| Left to right standing: Ben, Oscar, Bro Killion the Baptist Preacher, Rhoda, and Elizabeth. BK kneeling far left |
| BK said they often had the visiting preachers come for Sunday dinner to their house. He also said it if the preacher had a large family, which was usually the case, it meant he had to eat wings. The preacher and his family always had first pick of the chicken and by the time it got to him there was nothing left but wings left. |
| BK was the baby of the family. His oldest sister Ruth was also his teacher during several years of grade school. At the time he told his mother he hated that. He told her he didn't like having a teacher that knew so much about his business. Of course at the time, they all thought that was pretty funny. That is, everybody except him. From what he told me personally, he got away with less than anybody in the whole class. Something else I used to tease him about was the fact that he told me he was Valadictorian of his High School graduating class. There were only six people in the graduating class. It sounded funny to me because I graduated in a class of approximately 600. |
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Ben & Lizzie moved into town into this house by next door to the Ritchey Baptist Church shortly before Ben passed away. This is the house where she lived until she passed away. Living there allowed her to be just as active as she always had been is serving the Lord right up to her very last days. This picture was taken in 1999. The house is still bing lived in. Improvements have been made and the house is being well maintained at this date. |
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This is the church that played such an important role in the Hersey's lives. Elizabeth was very active in this church most of her life. I know that BK Hersey was a senior deacon there before he moved out of the area. All of the children were baptized through the ministry of this church. Ben & Elizabeth's funrals were held in this church.
My mother said that Elizabeth was one of the few people she knew of personally who truly lived her life by the christian beliefs she professed. There was no hypocrisy in her. She was very kind, non-judgemental and non-critical. That's what I remember about her as well, only from a child's perspective. Many people talk the talk, but with many their christian walk doesn't match their christian talk. This picture was taken in 1999, and the church is still an active part of this small community. Improvements and building additions have been made and the church is being well maintained at this date. |
