on us.
Dickie's mom died when he was 13 and everything changed for him. Different people moved in and out of his teenage years and he joined the Army thinking it would help him sort out his life, it didn't.
We grew apart, I married and had my family, he didn't. We kept in touch and he would stop by every so often or call and we would have good visits, he stayed close to my mother as she was like a second mom to him.
He had turned to drugs early on and was over that by the time he was in his 30's.
He loved the Indian culture and had collected arrow heads while living in Lakeview,OR during the time his mom was alive .He enjoyed making his Indian crafts and hiking around the country.
In the summer it wasn't unusual to have him turn up at my door,tanned, shirtless, shoeless and a scarf wrapped around his head, looking for a soft cot, nice bath and a good home cooked meal. I loved talking with him late into the night about his adventures and he had many.He would stay a few days and then off he would go, maybe return in another year, but I knew our childhood bond was always there.
He always dreamed of having a normal, settled life, but he could never stay in one place long enough, he had a wondering spirit inside him, just seeking something he would never find until now...........Peace
Bio by his favorite cousin me!
Curtin,OR was a small community with a gas station/grocery store, post office, church and one room school house back in the early 50's. It hasn't changed much as I stopped by there in 1999 when I traveled South for a family reunion.
Our grandparents had 90 acres a couple of miles up Bear Creek Road out of Curtin.
The ranch was made up of workable land for hay, gardens, livestock,and those darn chickens, besides a few acres of good first growth timber.
Dickie and I both spent the better parts of our childhood living there with our grandparents his father, my mother and our siblings. It was Dickie and I against the world , the older kids wanted nothing to do with these two little brats as we were the cutest of all, it's a fact!!
If something bad happened it was always me or Dickie who were blamed, we could never defend ourselves as the older kids ganged up on us.
Dickie's mom died when he was 13 and everything changed for him. Different people moved in and out of his teenage years and he joined the Army thinking it would help him sort out his life, it didn't.
We grew apart, I married and had my family, he didn't. We kept in touch and he would stop by every so often or call and we would have good visits, he stayed close to my mother as she was like a second mom to him.
He had turned to drugs early on and was over that by the time he was in his 30's.
He loved the Indian culture and had collected arrow heads while living in Lakeview,OR during the time his mom was alive .He enjoyed making his Indian crafts and hiking around the country.
In the summer it wasn't unusual to have him turn up at my door,tanned, shirtless, shoeless and a scarf wrapped around his head, looking for a soft cot, nice bath and a good home cooked meal. I loved talking with him late into the night about his adventures and he had many.He would stay a few days and then off he would go, maybe return in another year, but I knew our childhood bond was always there.
He always dreamed of having a normal, settled life, but he could never stay in one place long enough, he had a wondering spirit inside him, just seeking something he would never find until now...........Peace
Bio by his favorite cousin me!
Our grandparents had 90 acres a couple of miles up Bear Creek Road out of Curtin.
The ranch was made up of workable land for hay, gardens, livestock,and those darn chickens, besides a few acres of good first growth timber.
Dickie and I both spent the better parts of our childhood living there with our grandparents his father, my mother and our siblings. It was Dickie and I against the world , the older kids wanted nothing to do with these two little brats as we were the cutest of all, it's a fact!!
If something bad happened it was always me or Dickie who were blamed, we could never defend ourselves as the older kids ganged up on us.
Dickie's mom died when he was 13 and everything changed for him. Different people moved in and out of his teenage years and he joined the Army thinking it would help him sort out his life, it didn't.
We grew apart, I married and had my family, he didn't. We kept in touch and he would stop by every so often or call and we would have good visits, he stayed close to my mother as she was like a second mom to him.
He had turned to drugs early on and was over that by the time he was in his 30's.
He loved the Indian culture and had collected arrow heads while living in Lakeview,OR during the time his mom was alive .He enjoyed making his Indian crafts and hiking around the country.
In the summer it wasn't unusual to have him turn up at my door,tanned, shirtless, shoeless and a scarf wrapped around his head, looking for a soft cot, nice bath and a good home cooked meal. I loved talking with him late into the night about his adventures and he had many.He would stay a few days and then off he would go, maybe return in another year, but I knew our childhood bond was always there.
He always dreamed of having a normal, settled life, but he could never stay in one place long enough, he had a wondering spirit inside him, just seeking something he would never find until now...........Peace
Bio by his favorite cousin me!
