Evelyn Virginia BIRD Linton Oral Interview

Continued from page two

After our Wedding, I quit my job at the Pentagon, and moved into the 3-story wooden farmhouse with Kirk's parents, Charlie and Annie. I became a farming house wife. Kirk continued to work at Potomac Yard for the RF&P railroad as a fireman on steam engines. It was later, that he was promoted to an engineman on diesel engines. As your Dad got more seniority, he was able to bid the evening shifts so he could spend more day-time working the farm. Charlie also worked at Potomac Yard for the RF&P railroad as a brakeman.

Kenny, you "arrived" on August 17, 1945 at the old down town Alexandria Hospital located on Washington Street. Kirk drove me to the hospital real early that morning.

Kirk's brother, Ted, came home after World War II ended and stayed on the farm with us for a while. Charlie helped Ted to get a job at Potomac Yard in the clerk's office. Of course, Terry was born on November 8, 1949, in the evening at the old Alexandria Hospital too. I remember that Kirk took me and Annie to the hospital that afternoon and then he went on to work at Potomac Yard. Kenny, you stayed over at Florence's for several days while I was in the hospital. I had more trouble delivering Terry than you Kenny. Terry was a "breached baby"--he backed into this world. Kirk came back to the hospital after his shift was over to see Terry for the first time, to check on me, and to take Annie home .

Of course, it was not too long after that I started having "real bad" headaches that would keep sick in bed for days. Kenny, you would take care of Terry and clean the house and dishes too. Kirk would cook meals when he was home. Kenny you also started learning how to cook some things about this time. I learned later that most of my bad "migraine" headaches were caused by the pollens from all of the weeds, trees, & flowers that surrounded the old farm house, especially the wagweed and cedar trees. But, I do remember that Momma had "bad" headaches too---when I was growing up.

I continued to help out the volunteer fire department by agreeing to become the secretary of the Mt. Vernon Volunteer Fire Department's Ladies Auxiliary for a while. I held that job from 1945 until into the 1960's. We helped raise money for new equipment by planning & working such fund raisers as dinners at the fire house, carnivals, dances at the fire house, and neighborhood donation drives. Of course, I always was asked to make a bunch of cakes, pies, and yeast bread for these events.

As you boys got older, I remember making both of you Halloween clown costumes for several years. I also made some for David, Sally, and Andy (cousins) too. Sally (Beavers) would come over to the farm house and I would show her how to make dresses and other clothes.

Around 1950, I met our neighbor Ann Humphries for the first time. She came walking down the dirt road from her house (about ½ mile away) pulling her 2 year old son Hank in a wagon. She was looking for a playmate for Hank. Ann told me that her husband, Col. Adoph H. Humphries, was in the Army Reserve and worked at Ft. Belvoir doing some kind of research. Well, I got to taking Terry over to the Humphries house regularly to play---they loved to play soldiers. After Ann had her daughter Susan, I would go over and help babysit both of them for a while. I think in the early 1950's, "Hump" (Colonel Humphries) and Mr. Carmody (our closest neighbors) organized the Great Meadows Civic Association for neighborhood improvement. They asked me to be their secretary. It was this group that got our little dirt road, that went from our old farm up to the paved road at Hunter's Station, name changed to LINTON LANE. The association also sponsored occasional weekend neighborhood roadside trash pickups---always ending at one of the neighbor's house for refreshments. I would make cookies or brownies for them.

I think in 1953, "Hump" formed a little league baseball team in the area---the Great Meadows Coachers. He would drive around the neighborhood looking for enough boys to play baseball. Mr. Humphries would drive up to the farm house and ask me if you could stop working in the fields long enough to come play some ball. Around 1957, Mr. Humphries formed the River Farm Baseball Club and asked me to be his secretary. Of course, by then both of you boys were playing on hardball baseball teams. Let's see, I guess my primary jobs as secretary were: to oversee that all of the boys had their liability insurance paid up, to maintain roosters of all of the teams, and to help President Humphries with the annual awards ceremonies. In 1976, I was presented a plague for 19 years of service with the baseball club.

I remember taking you and Terry to Texas for Christmas several times when you were young. We always traveled by train. Kirk was able to get us "standby" passes from Virginia to Texas. We had to ride coach all the way though. Since we changed railroad lines several times each way, I was never sure when we would be asked to get off the train somewhere due to no seats available for us "deadheads". The ride would usually take about 3 long days each way. I could never sleep very well in the coach seats on those trains. I remember one trip when we had a 10-hour layover in Memphis,Tennesee. I found out in the station that the new movie "Ben Hur" with Charlton Heston was showing in a theater several blocks away. It was over 4 hours long; so we were able to pass away a lot of the waiting time.

Of course, I had to make a quick trip to Texas when Daddy passed away in 1954. This time I had to fly---it was my first airplane ride. I flew on a Braniff Airways turbo-prop airplane from Washington National Airport in Alexandria, to Ft. Worth's Amon Carter Airport (which was located about a mile South of the present DFW International Airport). After the funeral, I stayed about a week, and then I flew back bringing Momma back with me. I think that was her first airplane ride too.

Your Dad and I didn't go to church, but do you remember for a number of years Kirk was very insistent that both of you boys go to Sunday school. He would get both of you up and drive you to Plymouth Haven Baptist Church there on Fort Hunt Road back in the 1950's. Of course, after you got your driver's license, he let you drive his pickup truck to Sunday school. Your Uncle George Phillips was one of you teachers. George, Wiggy Howard, and Ed Knupfer help start that church back in the early 1950's.

I remember Momma and I spent many hours together over the years doing things like crocheting afghans, knitting baby clothes, and making yarn-covered coat hangers for presents. Sometimes, both of us would just sit in our rocking chairs reading good books for hours. Of course, Momma had her big stroke in the spring of 1981 while visiting with us. She was sitting in the rocking chair crocheting an afghan when it happened. Kirk was home and in the kitchen doing something when she became real quiet. I was across the street at Nina Burdette's taking painting lessons. That was a very "bad" day for me. The ambulance took her to the new Alexandria hospital. After a while, they told us that there wasn't much more that they could do for in the hospital. We would have to put her in a nursing home. Jimmie Gill flew up and took Momma and me back down to Texas. I think that we had to pay extra for two or three seats for Momma since she had an IV hooked up to her and had to laying back.

Several things that I had to learn to do while living on the farm all those years were: canning tomatoes; packaging fresh vegetables for freezing; and making jelly/jams from fresh fruits.

In the late 1950's, Kirk and I decided to design and to start building a new house on his five acres of land next to the old barn. Over the next 10 years, we put a lot of our hard earned money and labor into building that house. I wanted a nice ranch-style, red-brick rambler. I think it had approx 2400 sq. ft. of living space with a full basement. Kirk had you and I driving the tractor to help him dig out the small basement under the new sunroom addition. He would walk behind tractor down into that large hole holding on to a large hand scoop. Coming up out of that hole was scary sometimes--the tractor seemed like it would almost turn over. We were able to finish the outside of the house so it could be locked up. Kirk had finished all of the walls and ceilings with sheetrock. And we had some of the fixtures and appliances purchased and stored in the house by 1963. We had the front yard graded, grass growing and some new fruit trees planted. Originally, we had planned on having a sewage tank and a septic field in the back yard--since the nearest sewer line was over a mile away. Kirk and you had the ditches already dug. Then one year, the Fairfax County permits department told Kirk that they were not going to "re-issue" our septic field permit. They apparently had "future plans" of running a new sewer line right down our Linton Lane road. That made Kirk really mad at them. The house set dormant for several years afer that. It was finally torn down by contractors after we had sold all of the land and move onto Plymouth Road. That house was a real "sore subject" with me for quiet a while afterwards !!!

I think in the summer of 1964, the large old dairy barn caught fire and burned down to its old foundation. Ken, you were home from college for the summer. I was told that the barn was over 60 yards from the old farm house. If you remember, we couldn't see it that night because of all of the low hanging branches of the oak & plum trees in that part of the yard. Ken, I think you were watching TV, and we had the windows open for cooling. You heard the loud crackeling noises coming from outside first. We both ran out into the yard and saw the flames shooting up over the trees. Of course, the volunteer fire house was only about a mile away. But by the time they arrived, the barn was totally on fire. I was really glad that the firemen were able to save the new house (which was sitting right next to the barn) by pouring water all over its roof. The Fire Chief told us the next day that the fire was probably started from a shorted electric light in the chicken & ducks pen area. Kenny, I still don't know how you managed to get the cows out of the barn with all of those tall flames. I do remember that it really did bother you that you couldn't save your pet ducks and our new tractor (FarmAll Model 140) .

I remember that the building contractors & the reality companies had been trying for several years to get Kirk to sell his land (about 5 acres) and Charlie's estate (approx 35 acres) in order to let the surrounding new home subdivisions expand. Well, they finally did get all of the land in 1965. That summer, Kirk rented a house in Plymouth Haven (a housing community) approximately a mile away, behind the fire house. Remember, you and Terry helped pack up and moved onto that 2-story brick/wood frame house on Plymouth Road. I can't remember the house number. But we discovered a few months later that the basement walls leaked after a hard rain left a couple of feet of water down there. About a year later, a ranch-style house with a full basement was put up for sale just down the street from us. We bought it immediately and moved everything again.

I began porcelain china painting in 1970. One day, I had heard that one of our neighbors, Nina Burdette, was a painter and gave lessons in her home. She lived right across the street from us. So, on July 24^th, I went over with the intent of learning how to paint on canvas. Nina started me on porcelain china plates. I took lessons from her twice a week until 1985. Nina had all of her students display some of their work each year at the Prince William County Fair in Manassas, Virginia. As my confidence and skills got better, I started entering some on my porcelain china. Gosh, I managed to win over 50 ribbons between 1975 and 1985. Somewhere along the line, I became secretary for the Mount Vernon Porcelain Gild, as well as a life-time member. I started selling some china pieces in 1973 at shopping malls. You know, I got to travel to and see several large cities while at these china painting conventions over the years. Some of those cities included New Orleans, Dallas, Atlanta, San Diego, & Las Vegas.

Kirk retired from the RF&P Railroad in April 1979; after almost 40 years with them. He then started spending a lot of time working in his garden in the back yard. Sometimes, a neighbor would have him work their garden with his tractor. Kirk started having some health problems. He had a heart attack in 1980, I think. And then he had to have radiation treatments for prostate cancer a couple of years later---he drove himself to the treatments at the new Alexandria Hospital.

In April 1985, we sold that house on Plymouth Road and move down to Fredericksburg into the Chancellor Green housing area, just off of Rt #3. Of course,Terry, Diane and the kids had moved down there a couple of years earlier. So, we bought the house right next door to them. Kirk liked the fact that it backed up to a open common area that he and Terry could plant a garden together. Now we able to visit with Florence and Bernie (Kirk's two sisters) more often, since they had moved down into this area years before. I continued to paint china after moving to Fredericksburg. I had started giving away my painted china as presents to family members on different occasions---everyone seemed real happy to get china as a present than anything else.

Of course, Kirk had to start a garden right away for something to do with his time. Not too long after moving down there, Kirk started having health problems again. His doctor, Dr Richard Ameen, told us that his cancer had come out of remission and had spread to other parts of his body. Do you remember that we had added a large addition to the back of that house ? It served both as a dining and as a family room. We installed sliding glass doors on the back side; Kirk would sit in his chair and watch the birds in the backyard and garden. That is when I had the carpenter make a couple of wall mounted shelves in the breakfast area for displaying some of my hand painted china plates. Also, I got the carpenter to make a wood frame for my large Texas shaped plate-glass mirror that Mary & Margaret had sent up to me. Kenny, do you remember that I had that mirror hanging in the entry living room for everyone to see when they visited ? Of course, your Dad kept getting weaker the last 18 months. But remember, we were able to keep him at home and comfortable thanks to Hospice---that gave him some piece of mind for he really dreaded having to be put into a nursing home. Kirk passed away on the morning of July 18^th, 1987 at the old Mary Washington hospital. Ken, I still don't understand how you were abe to take off from your job in Texas and be with us those last two months.

Well, I decided after Kirk passed away that I would move back to Texas; that was in mid 1987. I wanted to help Mary, Margaret, and Sister (my sisters) take care of Momma in that nursing home in Haltom City. You know that I fell in love with this house in North Richland Hills as soon as I saw the layout and the back yard; in spite of its steep drive way. It was October by the time I had the house in Virginia, sold and packed up. You know that I had Dick Bryant's (Mom's brother inlaw) moving company handle all of the packing, moving, and unpacking. I was told to call his secretary Carolyn (Dick's daughter), and she would handle everything. BOY that was a great move.

I immediately started going to see Momma every day with one of my sisters. Unfortunately, Momma passed away in December of that year. Jerroll Shivers, Cissy's husband, help me remodel the garage into an "activity room" for storage of my unpainted china, my other craft supplies, and my two china kilns. He had a friend build a false wall in front of that garage door; build all of the storage cabinets around the three walls; and install the 220 volt plugs for the kilns. I also had some of that indoor/outdoor carpet installed on the garage floor. It ended up looking pretty good. I asked David (Mom's younger brother) to build and install the sheet metal exhaust hood over my large kiln. Kenny, you bought and installed the wall shelves in the front bedroom for my dolls, and in the back small bedroom that I am using as my painting studio. I can't believe that you spent all of those years making all of those flower beds in both the front and back yards---but they did turn out looking great.

I guess that I started painting china again in 1990 on a regular basis. Before leaving Virginia, I had the opportunity to buy lots of "out of date and discontinued" porcelain china pieces at a big discount. This is why I had all of the storage cabinets built in the new "activity room". I had bought several complete tea & coffee sets along with their serving trays; several sets of 8 piece matching Bavarian dinner plates; floor, table, and ceiling mounted lamps; piggy banks; 6-in & 12-in square china tiles; porcelain doll heads, and different shaped and size decorator plates. I painted the some of the doll heads and then made the bodies and dresses for them .

I haven't done any china painting since I broke my right wrist and had carple tunnel surgery back in 2009 and 2010. I hope to get back to it real soon. I still have several pieces of china that I have to complete as presents that were started and promised several years ago.

I started going to church with Mary and Jimmie in 1989. It was the Haltom City Church of Christ located on Linton Lane, next to Hwy 121. I think one of the biggest and the best thing that has happened to me since moving back to Texas was on my birthday, May 17^th 1992, when I "was born again as a Christian" and baptized at my church by Jimmie (Mary's husband).

As for other hobbies that I enjoy doing the last several years; I like to read "clean" Christian love stories by authors such as Grace Livingston Hill, Beverly Lewis, and Emily Loring. Of course, I would go back and read two of my favorites, "Little Women" and "Gone With the Wind", every 4 or 5 years. I also enjoy doing "word" loop puzzles, especially when there is nothing good on TV. I have spent lots of hours covering coat-hangers with yarn while watching TV and used them as Christmas presents. Just last year, I went down to Granbury for several days visiting Vera (Mom's sister-in-law); showing her how to make those coat-hangers. We give them away as gifts. Of course, the biggest problem is finding "good" sturdy hangers these days. I have always like playing card games, especially with Albert and Vera. When my health is good, I like to take car trips to visit relatives and to go sightseeing in different states.

Over the years we did some traveling: Kirk took me to the Luray Caverns of Virginia for our honeymoon; he drove us down the Blue Ridge Parkway and the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia; we made several plane trips to Texas from Virginia. Of course for your college graduation, and for your's and Pat wedding, and for Momma's 80th birthday party. We also flew out to California, when you, Pat, and the girls lived there. Gosh, we got to walk on that pretty beach at Newport Beach City and see the Pacific Ocean for the first time. And then we went to Disneyland and had a great time. Terry drove me to the Grand Canyon, the Painted Desert, and the Petrified Forest on our way out to California a few of years ago to visit Snookcum and Margie; that was a geat trip. He also has driven me to Philadelphia to see the Bird mansion and the Ross house, where I had a very nice visit with my "Cousin" Betsy Ross. Terry also drove Vera and I to New York City where we saw Statute of Liberty. Of course, you and I have traveled to several States and cities during our holiday driving travels to Maryland and Virginia. I always love to visit Mount Vernon plantation. I have been there too many times to even count. I think that I have visited Mount Vernon Plantation during all four seasons now. I really love visiting there, and I always either learn or see something new on each visit. On our last visit to Mount Vernon in early January 2012, we got to "visit" and talk to with Kirk's "Cousin" Martha Washington, for a long while. You remember, besides you Terry, & me; Karen, Marco, Blake, & Trent were all there too. It was great a experience and a real pleasure seeing and talking with "Cousin Martha" !!! I hope that we can do that again !!

NOTE: Mom started having health issues in early February, 2012. She was in and out of the North Richland Hills Hospital four times during that year; mostly from having very low blood sugar and later heart rhythm and kidney problems. Two of her hospital stays resulted in having to be transferred to a nursing facility for rehabititation. Both of these supposedly 7-day rehab stays ended up lasting approximately two months due to complications that developed while there. She was able to remain at home four months of that year thanks to Medicare's Home Healthcare personnel and a "privately contracted" nurse's aide 16 hours a day. May and June and half of July were really good months for her. Especially May, where she celebrated her 90th birthday with a surprise visit of three of her grand kids from the East Coast; my two daughters Nancy and Karen, and Terry's youngest son Wade. We "partied" for three days; she was "almost" her usual shelf.

On Sunday night, October 28, Mom went to sleep and never woke up. Early Monday morning, Terry and the home healthcare aide could not wake her up. Later that morning, the emergency room doctor told us that her blood sugar had fallen to a very low level for long period of time the Sunday night; and that she wasn't responding to treatment. She was tranferred to the ICU floor and then placed on a ventilator for 10 days. She had apparently suffered damage to that part of the brain that was to give her the "wakeup call". On the morning of November 12th at 11:15 am, Evelyn Virginia BIRD Linton left this world peacefully, after being off of the ventilator for 4 days. At her side was brother Terry and my daughter Nancy & my wife Ginny to bid her "farewell".

LINTON Chronicles

BIRD Chronicles

Linton Research Fund, Inc., HOME PAGE

Sign Kirk's Guest Book

LINTON Family Tree

BIRD Family Tree

SURNAME Family Tree Menu

SURNAME Index

How to become a Member

The LINTON & BIRD Chronicles on Facebook

"Thanks for Visiting, come back when you can stay longer" Terry Louis Linton © 2007