tryingtoo2015's Blog

Tag: life

  • Mom the Mighty Fern

    Mom the Mighty Fern

    My Mom, Fern Christian Nevatt

    1930-2016

    Fern Christian was born on June 6, 1930, in Poplar Bluff, Missouri. Her father, Otto, was 33 years old, and her mother, Mary, was 28. She married Paul David Nevatt on July 2, 1949, in her hometown. They had two children, Sue and Mike. She passed away on March 25, 2016, in Springfield, Missouri, at the age of 85, and was buried there.

    Mom disliked her first name, Eula. She would say, “I’m really Fern.” Otto and Mary Christian had six sisters and one brother. Dairy farm chores were tough, but everyone pitched in at Christian Dairy to make a living. Whole milk, cream, and butter were delivered daily in Poplar Bluff. Mom hand-milked a cow sitting on her little black stool. Living during the depression years was hard. Mom had already lost her older sister, Wilma, during the Poplar Bluff tornado on 11, 1927. Life on Roxy Road had few luxuries but plenty of love. Mom and her sister Norma would sneak milk bottles to the corner grocery store to buy candy. When asked where they got the money, they would say, “We found it under a rock.” On Saturday nights, they listened to the Grand Ole Opry. Grandpa had won the radio at the sale barn contest. Fourth of July celebrations involved homemade ice cream and soda pop. Mom excelled in school. She was a member of the National Honor Society. She was also a talented singer who received the music award at graduation. Shortly after graduating, Mom became the manager of Woolworth’s food counter. Dad, working at Western Electric, often ate lunch at her counter. He liked the roast beef and gravy, as well as the manager at the counter.

    Mom later moved to Springfield, Missouri, to join the Nevatt family. Weekends were spent at the James River property, where we enjoyed swimming and picnics. She always made the best baked beans and blackberry cobblers. Fried chicken, potato salad, deviled eggs, angel food cake, and lemonade rounded out the visits.

    Mom had an extraordinary singing voice. She received the music award at her high school graduation. She sang with a radio trio in Poplar Bluff. She maintained a lifelong friendship with her high school music teacher, Mrs. Hearne. During Christmas, she and two friends would sing at Heer’s Department Store, with their concert broadcast over Springfield’s public square.

    Her leadership included roles as PTA president, church choir leader, and executive director of the Greene County Mental Health Association. She was an active member of the General Federation of Women’s Clubs. She also served as president of the Missouri State Federation of Women’s Clubs. She often said, “If you need something done, ask a busy person.”

    Mom was a devoted wife. She cooked hearty dinners and packed her husband’s suitcase each Sunday night for his weekly travel to new telephone installations. She cared for my brother, Mike, and me. She was also beautiful. Her desk was cluttered, but she knew where everything was. If not, she’d just buy another one. She loved her three grand kids and enjoyed summers with them, taking family vacations. We all miss Mom’s vibrant personality.

    We Had Fun.

    Your Daughter, Suzanne P. Nevatt

    Her Chair Is Not Empty.

    Her chair is not empty.

    Memories abound.

    Remember the smell of fresh fruitcakes, made with her favorite recipe. A song from heaven still echoes, “His eye is on the sparrow, I will not fear.”

    A good wife and mother, a leader for all. When she said, “We will call the meeting to order,” she meant for everyone to listen. Her black van, still in use today, drives her great-granddaughter to school every day. All loved the mighty Fern. My mother, my friend. Tell all my family in heaven I can’t wait to see them once again.

  • Memorable Cars: 1960s–2021

    The first cool car I drove to school was a Chevrolet Chevelle Malibu. Mom and Dad bought this car from the M-W Chevy Agency located on Main Street in Nixa. My Grandpa Nevatt was friends with Junior Sprague, the sales manager. The price was $2,450. That car today would be worth at least $32,000. Mom, Mike, and I shared our blue two-door Chevelle.  This car was the first automatic transmission vehicle Dad owned. He always preferred a manual transmission. The three of us loved driving this car. That was until Mike let it go to the bottom of the hill on 76 Highway, Branson. He stopped to help a man having a heart attack and forgot to put his car in park. The state patrol said,” Son, I think your car is rolling down that mountain. 

    The first car I really call my own was a two-door red Chevy Impala. I noticed the 1963 beauty sitting on a car lot on Saint Louis Street. I knew right away I should try to make her mine. It had a white top and custom wheels.  You never forget your first love, and my Chevy was my one and only.

    Wouldn’t you rather have a Buick? While working at Taco Grande, I noticed this sharp-looking 1970 Buick Rivera on the car lot next to our restaurant. It was green with a hardtop. It had the feel of a Cadillac—with bucket seats, console in the middle, cruise control, and a great radio. This car was the one that I drove to my first job in West Plains, Missouri.

    The car you drive tells a lot about you. You didn’t go to college, but you have a new truck with a flag attached. You’re socially conscious, driving a Prius or another hybrid or electric car. You’re obnoxious, taking up two parking spaces with your Tesla truck. You’re the boss, driving a Mercedes, BMW, or Lexus, even if an oil change takes your breath away. Your kids are school age, in a Toyota van or a Chrysler van. You’re a senior citizen now. You are ready for an easy-to-get-into modern-day Lincoln or Cadillac. Anything with the Pontiac logo on it suits you, too.

    One of my favorite fun cars to own was the 1980 red Celica GT. Red with white interior and hatchback. This car took Susan and me to Oregon forty-four years ago. I bought it from my aunt and uncle’s car dealership in Poplar Bluff, Missouri. Starwalt Auto Sales sold several cars to me and my parents.

    Three Mustang convertibles have been parked in my garage. The first one was black with a tan top. It was featured in several homecoming parades. The next ride was baby blue. That was the color I wanted when the Mustang was first introduced in 1964. One time, it became bogged down in sand near the river where we had floated. After much work on a one-hundred-degree day, we finally got it unstuck—so much fun in a fun car. My current fast beauty is a red GT. Fast but hard for an old girl to get in and out of. It’s funny that by the time you can afford a fast car, you are too old. It’s difficult getting in and out with your walker.

    Cars have undergone significant changes during the 59 years since I first backed out of the driveway. Dual front seat airbags, sunroofs, tire pressure sensors, backup cameras, and lane help have made cars much safer. I miss dashboard knobs labeled with words.  Every new model resembles the last year’s model of the same edition.  My current Palisade often tells me I should consider taking a break. Who knows, in the next 20 years, we never see a gas-powered car.

    Things to Consider if You’re Over the Hill. Accessibility. visibility, comfort, head-up screen, parking sensors. The days of folding myself into my sporty 2-door Mustang like a pretzel are long gone. But the memories will last forever.