This ↑ is my nephew Craig↑,
the 3d child of my Eldest Sister.
The above image was taken in about 1969, I come from a large, blended family. Daddy came to the marriage with 4 children, two boys and two girls. Mama also had 4, 2 each.
They had my sister Linda a year after the were married, then 8 yrs later... me.
One of my earliest memories of him was second hand. My sister told us all, of their most recent family visit to "The Coastal Empire Fair" as it was called back then. They lived in Savannah Ga, I lived 60 miles inland.
My sister told how they were approaching a ride that the kids wanted to board, and Craig scooted ahead of a young couple.
My sister said to him
To which he replied "Got 'em in my pocket!"
According to the story the young couple got such a laugh that they let everyone go ahead.
Here, I assume the oldest sibling is taking the photo, because they are all there but him along with my brother John Tippins (far right)
On the left is Darlene, who died around 2003 of a rare cancer (she was 3 months younger than me) Craig is in Red, and the youngest is Lloyd, who now lives about 8 miles from me.
The Eldest, Loren
Is 3 yrs older than me, Craig was 3 yrs younger than me. I was very close to all of them, but at that point where a teenage boy begins puberty, Loren was ahead of me and "held the secrets of life" and shared things with me.
Prior to that, I really had NO EARTHLY IDEA that babies came from... well, you know, and I was SHOCKED with the revelation😜.
So when they came to visit during the year following these revelations, I tried to pigeon hole Loren so I could ask for more 'secrets'
A dark memory
Right after they arrived one weekend for a visit, Loren and I were going to go 'skinny dipping' down at our river landing. I must have been 12-13 yrs old.
Craig wanted to come along and followed us down the dirt road, until at one point I tried to get him to go back to the house.
He refused, smiling and laughing and taunting, not understanding the 'big boys' need for privacy.
So I yelled ugly things, like "go away, we don't want you" 😢
He was hurt deeply and I don't think our relationship, him and me, ever healed from that.
I doubt Loren remembers that even. But I do, and I'm ashamed and wanted to apologize and make amends for a very long time.
When I went home the last time in November 2021, I stayed with Loren and Audrey. That was the first I knew or heard that Craig had SERIOUS Lung damage causing COPD, and that he actually was on Oxygen, carrying a tank or concentrator when away from home.
I was SHOCKED!
I have COPD, so I know how it affects you. I also lost another dear friend about 5 yrs ago to the disease.
Craig and his Mother (photo from 2017), my sister Nancy (born in 1933) both had severe COPD, Nancy still smokes Pell Mell reds, won't/can't stop, and freely admits she doesn't want to live any longer in her broken down body, that "I'm ready to go home any time now" (her words to me last November)
Above is the last image I can find, taken Sept 1 2021.
"RIP beloved Nephew"
Craig Lewis, 1958-2022
by
Jerry E Smith
©05/31/2022
Images taken and shared by family members