Slice of Life: Pics of Old PIcs!

I've spent the last week in Bryan, Texas, helping my sis, Kay, and her husband, Ben, get settled in their new home. Last night, I pulled down one of her photo albums and immediately found myself wanting copies of quite a few pics. My latest strategy is to take a pic of the pic. And so today I'm sharing several pics taken 70+ years ago. 

My grandfather, Andrew T. Scifres, was a Baptist minister. He preached for the last time on April 29, 1945, at Mountain Home Baptist Church. He was 89 years old. Here's a picture that was taken on that day.

My grandfather, Andrew T., is on the back row, 7th person from the left. He's wearing suspenders.

He was the father of sixteen children, thirteen who lived to adulthood. He died on June 14, 1945, just six weeks after this picture was taken. He had three sons who had recently returned from serving in World War II: Lee who served in the US Navy and was at stationed at Pearl Harbor when it was bombed, and Elbert and Ellis (my father) who served in the US Army. 

The next few pictures were taken at my grandmother's funeral, Martha Ada, who died on June19, 1945. The first pic includes all the living children, except for Estelle who was not in attendance, the three children who died in childhood, and Cordie who  died in 1942.

 Front Row: Minnie Crownover, Melissa Ryan, Mary Howard, Ellis Scifres, Henry Scifres
Back Row: Perry Scifres, Hezakiah Scifres, Lee Scifres, Elbert Scifres, Jim Scifres, Alfred Scifres

Children of Andrew T. Scifres & Sarah Anlin Smith 
Front Row: Mary Howard, Melissa Ryan
Back Row: Perry Scifres, Hezakiah Scifres, Henry Scifres

Children of Andrew T. Scifres & Martha Ada Young
Left to right: Lee Scifres, Elbert Scifres, Jim Scifres, Ellis Scifres (my dad), Minnie Crownover, Alfred Scifres 

It's exciting to visit and label these old pictures. I'm grateful for my sis (nine years older than me) who knows who's who in each picture.