Kerry B Etheridge
July 7, 1951 - October 21, 1974
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| Kerry - age 13 |
Today is the anniversary of the day my biological father
passed away. Still 39 years later, the
struggle is real! There is a hole in my
heart that I will never understand. I
will never forgive Cancer for ripping him from my family, but I will always lean
on God to get through each day without him. Forever grateful to my step dad for
filling the role that was robbed from us, I lived a very full, somewhat normal
(ha) life.
I yearn to know what his hopes and dreams were, and what he
might look like today. I wish to know
how he would interact with my kids and if he would think I was doing a good job
raising them to his satisfaction. What
would be his favorite food? Would he
ever call to just say hi? Would he
remember my birthday? Would he be in the
stadium cheering Cole to victory or would he be seated on the front row in the
auditorium beaming at Kerri and Kadi during their plays?
I do know much about him from other people, especially my
grandmother. However, I wish to know his
inner thoughts. What did he think of
cancer? Was he mad? Did he accept it? I just get so mad.
Yep, the struggle is real.
I have in my possession a photocopy of a writing assignment
in his own handwriting, and it is one of my prize possessions that I hold so
close. MY AUTOBIOGRAPHY was an assignment that my
grandmother saved and from reading it, I assume he had questions that prompted
him in what to write. When I read it,
year to year on this day, sometimes I cry, but sometimes I laugh. Most of all, I just enjoy.
Kerry Etheridge
My Autobiography
I was born in the General Hospital in
Winnfield on July 7, 1951. I weighed in
at 10lb. 6 oz. and 23 in. long. My first
money was a dollar bill from my great aunt and kept it in a bank given to me by
my grandmother.
I liked to play cowboys with my brother in
the woods. I would romp with the dogs in
the backyard. My first long trip was to
Houston when 3 months old. I could also
do pushups when 3 mo. Old. I cut first
tooth when 4 mo. Old.
I attended the first grade at Winnfield
Elementary School under Mrs. Sowers in 1957.
I had Mrs. Jackson in the second.
In the third I had Mrs. Dufresne and we drew all the time. I had Mrs. Harrel in the fourth and collected
bird nests. In the fifth, I had Mrs.
Nugent and Mrs. Teddle in the sixth. In
the seventh, I had two teachers. I had
Mrs. Terrill until she started teaching 8th grade math. Then I had Mrs. Bowen. I have always liked Math and English sort
of. I’ve never liked History and Gov.,
and I don’t especially like science.
In my family there are four people; my
brother, Bonner, 16; my sister, Denise, 10; myself, 13; and my mother. My father died in June of 1962. One way I would like my home changed is to
have my father back. I like to have
friends to come over, but I don’t really entertain them.
I am a member of the First Baptist Church,
and I go most every Sunday. I like to go to study the Bible and worship God.
I don’t like to be around people who laugh all the time, but I don’t
like to be around people who don’t laugh at all. I don’t really know who I look up to. But I do like people who know about the
things I like, such as hunting, fishing and mechanicing.
I like to tinker with engines and to hunt
and fish best. In the last year, I’ve
been hanging around Cleo Austins junkyard.
He is a mechanic, a welder, and different things. Since I’ve been hanging around there, I’ve
grown to like mechanicing. I like to
work with tools and to fix things. I
don’t really have any hobby. I’ve been
to Colorado, New Mexico, Florida, Ark., Oklahoma, Texas, Miss., Alabama, and
Louisiana.
I would like to be a mechanic. I don’t know if my mother likes the
idea. I will go to trade school.
I don’t have a favorite movie star, radio star, tv star, athlete or
teacher. I am scared that when I do
something I’m not supposed to, I will get in trouble. I haven’t tried to overcome any fears.
One thing I wonder about is the way
outerspace goes on and has no end. I
also wonder about blowing glass and the way its formed. Another things I wonder about is how
carpenters drive nails in concrete.
Three things I would wish for are to have a
motorcycle, a set of craftsman wrenches, and to have my father back.
