I have to say that God gave me the greatest grandparents ever! All of them loved the Lord and their family. I loved all the times I got to spend with each one of them...singing songs or playing games with Dot, camping at the lake and playing cards with granddaddy, crocheting with grandmother, and eating ice cream and drinking cokes with Nore! They all in their own way taught me about Jesus and for that I will be forever grateful!
Dot & Nore ~2000
Dot & Nore ~ Christmas 1999
Nore & Granddaddy ~ 2000
Nore, Dot, & Grandmother ~ 1996
It's difficult to say goodbye to Nore. He was my last grandparent living and I will say that he spoiled me just a little bit, but then I was his only granddaughter (at least until the great-granddaughters came along). Nore and Dot would always go to the beach with us. My all time favorite picture is of him and Dot at the beach. I love they way they still look so in love after many years of marriage. Nore referred to it as happier times...grateful that they can be together again after 10 years apart!
Dot & Nore ~ Daytona Beach, FL on their anniversary in 1983
Dot & Nore with me in 1983
Nore worked in the county office for the school system and I got to go to work with him one day. I had the best time helping him with the mail and seeing what he did. Since Nore worked at the county office he would often get old textbooks, desks, or chairs that were being thrown out. That was the greatest thing ever to me and helped to provide me with my own classroom at such a young age.
After Nore retired from the school system and would be home during the day, we would often sit out under the shade tree and drink our coke. I always had to have mine in the silver cup with a clear bottom (don't know why or why I remember this, but it was what I wanted). (***SIDE NOTE*** We were discussing this after the funeral and I mentioned the cup. Well, they were sitting on the shelf in Nore's kitchen and someone asked why they had the playboy bunny on them. I obviously had no idea this was on there and mama says that Dot never liked these cups. Not sure why they kept them because that was definitely NOT my grandparents! I wanted one of these, but not so sure I'll bring it into our house.) We would do this at 10 in the morning and 2 in the afternoon...also known as coke breaks. Not only would we drink coke, but Nore may be the only person in my life who ever offered me ice cream before supper! No wonder he was the greatest! A few years ago he started buying the blue bell 3 oz cups. His famous lines were, "3 oz never hurt anybody." That's why it was ok to have two or three of them!
Nore with Lacy & Robby ~ Christmas 1999
55th Anniversary ~ 1996
Nore loved to cut grass, ride his tractor, and feed his cows! I always loved it when I could ride the lawnmower with him and help him cut the grass. I remember helping him feed the cows many times and how he could call them so well. They knew his voice and would always come running. I especially loved one cow that had a calf on my birthday. I think it was the first cow that I ever saw being born. I believe that calf's name was Leigh after Dot and myself. It would often stress Nore out when his cows would get out and we'd all have to help to round them up. On Nore's 80th birthday mama had one of those companies that puts out the sign and animals to come put out different farm animals. It was so much fun to stand at the bathroom window in mama and daddy's house and watch Nore go outside and see them after mama called and told him his cows were out.
I loved to sit on Nore's porch and swing. We would sit out there and count the cars that came by or watch the bicyclers ride by on Thursday nights. When we were little him and Dot would sit out there and watch all of the grandkids play ball in the front yard. It was always a relaxing time!
Nore would always make me laugh if he would call and leave a message. He would always say, "This is C.L. Spain at 770-963-4215" and then leave his message. It was so funny that he would say this on our voice mails when we would know it was him.
There are so many great memories with Nore and all my grandparents. Memories that I hope will continue to be made for generations to come!
Family was always important and we loved being together!
Nore with Raleigh
We also loved showering Nore with gifts
Going to visit!
For the past 10 years, Nore was without his "helpmeet" and mama filled in well for Dot. She wouldn't brag on herself, but I will. She cooked and provided meals for him in some form every day and even put up with him changing his mind 100 times about what he wanted. This was done after she had worked until 3:00 at school and would rush home to have something cooked for him so he could eat by 4:30 or 5:00. And if she was ever going to be gone for a few days then she would make sure that his refrigerator was full so he would have enough to eat while she was gone. She did so much for him in 10 years and I know he was extremely thankful even if he didn't show it at times. If it wasn't for mama he probably wouldn't have lived this past year and a half. She brought him home from the hospital last year after he had broken his ankle and helped him get back to walking. I'm so thankful that she worked so hard to do this and give us another year with him! Mama~thank you for taking such good care of Nore and being a wonderful daughter to him and an example to all of us. You're going to make it difficult for me to live up to all that you have done! I love you!
Nore~We love you and are going to miss you!
Here's a link to the news broadcast that was aired
