more on Kountze and Golden Grandparents

Side Story: I was given a dog when I was about 2 or 3. We could not keep it in Beaumont, so the dog, named Pie or Pi, lived with my grandparents in Kountze. I think the dog’s name was really Pie, because Pie was one of my favorite foods, but when I was introduced to π in math class, I thought it was fashionable to have had a dog named Pi.

Petting Pi while my cousin Nancy looks on. I guess that Uncle Pete, Nancy’s dad is holding her.

This is the two of them from the late 40’s.

In looking at these photos – I am shocked at how old my grandparents look. I doubt that either of these people were older than 60 when these photos were taken.

Grandpa Jim smoked and had pulmonary problems, probably COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease). He spent the end of his life in a nursing home on the south side of Beaumont. We visited him after church on Sunday afternoons. It was strange to me that he had a breathing apparatus, but still smoked. He died 16 June, 1959. I think I actually attended his funeral and recall everyone’s being impressed by the turnout.