December 12, 2017 • 24 mins
Granddad and Nanny are 95 years old. Their story is THE American dream!
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hey, this is Jake Owen and this is Good Company.
Good Company. Welcome to Good Company, a podcast where we
talk about everything under the sun, friends, good times, and company.
Now here's your host. What's up? What's up? Guys, It's
(00:24):
Jake and I am back with yet another Good Company podcast.
Last episode, I chatted with my twin brother Jay, Rod,
Jared and um my best friend Marty. And this week
it's Brian Yancy. Owen is my granddad and my grandmother's
gene Martin, and uh, I'm just fairly excited for you
guys to hear the story of how they met, because
(00:44):
their story is truly, truly the American love story. I mean,
it is the dream, the American dream of love. And
I laughed saying, you know this is after their time
of meeting, but they are, you know, the the American
Jack and Diane. You you hear those songs and you
think about the love that people have had together, and uh,
and I think my grandmother and grandfather, after you all
(01:07):
hear their story, there's plenty of songs out there. I
think they could be written about this love, love that
they share together. So we'll get Grandma, old granddad, Nanny
on the phone, and uh look forward to you guys
hearing from all right, y'all's get him on there. Hello,
Hey Granddad, Well hello grandson. Are you How is Nanny's
(01:31):
Dennis appointment this morning? Granddad? Well, she's on the phone,
shed you Did you hear him? Nanny? Wait? Anyway, she
gotta do t clean and everything went well, So she's here.
Did you take her to a nice breakfast afterwards or before? Yeah? Yeah, Well,
I I was telling um, I was kind of intro
(01:52):
before I called you, kind of the reason I wanted
to talk to your granddad. And I hope you understand
you and Nanny both how much it means to me
to get you guys on the phone, to share a
little bit of your story with those out there that
I'm fortunate enough to tune in to listen to me.
And I said that I would not be the person
I am in my life, um, without the influence that
(02:14):
you and Nanny have given me throughout the years, from
the time I was a child and would come over
there and sit on the back porch with you guys
over there in the car port and spit watermelon seeds
out on that little side area there and and go
down there on the lake, and I just I know
that Dad would never be the father he was to
me if you weren't the mother and father to him
(02:36):
that you all were. So it was really important to
me to just kind of talk to you guys about
a few things and kind of pick your brain on
life and uh, and again I I really do appreciate
you guys talking to me this morning. Well, I love
the very kind words, and the blessing has been ours
and we are grateful to you for having this. Well,
(02:58):
I I appreciate that grand and I was I guess
probably the best way for me to start out with
you guys is, uh, we were sitting around the table
at Thanksgiving when I really thought, how cool of an
idea this might be to chat with you When I
asked you there Thanksgiving about the real story about how
you you and Nanny met, and you, um, you kind
(03:19):
of told us about the story you started off with
how you went to college, and thought that would be
neat if you didn't mind sharing that with uh, with
those out there kind of these days, it seems when
someone wants to go to college, there you know, you
know where you're going, and you you you you you
get your grades all together, and then the family have
taken trips to visit the colleges and you had a
(03:41):
bit of a different story. Well literally, it is certainly
different from today's society. I know in this culture that
students have to start planning he had when there in Nashchoo.
But it was certainly different than uh. In nineteen forty
and when I graduated in high school, there was no
prior preparation to go into college. If you're going to go,
(04:04):
you just showed up and there you were. And my
story was kind of simple. I was and I grew
up on a farm, of course, and uh, I was
in that summer, I was out in the um tobacco
patch working and my father came over and said, did
you ever decide whether you want to go to college
(04:25):
or not? And I said, yes, I'd like to go.
He said, well, Mr So and So is here and
he's going back to Lexington, which was a home in
the university, and if you want to go, you can
going in and get your clothes ready and go. So
I went in on mom, got a little few clothes ready,
(04:46):
I rode up to Lexington and that's how I started
to college. Uh. It was that's when you became a wildcat. Huh,
that's when I became a wildcat. Yeah. And I've remained
a loyal fans support all these years. And Nanny, Nanny
(05:08):
loves those those Kentucky wildcats too. I'm the wildcat. There
you are, Nanny, I love you. Thanks for talking to
us this morning. You have no idea how much this
means to me. I've been so excited. We love you, darling,
and we're always glad to talk to you. So this
is a pleasure to us to be able to do this. Oh,
(05:29):
thanks Nanny. So uh so Granddad, So you went off
to college. You went up to Lexington and what was
your Did you pick a major when you got there? Oh? No, Oh,
I had no idea really was. You were just happy
to be there, Yeah, just happy to be there. But
of course, being a farm boy, I had not been
(05:51):
exposed to mandy professions and so forth. So I enrolled
in the Universe, in the College of Agriculture, and uh
was home to me. But I had to work my
way through. My dad was a pharm of modest means,
and my sister, two years older than I, was also
in college and she had to receive on mydest scholarship
(06:13):
of at Kentucky Westley, and if I wanted to go,
I had to work, and which was not uncommon in
those days. I worked for I was a day in
a cafeteria for my two meals, and I was happy
to have the chance. So anyway, it worked that well.
I had great college years and what became part of
(06:36):
a fraternity alphabam ROF which I became the president and
created a lot of lifelong bonds there. Wow, you're I
didn't know that. That's I just learned that. For the
first of all, I know you were the president of
the fraternity grant. Is that where you get that? I mean,
is that where you get that? They recognized my needs?
I think, let me be the house manager? Are to that?
(07:00):
But on my last year they elected me president. I
was grateful for that. That was just prior to going
into the army. Wow, so had you gone into the
army before you took the trip home with your buddy
from Lexington to to Mumfordville. No, that was I was
still in school and okay, I didn't go into the
(07:21):
army until forty three. All right, Well, I thought, what
was so great the other day? And your story was
and it really put things in perspective for me, especially
with today's world. Was you said, you know, in those
days in college when when you when it was time
you guys wanted to go home, it wasn't anything back
in those days right to just put a thumb in
the air and hitchhike back home. Well, that's correct. We
(07:43):
weren't burdened with the prevalence of drugs and alcoholism and
all those things that were so prevalent today, you know,
And it was perfectly safe and people would be glad
to pick us up and ride and hitchhik and with
a birth popular method of among kids with no car
and no money. Yeah, I can't. I don't know if
(08:06):
I can honestly say, Granddad, I've never hitchhiked in my
life before, but uh, it's not too safe now. I
wouldn't recommend it now. Yeah. So you so you hitchhike
home with your buddy and you guys were heading back
towards Were you going back to Hopkinsville or you had
Did he happen to be from Mumfordville, Lexington, Lexington? I've
(08:28):
been back and we went our way back to Lexington
and this was and I was a freshman at that time,
and one of our riders stopped in this small town.
Let us out of town about a thousand people, and
the highway was the main street through the town. And
while we were waiting on the curb another ride, in
(08:50):
front of a nice residence, two good looking high school
age brunettes came walking down the sidewalk. We attempted to
be a friendly, but they ignored us and went into
the home. And suddenly I had an enterprising thought, and
with my camera I took a picture of the house.
When we got back to school, I look in this
(09:12):
little picture of the house and I said to my roommate,
week and meet those girls. And so I took the
little picture, glued it on the address side of a
penny postcard. Under that picture, I wrote main street in
the name of the town, Munfordville, Kentucky. On the back
(09:32):
side of the card, I told him we had just
passed through town, and it's seen these two lovely brunettes.
And I told him that I was a college student,
rich and good looking properly obviously obviously neither which was true.
But but I said, and seeing these lovely brunettes, we'd
(09:53):
like to meet you if you would answer the letter
of the card. Nothing happened for a couple of weeks,
and then one day I got a letter It's the
indicating they had received the card and that their high
school choir was coming to Lexington to participate in uh ensemble,
(10:16):
a choir ensemble, the glee club or something, and perhaps
we could rendezvous at a certain time on a certain day,
and we could pick up my roommate and I could
pick out the two roommates or two brunets that we
had seen because they were partly There were several girls
friends that visited the house. One of them lived in
(10:38):
the home. And but on the day designated for meeting,
I had to work and I could not go, and
I didn't thought anything further about it. But on the
following week I received this apologetic letter saying that they
had not been there either one of the girls that
had gotten the ill and they had to leave early.
(10:59):
And they apologize, and I said, if you would like
to pursue this further um and they gave me two names,
one Gene martin In, one Martha Mansfield. My roommate now
flipped the coin and I got Geen Martin lucky you. Yeah, yeah,
(11:22):
well it was providential, right. So when school was out
and we went home, I stopped back to see and
that was my first meeting. And I was so impressed
with her that I made a date two weeks later
to go see it for my first date. And that's
how I met your grandmother. That is so unbelievable. That
(11:45):
what an awesome story that is. And so that first meeting,
didn't didn't Anny think the same of your granddad? No,
I don't think it was mutual. I think it was
a little a little more impressed than she was. There's
a quick sequel to that story and whether I told
you no. But in anticipation of that first date, I
(12:06):
bought a new pair of slacks. They were green flannel
and like kind of pea green. Beautiful, I thought. And
in those days we did not have steam irons, we
didn't in my house anyway, and they used just a
regular flat iron he did on the top of on
top of the stove, and they would use a moist
(12:28):
or wet cloth between iron and the fabric to provide
the steam. My sister was going to press my new
slacks for me, and unfortunately, regrettably, the cloth she used
had been a feed stock of sack, feedsack, and on
this feedsack was a big red pig. And the red
(12:53):
pig transferred beautifully to my new green slacks. And except
for my mother's intervention, that probably been a murder. But
through some diligence, my mother got the pig off, so
I got to wear my new slegs to my first
date with your grandmother. Did he did he look good? Nanny? Oh? Yeah, yeah.
(13:16):
I didn't really pay that much attention to the green pants.
I was looking him over, so that the part he
was pretty cute. The first day that he came by,
he came up the walk and he had a really
fast step coming up and and he the mother asked
(13:37):
him they'd like some iced tea or lemonade or something,
and and your grandfather sat in the swing and he
was so nervous that the drink was sort of slushing around,
and but he was we enjoyed the stopping by. I
was nervous, Jake. I that was part of my cool.
(14:00):
That's right, that's right. That is so. I mean, I
love hearing you guys talk about that, because, as you
said earlier, Granddad, you know that times have changed a lot.
And and so that was that was in nineteen forty one.
And y'all, and so that's when you met on drinking
that slashing that tea around Granddad and you were sitting
(14:22):
there on the on the front steps of Nanny's house.
So how many years now have you guys been married? Well, Uh,
first of all, I was in college and three more years,
and then I was in the army for four, So
that's seven years and before we married. Um, and when
(14:44):
God has blessed us with almost seventy years, and uh,
we've been blessed, and not only with a good marriage,
but a great family, all of whom we are proud
and uh blessed. Yes, sir, that's exactly kind of what
I was getting around too, is I. I You guys
have definitely been blessed. But I I personally, if it's
(15:06):
not to sound uh you know, a selfish year, but
I think to speaking on my behalf and all of us,
as as your grandchildren and your sons and daughters, we
all feel so blessed Granddad and Narreny to have you
in our lives. And and I've I've always told my
friends that don't even they can't fathom really still having
(15:26):
you know, their grandparents around like you all, and how
I tell them how healthy all are, I mean, and
and how smart you guys are, and and and to
this day, how I get letters from you Nanny and Granddad,
just you know, telling me to keep you know, keep
my prayers up and and keep God in mind for
all the blessings He's given me. And and I think, um,
(15:46):
you know, with there's so many folks out there, uh,
that go through so much tough stuff these days on
a day to day basis. And I've always felt like,
I think your your faith, the two of you all
together and what you've instilled in us as a family
has really kept us all, you know, blessed. And um,
I truly know that that's stemmed from the from the
foundation that you've set for us and our family and
(16:10):
kept church in our lives. And and um, I just
hope you know how much I appreciate that. Well, that's
kind of you to say that, Jake, And there is
absolutely no substitute for that faith and to honor God
and to analyze our lives and to admit ali and
(16:30):
heroin sinfulness and and ask God for forgiveness. And then
live obedia and that is the peace that God gives us. Yes, sir,
And it interests me to hear you say that because
you know, as your grandson, both you and any both,
I've always looked up to you all as people that
(16:51):
are perfect, you know, people that people that are the
perfect example of who I should should focus my life
in trying to and try and um, trying to maintain.
And it's interesting for me to hear you, you know, say,
to accept your flaws and accept accept the things to
(17:12):
be a better human being. You said it more eloquently
than I just did. But um, it's funny for me
to hear you say that because it tends to sound
as if you you acknowledge as well that you're not
a perfect person. You're not the perfect person part that
I've I've viewed you as. But through faith and and
and and God, you you're constantly working on that. Well,
(17:35):
we're far from being perfect, but we are forgiven. Well. Yes,
I was going to say, Jake, that I know that
it was the Lord's will that we get back together
because I had not seen him all the time that
he was in the service. In fact, I was dating
(17:58):
someone else that I had thought at the time I
would marry them. But uh, Brian came through Munfordville with
his grandparents and he went out to see my mother
and he asked her, said where's Gene now where she lives,
and he she said, well, she's right here in town,
(18:18):
said she's working. So she called me on the phone
and said, I've got a surprise for you. We're gonna
somebody wants to see you. So I looked. They came
up to where I worked and he came in and
I knew the minute he walked in the door, after
all those years, I just felt like that that was
(18:39):
that was who I was supposed to marry. And I
told you was rich and good looking. But anyway, it
is it's something that I knew at the time that
that I was gonna happen. And uh, and we've been happy,
and we just think we our grandparents, so the most
(19:00):
wonderful oh grandchildren, great grandchildren, and our wonderful four children,
and we're so thankful for each and every one of you,
and what have you meant us in our life? You
are our lives and we just thank the Lord every
day for you. Pray that you will love always know
(19:26):
that the Lord your savior, and he's taken care of
you and that Jake. We're proud of you, and we're
proud of all of you. You've all been a blessing
to us and we couldn't ask from more than man. Well,
thank you so much, Nanny. I'm I'm proud to be
your grandson and and I'm so thankful you guys took
(19:49):
the time today to chat with me like this. I
think if there was one thing before I got out
of here, I've I've I've always wanted, you know, if
you had a piece of advice, either one of you
to give to anyone out there that's listening, as far
as you know, keeping your keeping the family together, and
how y'all's marriage. You've been married for almost seventy years,
and as you know, I mean, you know, no marriage
(20:11):
is perfect. There's the ups and downs, and there's the
and there's and there's there's the highs and the lows.
But what coming from someone that's that's been married for
seventy years, I would think that you might have a
pretty good piece of advice for anyone else out there
that that's wonders sometimes. Well, my advice to anyone is
(20:32):
just to on this I run God and to be
humble before him and before a man can and remember
that we had to serve, and that's from where the
blessings come. You're right, I think that the Lord is
(20:52):
the center of your life. And and also I'm not
a woman liber I believe that husband has the authority
and the right to be the head of the household.
And and I've always believed that. And uh, honor my husband,
and and thankful that we've had all these years together.
(21:17):
And as you say, there have been ups and downs,
but we've worked from them and we've been happy. And
we've taken a lot of trips and you kids and grandkids,
and and that's been a blessing too. So well, I'm
sure that some of that good cooking that you make,
Nanny doesn't hurt either from keeping Granddad around. You know,
(21:37):
all that all that good homemade ice cream and all
those pies and stuff that probably that probably keeps carrying
that around very good too, that's right, those pleasant memories.
That still enjoying some of them too. I can't cook
like I used to. I don't have the energy to
do it, but we still enjoy good food where weather food.
(22:01):
Thank you and Jake for taking your time with us.
We're blessed by the conversation. Yes, sir, I love you
guys so much, and this means the world to me.
And I know the my friends and fans out there
that that that let's tune in to hear me talk
about things that mean a lot to me. Uh, this
means more than you guys even con ever know, and
(22:21):
I know it means a lot to them as well.
So thank you so much. I love you guys, and
hopefully I'll be down there and see you for Christmas.
Thank you, Jake. All right, love you guys. I'll talk
to you soon. Go wild go go wildcats a right,
see you nanny, see your granddad. Love you all. Bye bye. Wow.
(22:42):
That was um. You know, in all the years that
i've that I've known my grandmother and grandfather, I've never
had the opportunity, just one on one like that to
sit there and chat with him and um and and
and hear them out. And I mean we could have
sat there for hours, you know, I think, as you
can tell, I've always loved that about my granddad. And
even when I called to check on him after about
(23:04):
a minute and a half or two minutes. Granddad says,
all right, well, let me get Nanny on the phone.
And you know he's had Granddad's had had had had
a little uh too much time on the phone. He
likes to get get it off. So for him to
give us twenty minutes of his time on the phone
with Nanny together, I mean that means so much to me.
And to hear them talk and and uh, to hear
(23:24):
them talk about their faith and their love of the family,
and and and just I loved hearing Nanny chime in
with UH with how she met Granddad and how he
had that pep and his step and those are things
that as I'm sharing them with you, I'm learning for
the first time to today. And so what an awesome
second way to come back with a Good Company podcast.
I don't think there's any better company than my grandmother
(23:47):
and grandfather. So I've got lots of cool ideas coming
your way over the coming weeks and months, and um
started the new year, so I'm really excited to share
some more good company with you all. Thanks for two
and an in with me, and I look forward to
catching you guys next time right here with Good Company
with Jake on and uh, i'll see you soon. Well,
(24:08):
we'll flay you
Hey, this is Jake Owen and this is Good Company.
Good Company. Welcome to Good Company, a podcast where we
talk about everything under the sun, friends, good times, and company.
Now here's your host. What's up? What's up? Guys, It's
(00:24):
Jake and I am back with yet another Good Company podcast.
Last episode, I chatted with my twin brother Jay, Rod,
Jared and um my best friend Marty. And this week
it's Brian Yancy. Owen is my granddad and my grandmother's
gene Martin, and uh, I'm just fairly excited for you
guys to hear the story of how they met, because
(00:44):
their story is truly, truly the American love story. I mean,
it is the dream, the American dream of love. And
I laughed saying, you know this is after their time
of meeting, but they are, you know, the the American
Jack and Diane. You you hear those songs and you
think about the love that people have had together, and uh,
and I think my grandmother and grandfather, after you all
(01:07):
hear their story, there's plenty of songs out there. I
think they could be written about this love, love that
they share together. So we'll get Grandma, old granddad, Nanny
on the phone, and uh look forward to you guys
hearing from all right, y'all's get him on there. Hello,
Hey Granddad, Well hello grandson. Are you How is Nanny's
(01:31):
Dennis appointment this morning? Granddad? Well, she's on the phone,
shed you Did you hear him? Nanny? Wait? Anyway, she
gotta do t clean and everything went well, So she's here.
Did you take her to a nice breakfast afterwards or before? Yeah? Yeah, Well,
I I was telling um, I was kind of intro
(01:52):
before I called you, kind of the reason I wanted
to talk to your granddad. And I hope you understand
you and Nanny both how much it means to me
to get you guys on the phone, to share a
little bit of your story with those out there that
I'm fortunate enough to tune in to listen to me.
And I said that I would not be the person
I am in my life, um, without the influence that
(02:14):
you and Nanny have given me throughout the years, from
the time I was a child and would come over
there and sit on the back porch with you guys
over there in the car port and spit watermelon seeds
out on that little side area there and and go
down there on the lake, and I just I know
that Dad would never be the father he was to
me if you weren't the mother and father to him
(02:36):
that you all were. So it was really important to
me to just kind of talk to you guys about
a few things and kind of pick your brain on
life and uh, and again I I really do appreciate
you guys talking to me this morning. Well, I love
the very kind words, and the blessing has been ours
and we are grateful to you for having this. Well,
(02:58):
I I appreciate that grand and I was I guess
probably the best way for me to start out with
you guys is, uh, we were sitting around the table
at Thanksgiving when I really thought, how cool of an
idea this might be to chat with you When I
asked you there Thanksgiving about the real story about how
you you and Nanny met, and you, um, you kind
(03:19):
of told us about the story you started off with
how you went to college, and thought that would be
neat if you didn't mind sharing that with uh, with
those out there kind of these days, it seems when
someone wants to go to college, there you know, you
know where you're going, and you you you you you
get your grades all together, and then the family have
taken trips to visit the colleges and you had a
(03:41):
bit of a different story. Well literally, it is certainly
different from today's society. I know in this culture that
students have to start planning he had when there in Nashchoo.
But it was certainly different than uh. In nineteen forty
and when I graduated in high school, there was no
prior preparation to go into college. If you're going to go,
(04:04):
you just showed up and there you were. And my
story was kind of simple. I was and I grew
up on a farm, of course, and uh, I was
in that summer, I was out in the um tobacco
patch working and my father came over and said, did
you ever decide whether you want to go to college
(04:25):
or not? And I said, yes, I'd like to go.
He said, well, Mr So and So is here and
he's going back to Lexington, which was a home in
the university, and if you want to go, you can
going in and get your clothes ready and go. So
I went in on mom, got a little few clothes ready,
(04:46):
I rode up to Lexington and that's how I started
to college. Uh. It was that's when you became a wildcat. Huh,
that's when I became a wildcat. Yeah. And I've remained
a loyal fans support all these years. And Nanny, Nanny
(05:08):
loves those those Kentucky wildcats too. I'm the wildcat. There
you are, Nanny, I love you. Thanks for talking to
us this morning. You have no idea how much this
means to me. I've been so excited. We love you, darling,
and we're always glad to talk to you. So this
is a pleasure to us to be able to do this. Oh,
(05:29):
thanks Nanny. So uh so Granddad, So you went off
to college. You went up to Lexington and what was
your Did you pick a major when you got there? Oh? No, Oh,
I had no idea really was. You were just happy
to be there, Yeah, just happy to be there. But
of course, being a farm boy, I had not been
(05:51):
exposed to mandy professions and so forth. So I enrolled
in the Universe, in the College of Agriculture, and uh
was home to me. But I had to work my
way through. My dad was a pharm of modest means,
and my sister, two years older than I, was also
in college and she had to receive on mydest scholarship
(06:13):
of at Kentucky Westley, and if I wanted to go,
I had to work, and which was not uncommon in
those days. I worked for I was a day in
a cafeteria for my two meals, and I was happy
to have the chance. So anyway, it worked that well.
I had great college years and what became part of
(06:36):
a fraternity alphabam ROF which I became the president and
created a lot of lifelong bonds there. Wow, you're I
didn't know that. That's I just learned that. For the
first of all, I know you were the president of
the fraternity grant. Is that where you get that? I mean,
is that where you get that? They recognized my needs?
I think, let me be the house manager? Are to that?
(07:00):
But on my last year they elected me president. I
was grateful for that. That was just prior to going
into the army. Wow, so had you gone into the
army before you took the trip home with your buddy
from Lexington to to Mumfordville. No, that was I was
still in school and okay, I didn't go into the
(07:21):
army until forty three. All right, Well, I thought, what
was so great the other day? And your story was
and it really put things in perspective for me, especially
with today's world. Was you said, you know, in those
days in college when when you when it was time
you guys wanted to go home, it wasn't anything back
in those days right to just put a thumb in
the air and hitchhike back home. Well, that's correct. We
(07:43):
weren't burdened with the prevalence of drugs and alcoholism and
all those things that were so prevalent today, you know,
And it was perfectly safe and people would be glad
to pick us up and ride and hitchhik and with
a birth popular method of among kids with no car
and no money. Yeah, I can't. I don't know if
(08:06):
I can honestly say, Granddad, I've never hitchhiked in my
life before, but uh, it's not too safe now. I
wouldn't recommend it now. Yeah. So you so you hitchhike
home with your buddy and you guys were heading back
towards Were you going back to Hopkinsville or you had
Did he happen to be from Mumfordville, Lexington, Lexington? I've
(08:28):
been back and we went our way back to Lexington
and this was and I was a freshman at that time,
and one of our riders stopped in this small town.
Let us out of town about a thousand people, and
the highway was the main street through the town. And
while we were waiting on the curb another ride, in
(08:50):
front of a nice residence, two good looking high school
age brunettes came walking down the sidewalk. We attempted to
be a friendly, but they ignored us and went into
the home. And suddenly I had an enterprising thought, and
with my camera I took a picture of the house.
When we got back to school, I look in this
(09:12):
little picture of the house and I said to my roommate,
week and meet those girls. And so I took the
little picture, glued it on the address side of a
penny postcard. Under that picture, I wrote main street in
the name of the town, Munfordville, Kentucky. On the back
(09:32):
side of the card, I told him we had just
passed through town, and it's seen these two lovely brunettes.
And I told him that I was a college student,
rich and good looking properly obviously obviously neither which was true.
But but I said, and seeing these lovely brunettes, we'd
(09:53):
like to meet you if you would answer the letter
of the card. Nothing happened for a couple of weeks,
and then one day I got a letter It's the
indicating they had received the card and that their high
school choir was coming to Lexington to participate in uh ensemble,
(10:16):
a choir ensemble, the glee club or something, and perhaps
we could rendezvous at a certain time on a certain day,
and we could pick up my roommate and I could
pick out the two roommates or two brunets that we
had seen because they were partly There were several girls
friends that visited the house. One of them lived in
(10:38):
the home. And but on the day designated for meeting,
I had to work and I could not go, and
I didn't thought anything further about it. But on the
following week I received this apologetic letter saying that they
had not been there either one of the girls that
had gotten the ill and they had to leave early.
(10:59):
And they apologize, and I said, if you would like
to pursue this further um and they gave me two names,
one Gene martin In, one Martha Mansfield. My roommate now
flipped the coin and I got Geen Martin lucky you. Yeah, yeah,
(11:22):
well it was providential, right. So when school was out
and we went home, I stopped back to see and
that was my first meeting. And I was so impressed
with her that I made a date two weeks later
to go see it for my first date. And that's
how I met your grandmother. That is so unbelievable. That
(11:45):
what an awesome story that is. And so that first meeting,
didn't didn't Anny think the same of your granddad? No,
I don't think it was mutual. I think it was
a little a little more impressed than she was. There's
a quick sequel to that story and whether I told
you no. But in anticipation of that first date, I
(12:06):
bought a new pair of slacks. They were green flannel
and like kind of pea green. Beautiful, I thought. And
in those days we did not have steam irons, we
didn't in my house anyway, and they used just a
regular flat iron he did on the top of on
top of the stove, and they would use a moist
(12:28):
or wet cloth between iron and the fabric to provide
the steam. My sister was going to press my new
slacks for me, and unfortunately, regrettably, the cloth she used
had been a feed stock of sack, feedsack, and on
this feedsack was a big red pig. And the red
(12:53):
pig transferred beautifully to my new green slacks. And except
for my mother's intervention, that probably been a murder. But
through some diligence, my mother got the pig off, so
I got to wear my new slegs to my first
date with your grandmother. Did he did he look good? Nanny? Oh? Yeah, yeah.
(13:16):
I didn't really pay that much attention to the green pants.
I was looking him over, so that the part he
was pretty cute. The first day that he came by,
he came up the walk and he had a really
fast step coming up and and he the mother asked
(13:37):
him they'd like some iced tea or lemonade or something,
and and your grandfather sat in the swing and he
was so nervous that the drink was sort of slushing around,
and but he was we enjoyed the stopping by. I
was nervous, Jake. I that was part of my cool.
(14:00):
That's right, that's right. That is so. I mean, I
love hearing you guys talk about that, because, as you
said earlier, Granddad, you know that times have changed a lot.
And and so that was that was in nineteen forty one.
And y'all, and so that's when you met on drinking
that slashing that tea around Granddad and you were sitting
(14:22):
there on the on the front steps of Nanny's house.
So how many years now have you guys been married? Well, Uh,
first of all, I was in college and three more years,
and then I was in the army for four, So
that's seven years and before we married. Um, and when
(14:44):
God has blessed us with almost seventy years, and uh,
we've been blessed, and not only with a good marriage,
but a great family, all of whom we are proud
and uh blessed. Yes, sir, that's exactly kind of what
I was getting around too, is I. I You guys
have definitely been blessed. But I I personally, if it's
(15:06):
not to sound uh you know, a selfish year, but
I think to speaking on my behalf and all of us,
as as your grandchildren and your sons and daughters, we
all feel so blessed Granddad and Narreny to have you
in our lives. And and I've I've always told my
friends that don't even they can't fathom really still having
(15:26):
you know, their grandparents around like you all, and how
I tell them how healthy all are, I mean, and
and how smart you guys are, and and and to
this day, how I get letters from you Nanny and Granddad,
just you know, telling me to keep you know, keep
my prayers up and and keep God in mind for
all the blessings He's given me. And and I think, um,
(15:46):
you know, with there's so many folks out there, uh,
that go through so much tough stuff these days on
a day to day basis. And I've always felt like,
I think your your faith, the two of you all
together and what you've instilled in us as a family
has really kept us all, you know, blessed. And um,
I truly know that that's stemmed from the from the
foundation that you've set for us and our family and
(16:10):
kept church in our lives. And and um, I just
hope you know how much I appreciate that. Well, that's
kind of you to say that, Jake, And there is
absolutely no substitute for that faith and to honor God
and to analyze our lives and to admit ali and
(16:30):
heroin sinfulness and and ask God for forgiveness. And then
live obedia and that is the peace that God gives us. Yes, sir,
And it interests me to hear you say that because
you know, as your grandson, both you and any both,
I've always looked up to you all as people that
(16:51):
are perfect, you know, people that people that are the
perfect example of who I should should focus my life
in trying to and try and um, trying to maintain.
And it's interesting for me to hear you, you know, say,
to accept your flaws and accept accept the things to
(17:12):
be a better human being. You said it more eloquently
than I just did. But um, it's funny for me
to hear you say that because it tends to sound
as if you you acknowledge as well that you're not
a perfect person. You're not the perfect person part that
I've I've viewed you as. But through faith and and
and and God, you you're constantly working on that. Well,
(17:35):
we're far from being perfect, but we are forgiven. Well. Yes,
I was going to say, Jake, that I know that
it was the Lord's will that we get back together
because I had not seen him all the time that
he was in the service. In fact, I was dating
(17:58):
someone else that I had thought at the time I
would marry them. But uh, Brian came through Munfordville with
his grandparents and he went out to see my mother
and he asked her, said where's Gene now where she lives,
and he she said, well, she's right here in town,
(18:18):
said she's working. So she called me on the phone
and said, I've got a surprise for you. We're gonna
somebody wants to see you. So I looked. They came
up to where I worked and he came in and
I knew the minute he walked in the door, after
all those years, I just felt like that that was
(18:39):
that was who I was supposed to marry. And I
told you was rich and good looking. But anyway, it
is it's something that I knew at the time that
that I was gonna happen. And uh, and we've been happy,
and we just think we our grandparents, so the most
(19:00):
wonderful oh grandchildren, great grandchildren, and our wonderful four children,
and we're so thankful for each and every one of you,
and what have you meant us in our life? You
are our lives and we just thank the Lord every
day for you. Pray that you will love always know
(19:26):
that the Lord your savior, and he's taken care of
you and that Jake. We're proud of you, and we're
proud of all of you. You've all been a blessing
to us and we couldn't ask from more than man. Well,
thank you so much, Nanny. I'm I'm proud to be
your grandson and and I'm so thankful you guys took
(19:49):
the time today to chat with me like this. I
think if there was one thing before I got out
of here, I've I've I've always wanted, you know, if
you had a piece of advice, either one of you
to give to anyone out there that's listening, as far
as you know, keeping your keeping the family together, and
how y'all's marriage. You've been married for almost seventy years,
and as you know, I mean, you know, no marriage
(20:11):
is perfect. There's the ups and downs, and there's the
and there's and there's there's the highs and the lows.
But what coming from someone that's that's been married for
seventy years, I would think that you might have a
pretty good piece of advice for anyone else out there
that that's wonders sometimes. Well, my advice to anyone is
(20:32):
just to on this I run God and to be
humble before him and before a man can and remember
that we had to serve, and that's from where the
blessings come. You're right, I think that the Lord is
(20:52):
the center of your life. And and also I'm not
a woman liber I believe that husband has the authority
and the right to be the head of the household.
And and I've always believed that. And uh, honor my husband,
and and thankful that we've had all these years together.
(21:17):
And as you say, there have been ups and downs,
but we've worked from them and we've been happy. And
we've taken a lot of trips and you kids and grandkids,
and and that's been a blessing too. So well, I'm
sure that some of that good cooking that you make,
Nanny doesn't hurt either from keeping Granddad around. You know,
(21:37):
all that all that good homemade ice cream and all
those pies and stuff that probably that probably keeps carrying
that around very good too, that's right, those pleasant memories.
That still enjoying some of them too. I can't cook
like I used to. I don't have the energy to
do it, but we still enjoy good food where weather food.
(22:01):
Thank you and Jake for taking your time with us.
We're blessed by the conversation. Yes, sir, I love you
guys so much, and this means the world to me.
And I know the my friends and fans out there
that that that let's tune in to hear me talk
about things that mean a lot to me. Uh, this
means more than you guys even con ever know, and
(22:21):
I know it means a lot to them as well.
So thank you so much. I love you guys, and
hopefully I'll be down there and see you for Christmas.
Thank you, Jake. All right, love you guys. I'll talk
to you soon. Go wild go go wildcats a right,
see you nanny, see your granddad. Love you all. Bye bye. Wow.
(22:42):
That was um. You know, in all the years that
i've that I've known my grandmother and grandfather, I've never
had the opportunity, just one on one like that to
sit there and chat with him and um and and
and hear them out. And I mean we could have
sat there for hours, you know, I think, as you
can tell, I've always loved that about my granddad. And
even when I called to check on him after about
(23:04):
a minute and a half or two minutes. Granddad says,
all right, well, let me get Nanny on the phone.
And you know he's had Granddad's had had had had
a little uh too much time on the phone. He
likes to get get it off. So for him to
give us twenty minutes of his time on the phone
with Nanny together, I mean that means so much to me.
And to hear them talk and and uh, to hear
(23:24):
them talk about their faith and their love of the family,
and and and just I loved hearing Nanny chime in
with UH with how she met Granddad and how he
had that pep and his step and those are things
that as I'm sharing them with you, I'm learning for
the first time to today. And so what an awesome
second way to come back with a Good Company podcast.
I don't think there's any better company than my grandmother
(23:47):
and grandfather. So I've got lots of cool ideas coming
your way over the coming weeks and months, and um
started the new year, so I'm really excited to share
some more good company with you all. Thanks for two
and an in with me, and I look forward to
catching you guys next time right here with Good Company
with Jake on and uh, i'll see you soon. Well,
(24:08):
we'll flay you
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