"Voices From the Past"

A few mornings ago I opened up my computer and found I had an e-mail from a cousin of mine named Kem. It really took me by surprise as I haven't seen or heard from Kem in fifteen years or more. I instantly knew who she was but it took a moment for me to put a face with the name. In fact I had always thought she was a "Kim" instead of a "Kem."

Kem and her sister Mary Beth are the daughters of my first cousin Sue. Sue was always one of my favorite people and I had known her two little girls when they were growing up. They were a good bit younger than I was so I never knew them that well. Still with Clinton being so small you knew everybody in town and Kem and Mary Beth were always there at Cooper family get togethers.

It was particularly interesting to me to have Kem talk about how my father was her favorite in the family. That doesn't surprise me. My father could charm anyone, and he did. She said he always called her "Kemtone" and when he would come into church he would always act like he was going to sit on her when he entered the "Cooper pew."

Ken and I also talked (by e-mail) about how large the Cooper clan was in Clinton, but they were never that close. My father had three brothers who were living in Clinton with their families when I was growing up but I can't remember being that comfortable with any of them. I saw them at church and we would have a "Cooper family" get together every now and then but it was not like a daily friendship of any sorts.

I think it went back to my grandfather, the patriarch. He was a remote man who kept himself isolated form his family. I never knew what he did for a living but secretly always thought his sons each gave him money to keep him going. He was always nicely dressed and he had a nice home - but what did he do? He was like one of those feudal lords of the manor. His sons and associates paid homage to him.

After he died I think the family kind of retreated into their own units. My Uncle Lynn and his family were the wealthiest segment of the family. He owned a car dealership and always seemed to have money and property. My Uncle Charlie ran a garage. He and his family did pretty good too. They had a big stone house on Main Street that always impressed me. It was Kem's grandparents' house and she told me she always found it spooky.

My Uncle Russell worked for my Uncle Charlie at the garage. He and his wife never had any children and both had some health problems. He was the uncle who always handed out chewing gum at church. All the kids would run to him before they went inside and he either gave them chewing gum or a nickel. 

Hearing from Kem dredged up a lot of memories. It was like the faces of all those forgotten relatives now suddenly popped up with a smile. The Coopers of Clinton are virtually gone now. Only members of Uncle Lynn's family remain. In my memories they are still there but in reality death has taken most of them away.

Hearing from Kem was a surprise. She had gotten one of my books from her town library and found my e-mail address on the cover. She decided to reach out to me and I am so glad she did. Voices from the past take you back "home" if only for a little while.
 

 

 

 

 

©2007 Jackie K. Cooper

Click above to find out more about Jackie's books!