Memories of Joseph Wilson Heacock

Memories of Joseph Wilson Heacock

 

January 5, 2012

JW by his radio

 

Joseph Wilson Heacock is my grandfather on my mother’s side of the family.  As a kid, I had red hair and freckles like my dad and my name was Sterling so I always felt more like a Sterling than a Heacock.  Certainly, I knew and visited frequently with JW and Fanny Heacock but I don’t remember ever having a conversation with Grandpa JW.  However, I was fairly close to Grandma Fanny Heacock and remember her peppering me with questions about school and stuff before I hitchhiked the 4 ½ miles home from football practice.  That was when  I was in Junior High School around 1946.  I was very fond of Grandma but Grandpa was distant and preoccupied.  It’s not that I didn’t like Grandpa, I just didn’t really know him.

When I was in Jr. High School, Grandpa was in his 70’s, was partially deaf and usually perched in his easy chair in front of his radio when I dropped by.   My appearance likely interrupted his concentration on some important news story of the day.  So, we mostly just avoided each other and Grandma invited me into the kitchen for a snack of cheese and apple -- or something.

Now that I am in my 70s, am partially deaf and often perch in my easy chair, I find greater sympathy for Grandpa’s behavior.  I often do not like to be interrupted when I’m in the middle of something that I consider important.  I also inherited his essential tremors.  Grandpa died at the age of 81 and during his later years had suffered a stroke in an eye that left him wearing an eye patch.   So, this is how I remember Grandpa.   But, I don’t wish to remember him this way.  I want to know more about his life when he was younger and happier.   After all, I share many of his genes.  Maybe, by trying to understand Grandpa JW, I can learn more about myself.

JW with Pipe

 

I sometimes wish that I had known Grandpa when he was younger and very adventurous -- but that's just a dream.  I did know him when he was older and I don't think he was particularly enamored with the idea of growing old.  One event triggers my memory.  He and Grandma Fanny were driving to our home west of Edinburg when he had an auto accident.  As I remember, he was passing a vehicle and pulled in too quickly.  No great harm was done, but it apparently caused him to lose his drivers license and relinquish the keys to his car.  I don't remember Grandma Fanny ever driving, so they now had no need of a car they couldn't drive.  They offered it to my sister Fanny Alice and she graciously accepted.  If my memory is correct, it was a black1949 Ford and Fanny was generous enough to let me drive it too.  I was about 17 and was already driving a Edinburg Consolodiated school bus so I became something of a family chauffeur -- back in about 1954 or so. 

1949 Ford Coupe

 

So now that I am reaching the age when I wonder when I'll also be forced to give up the keys too, I think back on this time when one generation gave way to the next and the Sterling family acquired some badly needed wheels. 

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