Robert Burkett

 Today I am going to at least write about 2 more siblings, maybe 3. As Jackie Gleason used to say: "And away we go!"

JAMES (Jimmy, Jim) EDWIN BURKETT

My brother Jim was born August 3, 1933. He claimed a lot that he was a year older but I know better! His name sounds very distinguished like he should have been a successful lawyer or politician, maybe even President. I have no doubt this could have happened under different circumstances. He was very intelligent but there were too many anger issues. He did not finish high school. In fact he went through the 9th grade twice until he turned 16 and they requested he not come back. I think the breaking point for my parents and him was the day he was so angry and my mother reacted by breaking his collection of original Caruso records (78s).  At 17 mom signed for him to join the marines. This was during the Korean War and many young people who enlisted at the same time were killed when the Chinese came down to help North Korea. His friend, (whose name I do not know) was killed within 6 weeks after enlistment. He and Jim signed up the same day. What saved Jim was our cow, Daisy. Right after enlisting, but before reporting, he broke his finger! How is a little weird and providential! He and I alternated days milking Daisy. He was always upset that he had to do this menial job and on this day, Daisy refused to give milk easily. We had to stake the cow out as we had no fence. Jim was angry and hit his finger instead of the stake, breaking the finger! The marines delayed his enlistment and I'm sure that is what saved him from the same fate as his friend. He never saw combat and was an instructor for the marines. Sometime during or around his 4 years in the marines he earned his GED so was an official high school graduate. Once out he married Audrey and they were married until he passed on from this life. He wanted a son but produced 4 daughters. I always reminded him that he controlled the sex of the children (after he was a little older). He loved sodas but as far as I know he never drank liquor or smoked cigarettes. (Maybe he should have, to calm down). He had a variety of jobs but finally wound up at Martin/Lockheed as head of the down range electronics lab. As do most our family he had heart issues. I have forgotten the year he died, but he died in his sleep in his early 70s. Strangely enough, he and I had a long telephone conversation the night he died. He was very happy as he and his grandson Jimmy had been working on the house he built. I have many stories about him but it is enough to say he and I were getting along fine after his first 2 girls arrived. It seems he was 2 different fathers but only Audrey would know for sure. I do miss our conversations.

Jim, with his youngest daughter, Rebecca

JUANDA LOU (SMITH) CARTER

As I said I am including my cousin in the description of siblings. I loved her very much as my sister.

Juanda was born June 15, 1936 so she was my older sister. I can not begin to describe all the events we had together. Our biggest issue was her health. She had severe asthma and spent many days simply fighting for air to breathe. How my aunt and uncle could afford treatment I don't know. I know my Aunt Teber spent many hours on one treatment or another. Many times when I was at their home I felt like I was in a hospital instead of a bedroom. Even with that we had some good times. They lived very close to us when we were in grade school and Aunt Teber would allow us stove access so we would cut up potatoes and make french fries. They had a wind up Victrola record player which we played constantly.We could talk to each other about almost anything and did quite often. In high school she had a crush on one of our classmates (who I won't name) and she would plot all kinds of ways to get him to notice her. As far as I know they never dated. She never drank or smoked and neither did she cuss. Her mother told her gosh or golly are cuss words! She and I and her parents would often just sit around and play the card game canasta. I always ate there whenever I could. I love meatloaf and green beans and it was always there followed by a delicious raison bread pudding. Even with all her health issues she was involved in high school and graduated in my class. In a time after school I managed to make an idiot of myself. Her mother became sick and was put in a nursing home. I was very angry (as usual) that she wasn't taking care of her mother like her mother took care of her. I didn't take notice of Juanda's health which is a very stupid mistake on my part.

She married a nice man, Jim Carter. She was not able to have children because of her health so they adopted a boy and a girl. I'm going to skip this as I really wasn't there for her during a great deal of this time. The last time I saw her was at my mother's 80th  birthday celebration. She was very frail and had fallen and broke a leg. I am sad to say she died before I could tell her how much I loved her and our time together. As I am writing this I am filled with a great sadness. RIP my sweet dear.

My dear cousin Juanda