JOHN WAYNE REAVIS

I want to tell you about my oldest brother, John Wayne Reavis. His initials are the same as my dad's but instead of William for a middle name like dad's Mama wanted to name Joe after John Wayne, the actor. I think Mama had a crush on John Wayne. Yes I called my brother Joe. Mama said when Joe cried as a baby he opened his mouth as wide as Joe E. Brown, another actor/comedian. I always called him Joe-E when I was little.

Joe was the quiet type and didn't tell stories like Bob, but he was always pleasant to be around. I took Bob and Joe to a Country-Western bar in Dallas one time and Joe and I did the two-step to a country song. After it was over the lights came on and a man said we were the winners of the two-step. We won free drinks for the rest of the night. We didn't even know we were in a dance contest. I asked Bob to dance with me later but he said in his slow southern drawl, naw, you and Joe just keep on dancing and I will take care of the drinks.

One summer day a boy drove by my house and stopped when he saw me outside. He told me his name and asked me if I wanted to go to a movie that night. I told him I would have to ask my mother and I did. She said NO! She wasn't going to let me go off with a boy she nor I knew at the age of thirteen.

Joe was home on military leave and he told Mama to let me go cause he knew Steve and he was an okay guy. Joe told me later he didn't know Steve, he just had heard him on the Galax radio station on Teen-Talk telling the latest news from Galax High School. THANKS EVER SO MUCH JOE. A month later Steve and I were going Steady and he gave me a silver friendship ring and two and a half years later we got married with that same friendship ring. I owe Joe for giving me the love of my life.

I use was when I speak of Joe cause he went to Heaven back in 2002 I think. It seems like forever since I sat and talked to Joe and I miss him but I have many wonderful childhood and adult memories of my brother Joe. I have a lot of stories to tell at a later date about Joe and Bob. They liked to pull pranks on me and I still remember them helping Mama catch me to give me a spanking. If it wasn't for them I wouldn't have had to feel the sting of that switch, at least not till I ran out of steam.

I miss you Joe and I will always be grateful that you were in my life and my brother. I love you. Love, Sis