Thursday, December 4, 2008

Memories

April 2, 1912 - November 14, 2008



That's my Pop - Clair (Pete) Leroy Hallock.
Sadly after 96 wonderful years - Pop passed on.
(Obituary)

Pop lived an awesome life and had many, many stories that he shared with us on many occasions. Like the story of his first car. He bought it from a friend who had gotten some girl pregnant and needed money. It was a Ford Model T that he bought for $20! Could you imagine?

My sister and I went to Clearfield to visit just 2 days before he passed and while he was not doing well he was still telling stories. He was still telling stories with his hands and doing his classic tapping of his hand. (It's very hard to explain but it is something I will never forget.) He was very hard to understand but I still sat there and listened. I thought I could understand words here and there but at one point I know I was able to understand him saying "and you cried and cried and wanted to go home". At that instance I knew exactly what story he was telling and I cried and laughed all over again.

When I was about 7 or 8 Dad took Shannon and I up to stay with Granny and Pop for a week. I cried the entire week because I was home sick and wanted Dad to come and get me. I didn't care that Dad had to work - I wanted to be picked up! I did eventually make it through that week and by the time Dad came to pick us up; I of course didn't want to leave!

Grandma also shared a story with us that day that I had not heard before:

When Pop was a young boy (he doesn't remember how old) he was taking the cow out to the pasture and had just staked the cow when he heard this rumbling that he had never heard before. He didn't know who was more scared - him or the cow.


Over head he saw the noise - it was a plane! The first plane that he'd ever seen. In fact it was one of the first planes ever! And it was landing in his field! Come to find out the pilot had run out of gas. He got out of the plane and asked Pop where the closest gas station was.


Pop was old enough to be able to tell him how to get there and gave him directions. The pilot picked him up and sat him on the wing of the plane and told him not to let anyone touch his plane and he was off.


Pop says there were many people that came from all over to get a look at this plane. And he sat there on the wing of the plane and shouted, "Don't touch the plane" "Stay away from the plane".


The pilot returned some time later, filled the plane with gas, sat Pop back on the ground and had a few men help him spin the propeller and he was off again.


How awesome would that have been to have lived through. He definately saw many awesome things during his lifetime and he will be greatly missed. I am thankful that I have his many stories to be able to pass on down to my kids.

If you would like to read more you can here.

(**On a side note - we asked my Grandmother (his daughter) where he got the nickname "Pete" and even she didn't know. She knew who called him that and who started it but didn't know a reason behind it.)

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