Part 12g - Sylvia & Family - Woodie

RAISIN'

Sylvia & Family

12g Woodie & Family

Woodie Steven attended Faulkner State Junior College, Auburn University and the University of South Alabama for a while. Then he worked for Shell Chemical in Baton Rouge, LA, then went to Photography School in California. He is now a Professional Commercial Photographer in Franklin, TN. (If you've seen a Service Merchandise Jewelry Catalog, until recently, you've probably seen some of his work.) He has his own business, Knight Vision Photography.

Woodie married Kathy Robinson of Alexandria, VA and White Pine, TN. She writes and illustrates children’s books. Woodie and Kathy are parents of Rachael Elizabeth Knight and Steven Knight. The easy-going, laid back, latest (maybe last) of Mother and Daddy's great-grandchildren.

Rachael will always be a "charmer" with those big brown eyes and pretty smile! She has recorded a wonderful song and has an amazing quality voice. She may even be a professional singer one of these days.

Steven is a chip off the old block and has mannerisms of his Grandfather Woodie and his dad, Woodie. Of course "Nanamama" and "Dadapapa" never spoiled them MUCH!!! Only when they could. He and his Gammama have some great telephone conversations.

Part 12f - Sylvia & Family - Dianne

RAISIN'

Sylvia & Family

12f Dianne & Ken

Vivian Dianne, Sylvia's second daughter graduated from the University of South Alabama, in Mobile, and moved to Atlanta to teach school. She has completed her doctorate. She has served as a teacher, Librarian and Assistant Principal in the school system. While doing library work at her school, she has developed an excellent "Web Page" for her school that enabled her to review children's' books on the "Net," determine their suitability for the children to read, then downloads them into the Web Page. All the teachers have to do is "call up" the books on the computers in their classroom for the children to read. She has received numerous awards for the "page" from all over Atlanta and the US.

Dianne married Ken Prager, from the Atlanta area. He is retired from the Fire Sprinkler business that covers a large part of the Southeast, US. (Hmm! I'm glad he keeps all those building ceilings covered to put out fires!) Dianne and Ken have no children.

Both of them are now retired and live in Peach Tree City, GA, near Atlanta. They never seem to slow down especially if there is something that they can do for others. Their favorite hobby is finding Letter Boxes all over the USA.

Another thing Dianne does is to host “YaYa” parties and trips for all her Nieces and Grand Nieces. Also, she has done a few “YoYo” events for the Nephews and Grand Nephews.

The two of them are some of the most Giving people I know.

Part 12e - Sylvia & Family - Jeanne

Jeanne & Avery

RAISIN'

Sylvia & Family

12e Jeanne & Family

Sylvia's oldest daughter, Peggy Jeanne, married Donald Ray Thornton of Vernon, AL. They have three boys and a girl. Don was a devoted high school coach. He "took out" of coaching to be a "policy man" for Mutual Savings, then Liberty National Life Insurance Co. for a while, then returned to coaching at Flomaton, AL.

Jeanne worked for a number of years as payroll clerk/bookkeeper for a clothing mill in Sulligent, AL. She is the family "Historian" or "Family Tree Climber." She has done much research on family history.

They recently moved with Don back to Vernon in their retirement. Don is now a City Councilman in Vernon.

Joey, their eldest, played football and graduated from Alabama A&M University in Huntsville, AL. He is Head coaching at Goshen High School in Goshen, AL. He married Karen Bowdin from Morgan City, LA. They have two daughters, Karoline Marie, who is truly a "doll," and Whitney Dianne, a real charmer with her big smile and blue eyes. They also have a son, Grant. Karen is a recent addition to the school teacher division of the family.

Clint, son number two, lives in Tallahassee, FL and is working with IBM as an Electrical Engineer. He attended Alabama A&M and Graduated from Mississippi State University in Starkville, MS. He played football at both schools. He is married to Carrie and they are expecting their first child in December 2009.

David, son number three, played football at The University of the South in Sewanee, TN, then at University of Alabama in Birmingham. He graduated and worked as a student, then Graduate Assistant coach at UAB. He work as Assistant Coach at Middle Georgia College, in Cochran, GA, University of West Alabama at Livingston, Northwest Missippippi JC and is coaching SW Mississippi Community College in Summit. He is the "pickin' and grinnin' member of the family. He married Tanya. They have two sons, Andrew and Carson and one daughter Lizzie Alyse. (Alyse is after her GreatGrandmother.)

Gina, "the baby" and only girl attended Mississippi State University for two years, then transferred to the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg where she graduated in fashion marketing. She married Myyle Hudson. They have a daughter named Avery and a son named Alex. They live in Hattiesburg, MS.

Part 12d - Sylvia and Family - Morris

RAISIN'

SYLVIA AND FAMILY

12d Morris

In recent times, Sylvia is displaying another special talent. That of an artist! She has painted some beautiful water color and acrylic paintings. This is to fill the gaps in her time between once being National Treasurer of NAPUS Retirees, Church Organist, Sunday School Teacher, monthly visits to elderly and shut-ins, number one fan of the Millry Wildcats, keeping up with all her "other younguns", planning "get togethers" for a group of former Millry Graduates, including a great cruise, working very hard each year to decorate her house, fences and yard with a SUPER Christmas Display that people come from far and wide to view and seeing to her newest grandchild and great-grandchildren. That just sums up as "Sylvia!"

During 1998, she became MUCH better acquainted with an old class mate of hers by the name of Morris Brown. She and Morris "tied the knot" the first January (1999). They were quite a pair of "love birds!" It seems they were really meant for one another. Morris was an outstanding football player at Millry, then at Mississippi Southern (now University of Southern Mississippi) where he was elected into the Hall of Fame at both schools.. He followed football as a coach in Mississippi with an outstanding record.

His record as a coach was 148 wins, 44 losses and 8 ties. He retired from coaching in Jones County, MS and spent a term as County Supervisor (Commissioner). He had two children, a daughter living in Laurel and a son living in London. He was on board of trustees at South Central Regional Medical Center in Laurel. Morris was always highly respected by Daddy. He and Vince Brown (no relation) formed an outstanding running duo for Millry. Each one was very hard to bring down. Morris was a fine, Christian man with lots of wit. When the two of them "tied the knot" he became a welcome addition to the family. Morris went through a long period of bad health. He made his final goal at 4:00 p.m. on April 28, 2009 when he crossed that final line.

Part - 12c - Sylvia & Family - Lowery

RAISIN'

SYLVIA & FAMILY

12c. Mail Run,
and Lowery Curlee

Sylvia did a wonderful job, meeting the challenges of rearing three children on a small income.

She carried the morning mail from the Millry Post Office to the Healing Springs Post Office, then took the evening mail back to Millry. This small job bridged the gap, during that time, until Mr. Grover Warrick retired and she was appointed Postmaster.

Later, she married Lowery Curlee. He was an over-the-road trucker, leased to Deaton Truck Lines. Later, after a long strike against Deaton, he leased to Superior Trucking.

After giving up the long hauling business, he built and operated a tool sharpening shop. He sharpened circle saws, handsaws, cross cut saws, shears, scissors, axes, chain saws, and about anything that was supposed to be sharp. I've never seen anyone who could sharpen a circular saw blade that would stay sharp as long as he could.

He would always have a very large garden, and seemed to take great pleasure in giving lots of vegetables to Mother and Daddy.

Lowery died on June 7, 1986.

Part 12b - Sylvia & Family - Woodie

RAISIN'

SYLVIA AND FAMILY

12b WOODIE STONE KNIGHT

Sylvia attended Huntington College in Montgomery for one year. Then, she decided she'd rather get married and start a family.

She married Woodie Stone Knight, Jr. and had three children. Woodie was the son of Dr. and Mrs. W. S. Knight Sr. owners of Healing Springs Resort, two miles west of Millry. Sylvia and Woodie lived in one of the cabins for several years.

Healing Springs had several natural springs that provided different minerals. Most all the spring's minerals were said to be good for "different ailin's!" Folks would come from Mobile and other areas to drink the water and swim in the pool there. At one time, it was a very popular vacation spot.

Woodie was in the timber business, except for a stint at over-the-road truck driving. He and Daddy ran a Cedar sawmill in Vicksburg, MS for a year or so. He had a small sawmill in Millry for a while. Then, he bought a portable sawmill that he could set up in or near a tract of timber he was cutting.

In 1957, he had made an agreement with Mr. Wes Hoffman to cut a large tract of timber about two miles west of Waynesboro, MS. Mr. Wes was to cut the timber, and Woodie was to saw it up in lumber.

One evening (Valentine's Day) he was cutting the last log for the day. When the rope that pulled the carriage that held the log in place and moved along to saw the log, got hung up. This caused the carriage to reverse unexpectedly and caused Woodie's leg to drop down through the carriage and track. The rope broke causing the carriage to be pulled to one end. Thus, crushing his leg, as well as causing internal injuries.

He was taken to Waynesboro Hospital, then transported to Laurel, MS. I rode with Sylvia to the hospital, then drove back to advise Mother and Mrs. Knight of his condition. I then drove Mrs. Knight to Laurel. I spent each night at the hospital doing what I could to help out.

He had a number of complications causing the amputation of the leg as well as a number of undiagnosable internal injuries. On February 22, he died from a complete renal shutdown caused by the internal injuries.

Sylvia and Mr. Wes completed the contract to cut the timber, then sold the mill.

Part 12a - Sylvia's Family

RAISIN'

12a. SYLVIA and FAMILY

Sylvia Aliece (Sylvia) was born on July 13, 1929. To Mother's peace of mind, she was the opposite of Claire in that she seemed to be happy and content all the time. If Mother put them in the bathroom (with no fixtures in it) where all their toys were as punishment, Claire would scream to get out. Sib would happily play with her toys. Sylvia didn't get the "special" things like art lessons, use of Mother Minnie's typewriter, etc., but she has "dun good!" She has been Organist for Millry Baptist Church since 1960, and taught the Senior High Sunday School Class for over thirty-five years. There's no telling how many different children that have been waiting to sit with her on the end of the second pew of the church when she finished playing the organ, before the sermon starts. She was Postmaster at Millry, 36558 for thirty-four years until she retired. During her tenure as Postmaster, she has more than figuratively "put Millry on the map." She had an exceptional repetoir with postal officials from the Mobile district office to Washington D.C. She has been an outstanding member of the National Association of Post Masters of the United States (NAPUS) for 50 years. She served as a State NAPUS President, Ex-President, Executive Vice President, 5 years as Secretary, 4 years as Editor of the "Alabama Postmaster" Magazine, PAC Chairman for 6 years, and has held the National office as National Historian for 4 years. She recently served a two-year term as National Secretary/Treasurer for NAPUS retirees. Association with Postmasters from all over the United States has made her well known across the country. She has made some wonderful and lasting friends over the years. "Not ever meeting a stranger" has been a valuable tool for working with people on the job, doing church work and "just being Sylvia!" She never does anything "half-way." Whatever venture she undertakes, it’s "whole hog or none!" Whether it be giving a party for her Sunday School Class or the Football team, picking and canning beans from the garden, "doing" for others, running for National office in NAPUS or decorating her place for Christmas, she puts in "her all," and backs up to NO challenge.