Life story
Who was Papaw?
Well, Papaw was a man who was dedicated to his family, providing and protecting them to the fullest extent he possibly could. He was an incredibly hard worker and would give anybody the shirt right off his own back. He grew up in the hollar of East Tennessee, quite a ways away from neighbors. He grew up on a farm and worked hard for his pay of only $2 as a young child, which helped to provide for his family. As he grew up, he learned how he hated to do algebra in school and wasn`t a huge fan of farm work, this led to him joining the Army. He met his children's mother and love of his life in Milford, Connecticut while being stationed there. They married soon after meeting. The Army sent him to medical school in San Francisco, where he worked in the ER and rode with the ambulance. Over his time working there, he had delivered 19 babies and was quite proud of all the lives he brought into this world. Once he left for Vietnam, he became a combat medic and later became an Orthopedic Specialist. He retired from the army with 2 Bronze Service Stars, the German Shoot Cord, and a Purple Heart. He retired as a Army Veteran of the 11th Armored Cavalry, Black Horse for 20 years of dedicated service. He, also, worked as a tin worker, a dog catcher, and a shrimper on a small boat. He was a man of many skills and interests including: hunting and fishing, enjoying bluegrass music, and having firewood ready in winter for the whole town. He enjoyed driving long hail truck loads, getting to see all the sights along the way, as well as all the adventures to took with his family. When Papaw passed, he had 19 grandchildren and 14 great grandchildren to pass his legacy on in this world by telling all the colorful stories he shared with us.
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