Page 71 - Senior Link Magazine Spring 2018 - Online Magazine

by himself. His loving wife, Jody, my immediately, he was hired and to rub Grandpa’s legs when he tries to
Momma Jo, pushed him along the way. proceeded to work at both Dunbar unload bags of feed.
His stories of her, all dolled up in her Middle School and later Lubbock High
Sunday best, face rouged, and dark School. I will treasure these last few months
auburn hair curled and pinned as they of stock shows as my time inside
cruised around the square, make my Grandpa worked with all types of the show ring comes to an end. If it
eyes gleam with admiration. I know students over the course of his career. weren’t for Grandpa, I wouldn’t be the
their love still runs as deep as it did on His stories of coaching the boys’ young woman I am today. He has not
that afternoon of June 1, 1960, when basketball team and winning the once missed a One-Act-Play, Pee-Wee
they promised to love one another for High School Special Olympics draw basketball game, FFA banquet, or cattle
better or worse. memories that I know he will cherish
forever. He loved every second of
Two short years later, another brown- getting to work with those students,
haired baby boy entered this world. and they truly loved getting to be with
However, this time Grandpa wasn’t him. After 33 years of teaching and
smiling up into the universe. On becoming one of the most respected
December 3, 1962, he was looking teachers in the Lubbock School
down at his very own, bright-eyed District, Grandpa finally retired in
child, Stanley Rafe Foreman. Grandpa May, 2007.
was now a father, and he was willing
to do everything in his power to He now had all the time in the world
provide for his little family of three. and decided to reinvest in one of his
He worked around the farm and most cherished hobbies: cattle. While show that I have been involved in. His
studied long hours in order to obtain for some folks, the cow-calf operation wisdom and guidance is something
his degree. In the meantime, Grandpa is a way of life, Grandpa basically that I have grown to seek and
was blessed yet again. On July 11, 1966, wanted something to keep him appreciate. Grandpa spends countless
my mother, Sharon Denise Foreman, occupied, rather than the chores that hours helping me take care of my cattle
was born. Momma Jo assigned for him around projects. Thank you so much! I love
the house. So, he purchased five black you Grandpa!
Following this addition, Grandpa cows from the sale barn and brought
soon finished college. However, with them home. As The Judd’s chorus of “The Good
a shortage of jobs teaching agriculture, Old Days” streams out of the radio, I
Grandpa began farming cotton full Over the last ten years, Grandpa think of all the history Grandpa has
time. Life on the farm was good, and and I have discussed feed rations, witnessed - from the very first hula
he especially enjoyed raising two vaccinations, high quality cattle hoop to the invention of the internal
children, who were both involved in characteristics, in fact, pretty much pacemaker, one of which he relies
showing cattle. Grandpa spent over everything - from signs of foot rot to on today. I am lucky to get to see a
40 years farming, but with a downturn how to properly pull a calf when the glimpse of the past through Grandpa’s
in the economy, he was forced to hooves are sticking half way out of the eyes. They are his “good old days”, but
find an additional career path. He mother. Our experiences with “The I know that someday I will look back
was informed that he could easily Milk Stealer” (the Black Baldy calf that on the memories he and I have made
acquire a certification and become a seemed to slurp all the brood cows together and reminisce myself about
teacher of Special Education. Almost dry) brought many laughs, as does my own “good old days”.
our orange barn cat Fluffy, who loves

IDalou
Article Submitted by
Shae Lynn Suttle

Shae Lynn Suttle is a Senior at Idalou High School where she is on track to
graduate as valedictorian of her class. She is actively involved in the Idalou FFA
Chapter and the Wildcat 4-H Club. Shae Lynn has served as president of both
organizations and shows steers and heifers at local and major livestock shows.
Shae Lynn plans to attend either Texas Tech University or Texas A&M University
to major in Animal Science, with an emphasis on Meat Science.

Lubbock Senior Link 71