Merriam Press Personal Chronicle Series

First Edition 2013

This is a true story of a woman who made a difference here on earth. She touched the lives of many people during her 90 years of significant and memorable events. Growing up in the heartland of Kentucky, she married a farmer and lived her entire life working and providing for her family of nine. She did not receive financial compensation for all her hard work, but for her, doing good deeds for others was of prime importance to her happiness and personal gratification.

This woman was the most wonderful, kind, inspirational and loving mother. Her priority was her immediate family but her generosity and desire to help others reached out to a vast community. She would do anything for the people she knew and loved. Those who came in contact with her were amazed by her many talents and they were blessed just to have been in her company.

She was born in 1914 when times were hard in the United States. She had to make do with what limited resources were available at the time. From childhood through adulthood she struggled to make ends meet and she worked very hard to be the best person she could be. She could always be counted on to do the right thing, regardless of the circumstance. She suffered through many trials and tribulations but also had a very rewarding and productive life.

On the farm she prepared hearty and bountiful meals three times a day for her family whom she loved unconditionally. The old-fashioned techniques and practices she used were handed down from previous generations. It was the way our ancestors had done things long before technology arrived on the scene. A lot of hard work was involved in preparing all sorts of food such as meat, fish, poultry and other mainstays. Fruits and vegetables were planted, harvested, and preserved during the summer to sustain a growing family during the dead of winter. Biscuits, pies, and cakes were all made from scratch. She put a lot of love into everything she cooked and served on the dining table.

One of her most precious talents was playing the piano. She had learned to play at a very young age and it stuck with her throughout her entire life. She never had a music lesson and could not read sheet music but she would make a grown man cry when she sat down at her Louismann piano and tickled the ivory. Her music came from the heart and she entertained a vast number of small audiences. She left a legacy in her music so her family for many generations could enjoy the delightful sounds she made as her fingers caressed the keyboard.

This is a story about my mother, Floy Bugg Fenwick. Her immediate family always had a special bond with her. She raised five sons and four daughters. As fate would have it, all five sons would serve their country in the United States Marine Corps. Her children, grand-children and future generations will always remember how she made a difference as a decent and upstanding pillar of the community.

Contents:

Childhood and Adolescence

A Farmer's Wife

Cherry Hill Farm

The Call of Duty

Short Stories

Floy Fenwick's Old-fashioned Recipes

A Marine Family

My Work is Done

90 photos

1 map