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Thursday, ffottaiber 26,1959The Arieoft* Republic6Love Thy Neighbor(IMt li the last In a serfM of Pvt articles on the Pit M Niggle Hayes, Yavapai It-«A4.)nr MAGGIE HAVES At ToM to John pnklnsLeonard proved to be an Ideal husbstnL He was kind. MAakfet4t«: andgenflt to me and my littla son. The agency had allotted us a plot of land, and we b«h went to work on It Soon we had one of the Wee* farms mi the reservation. For the first time In my life, 1 knew what It fek like to be truly happy.The event* of my past File, began to cease to haunt me. I wasn't afraid any more. Life became brighter and look on mellow and beautiful meaning.Our daughter, Fannie. was born lo us Sept. 7, 1*16. Our second child, another girl. Haul, arrived Feb. 19. 1919 Then our ion, Leonard Jr.. came along April 21. 1921, and our family was complete.Life with us must have followed along the lines of any olher normal parents raising a family. We had our problems, and our celebrations. In our community, as well it In our lives. We usually made It aMaggiepetti to IBM! (Ml) MMMt (A the Verde Valley, «MI »y 'ititKhff. h mi n mwft Mfer-t* onn than at MitlfclMMft. and it also *av» us a ehs*** ®f environrmnt. which la good for anyone.Construction on the Clarfcdite smelter was started la Mil, and *wna Urn# dutlng tht apfMg of 1911. II su pit into operation. Many of the Indians in th* Verde Valley moved to a little hollow Just west of the town of Clark-dal*. w that those who were aht* to gel Jobs at the smelter would be Clooe to work. It wai during thu period that Mother and my two brothers moved there, ft was to that place we would g for the Summers.Te grt la Clarkdala from our hwtvi wii quit* ill operatic*. We stll had la ge by wagon to Phoeats, catch On Saata Fe Iraki through Pratfall ta Del Pie, Irenefer ta the war-row pep railroad for Jo-roma, transfer to ih* auto-stagt far Clarkdala. By makksg good cormedlena, we waro able to gat there la thraa days.Tha funny ihleg ebout U aD la that wa had ta travel almost 2*9 mike k a rauwd-about trip ta reach a point roughly IS mike, as Mm crowFinally, in 1924, we decided lo move to Clarkdale permanently. Leonard went to work In the Clarkdale Smeller as ao assistant crane operator, and 1 went to work In Clarkdale doing laundry and housework for some of the families there, while mother took care of our children.We were Just about ready lo build when the depression hit Many men were laid off In the mine and smelter, when the bottom fell out of the price of copper. Leonard was among those laid olf. Fortunately, I was still able to find work in town, so we didn't go hungry. Only our plans to bulkl a better home just had to wait.Leonard went back to work atStand by to too Lawson's Doubl# Pagp Ad in today's papar!the imetet Just at seem as they rafted fan sea!* operationsEl*. With financial conditionsMtilflg more favorable, we began making plans again, since the how w* were living in was nothing more than a 'thick' and much t» small for our family.This need was further impressed on us with th* unexpected Meath of my son, Jack. He caught a bad cokJ, which developed Into double pneumonia. and died Oct. S, 19J1. He was Just i imie over 18 years old. We doubled our efforts to get our house built; and in 7912 we moved into our new home, which haa been my home ever aince.My brother and my uncle bad la Ma most ot the build-leg of our oew house, since Leonard was having a lot of trouble with his btek. He would go to the company doctors. from lime to time, but Mm medicine (hey perscrlbed (ailed to give him mwch re-ll*f. H* wtuld feel a Iktle better lo Mm mornings; however, by Mm time hi* shift wot over lo Mm evening, he was k agony and completely exhausted whoa be got home. H* stayed on the Job until acme time la January 1117. when he hod to give up aod go to bod. But not lor Ion*. He died on Feb. 28, 1917, of Bright's disease.The Grim Reaper struck again, that same year in August. when my Mother parsed on lo her reward. My world seemed lo b* falling all arouwd me, yet 1 knew Hus was ro lime for dejection, but raiher a lime for reflection. Actually, my problems of the moment were small in comparison lo those which mother had faced all alone, without complaining.Since I had never slopped working, my work pattern never changed. TTtcre were still mouths to feed, clothes to buy. and a thousand olher things to do. 1 had Leonard Jr.’s education to think about. He was a Junior in high school thal fall and graduated, with honors, in 1940. I sent him to aeronautical school In Glendale. Calif., lor a l year, after which ha got a job I at an airpoct in San Diego to acquire a BUle practical experience In aircraft repairing. Affer eight months, he returned to Clarkdale lo be with us for a while. He goc a job in the j smelter as a pope fitter and | boiler maker, where ho worked ; until he became of age and was drafted into the army.Owing to his previous expert eoce In aeronautics, hewas transfetted to th* alt force, took Ms basic training In Colorado, fhea went to Florida where he received Ms wings In 1943. He was assigned to the Mediterranean theater sa a tall gonner on noe of the big bombers.While on a bombing mis-ston. Thanksgiving Day 1944, Mm bomber crashed oo Mm side of a mountain In a dense fog. rtM entfra crew were killed.It was a long lime before they were able to recover the bodies afler that fateful Thanksgiving Day mission; but In due time, they serf my son's body back to us. He was buried, with full military honors, al Fort McDowell where he was born. As his beneficiary. 1 received the Insurance money sktng with a pension.Alter a period of visiting wilh friends atvd relatives, II was a relief to return home, to have a little time to myself, to Bather my wits, lo do a little serious thinking, to analyze the meaning of life and death, and to speculate on the meaning of war and peace.Through the years 1 had worked for many while people, in their homes, and I really got to know them. They had their good qualities, they also hod their faults. The same thing applies to the Indians on the reservations and also out in the work).What does Thanksgiving Day 1999 hold In store for the peoples el the world? Maybe to some, a leeflag of security. To other*, a feeling of despair. To many, perhaps, die fear of atomic warfare and annl-hllaMoa of tbs human race. Caa thU all be because the true meanlag ead purpeea of Thanksgiving haa been (or-gotten?Thanksgiving D*y could well become that gceat Love Thy Neighbor As TTiysel! event, the time for more ooul searching and less fault finding; then, In time, the spirit of brotherhood will spread around the world.Each oae cd us had the power to plant the seed of brotherhood In his own heart. Then, with a little tender loving care, It will grow!Anyone — anywhere — whn likes this Idea can Join those of us who are going to do something about It in our own neighborhoods In our own way on Thanksgiving Day 1S5S.Therefore, may you and your neighbors have a Happy Thanksgiving Day together.
Newspaper Details
Phoenix Arizona Republic
Phoenix, Arizona, US
Thu, Nov 26, 1959
Page 63
Full Page
Clipped by
Patricia J.
OH, USA 08 Dec 2017
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