Page 21 - Senior Link Magazine Winter 2018- Online Magazine

missing,” Zoedie recalled with a shake to haunt her joints. But to this day, football player introducing himself
of her head. Thoroughly unimpressed my grandfather gets in his pickup to the school’s beauty queen brings a
with her daddy’s favorite football truck to go check his cows with a big smile to your face.
player, Zoedie reported back to Ed ol’ dip of tobacco in his bottom lip.
exactly what she had witnessed. But I’ve also enjoyed countless walks out And if you ever find yourself stepping
the handwriting was on the wall. in the pasture with Zoedie, where she through the back door of Daddy Jack
would teach me about wildflowers and Zoedie’s house, you will most
Sometime after that, in true schoolyard and Indian campsites. (She’s even definitely find yourself adding your
fashion, Daddy Jack started picking published a book about the flowers on own handwriting to the wall.
at Zoedie while he sat behind her at the ranch.)
another campus function. She almost
didn’t recognize him with teeth! A Another thing I
full set of pearly whites probably appreciate is the
helped Daddy Jack land that first date meticulous record
with the soon-to-be Miss Lubbock. Zoedie has kept of all
those who visit their
And that’s that, I suppose. Daddy home - by handing
Jack and Zoedie became THE power people a permanent
couple at Tech. Zoedie was crowned marker so they can
Miss Lubbock in 1953. They got write on the wall.
Yep, the walls of
the laundry room
are her uniquely
visible and always
available guest book.
And the thousands
of signatures
decorating those
walls tell a love story
themselves. They
represent countless
folks who love the
couple they came to
visit.

married after their sophomore year in We aren’t much of
1954. That same year, Daddy Jack led a mushy-gushy,
the Red Raiders to victory at the Gator talk-about-our-
Bowl and was named MVP. feelings type of
family, so asking
After graduating in 1956, the beauty my grandparents
queen and football star returned to about their young
the ranch. Between 1957 and 1969, love life was a bit
my grandparents had five boys: Kent, uncomfortable at
Cliff, Will, Joel and Ben. Daddy Jack times. However,
says the secret to a long marriage and with a bit of
raising five boys is learning to say prodding, I was
“yes, ma’am” real quick – oh, and lots finally able to get a
of spankings - for the boys, that is. “It feel for their younger
helped their attitudes.” years. The story of
how they met was
I grew up a stone’s throw away from truly enlightening
Daddy Jack and Zoedie with my older to me. And whether
sister, Sarah, and our parents, Cliff you know my
and Dena Kirkpatrick. I’ve watched grandparents or not,
the effects of Daddy Jack’s years of I hope the image of
football and ranching slow him down a snaggle-toothed
and Zoedie’s dancing days come back cowboy-turned-

Lubbock Senior Link 21