"Sarge", c.Deborah L. Burgess, 1988, from Collection of Thoughts, In Memory of W. H."Shag" Johnson, Jr., Korea, Retired Military

In memory of my Dad, W. H. "Shag" Johnson, Jr.. I wrote this poem for my Dad in 1988. Today I want to share it with my friends and family. The name says it all. Not only on this day, but everyday, I thank those who serve to protect our freedom.

"Sarge"

For those who sent him there to fight,

For all those left behind,

The love of life and liberty,

Stood foremost in his mind.

He didn't want the spotlight,

Or trophy small or large,

His greatest honor was received

When they chose to call him "Sarge".

He served them well, the record tells

As many stepped aside.

For thirty-nine he carried on,

With all honor, and with pride.

The price of freedom freely paid,

He was the best they had

And tho' they'll always call him "Sarge"

I am proud to call him "DAD".

1SG William H. "Shag" Johnson, Jr.

1343 Engineer Battalion (CBI)

© 1988 Deborah L. Burgess

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Response To Tom's Birthday Tribute Video

To All Our Family and Many Friends: In reply to the tremendous response we have received about Tom’s Birthday Tribute Video. Birthday Tribute: William Thomas Burgess, May 23, 1975 – June 17, 2006. Although it will be 4 years ago, this June 17, 2010, and 4 years seems like a long time, it still seems like yesterday to us. The loss of a child is an incomparable grief. Friends who have lost children understand completely. God comforts His children in many ways, as only He can. I believe one way He does this is by placing family and friends in our paths, helping to comfort us in our healing process. My family and I are overwhelmed and humbled with the love, compassion, comfort and understanding we have received. One thing I can tell you is the importance of telling your family and friends how much you love them, EVERY TIME you talk with them. Only God knows the time, but it may be the last time you talk with them in this life. God has promised eternal life for all His children and one day our family will be re-united in Heaven and ALL the links will be joined in our family chain. There will be no more death, tears, or grief throughout eternity. What A Day That Will Be! Thank you all again, we, “Love You Big!”

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Happy Birthday Tom! We Miss You!

Dear Tom,

Well, I don’t know where to start. I never do. We still are missing you so much that it takes my breath to think about it. You will have been gone 4 years this June 17, 2010, but it still seems like yesterday. Your birthday is today, May 23, 2010, you would have been 35. I know how you loved birthday cake, so I will be sure to eat a piece, with lots of icing, just for you. Every single day you are in my conversations with everyone, all day long. I think about things that you said, or did, or funny faces that you would make. Everything is stored away in our memory banks. I know that you are doing well. I have never doubted that for one minute. I know that while we are down here in hell on earth, you are right there in the Light with God!
You remember the time right before you were saved, that you told me about the light that you saw. I remember that so well. When you told me about it, you said that it was almost unexplainable but so real. I remember actually being with you the night you were saved. Right there on Brother Shannon’s living room couch, in the middle of the night, we prayed and I watched with my own eyes the transformation in your eyes and on your face. With each day that passes now, I see more and more that the things that are shown to us here are for a reason. Someday, we all will know the reasons, just like you now, and we can rejoice in our salvation, together in Heaven!
Some days, I miss you so much, that I pray that God would let you come back for just 5 minutes, just for that little amount so I could tell you how I feel in person. But, I know that is selfish on my part, for I would never bring you back to this awful place. I know that someday I will have forever to talk with you and that is God’s answer to my prayers. He knows my heart and He knows that I am hurting. I made a video for you and put your favorite songs on it. I loved to hear you sing and sometimes when everything is really quite, I close my eyes and can almost hear you voice again. I know now you are singing for God and I will hear you sing again! Amazing Grace how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me!
I hold in my heart the last three words that you said to me, the night before you left for your glorious journey….LOVE YOU BIG! The sound of your voice still echoes in my mind and in my heart.
I am leaving you a package today. I bought a simple Alabama bracelet, tied a knot and wore it through a trip with Melanie, Holli, and Abby to Gulf Shores and through the cheerleading competitions, through Alabama winning every ballgame and then the National Championship. I thought about you everytime I looked at it. Nothing special, just a little cloth bracelet, one like you liked. I wore it for you. You couldn’t be there with us, so I am sending cherished memories to you with this bracelet. This would probably seem crazy to some people, but I do it with nothing but love in my heart. Somehow, deep down, I know that you and Big Pop, and the Bear himself were watching right up there in Heaven! God is bringing you family every day. By now you have seen Uncle Eddie and Misty's husband, Bruce, Uncle Johnny, and remember Virginia, Tammy's mother. Hug them all for me and tell Mamaw Doyce and Big Pop that I will see you all soon! LOVE YOU BIG!
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Born in Hodges Hospital, Scottsboro, Alabama

Hodges      

Hospital

Scottsboro,     Alabama

   Gone but not forgotten...

I took this photo of the Hodges Hospital building several weeks before it was torn down.

Well, the blog is set up and I am on my way!

I was born in Scottsboro, Alabama in what was the old Hodges Hospital, which was located on Laurel Street. My mother told stories about that place that were almost unbelievable. Quaint, interesting, but almost unbelievable. She described a nice facility designed to accommodate the people of the area. The staff was small scale, but adequate and the building was clean and sound. She as a first-time mother was glad to have such a nice facility available for her. I have "compared notes" with some of my friends born in the same time frame and was surprised to find out that a considerable number of births took place at home. It is really hard to imagine just how far everything has advanced. My mother described the rooms as very small with no room for much more than a bed and a night table. We must remember I was born in 1951 and the modern conveniences known now were not known then. She described in detail a small chest-type cabinet with two drawers that stood in the corner. The bottom drawer was for your personal items. The top drawer was used as a baby bed. You heard me right. I was told that a nice fluffy blanket padded the drawer making it safe for me and close to her bedside for added protection. I, of course, asked just how safe was that for a new baby, but evidently it was strong and sturdy because I am still here. Her room was on the second floor. To my knowledge, the hospital had only two stories, so I guess I was born in the "penthouse". I can't verify this because I was only on the ground floor once, a few years before the building was torn down. I remember the building as it stood in its late years. Time had really taken its toll on the building and it was completely unusable and stood empty for years before it was finally torn down. Historically I don't know when the hospital was constructed and open to the public and I don't have a record of the date it was actually torn down. If I had researched a little further, that information is available as public record. I don't remember her story containing anything about the food, but I do remember that the hospital bill for my delivery was $55.00. I don't think that included the doctor fees. I, somehow, feel that I am worth that! After my mother's stay in the hospital, she and my father took me home where I had a special little bed just for me. No more drawers! I have three brothers, Billy, David, and Michael, and one sister, Linda Carol. My brother Billy and I were the only two delivered in the Hodges Hospital. My sister Linda Carol entered this world in the Jackson County Hospital, which has recently been re-named Highlands Medical Center. Linda Carol was not only born there, but spent the bulk of her life there as a nurse. A very good one! I have some really good stories I will share about Linda Carol in a later blog. Believe me, there are many to tell. One that just popped in my head was how as a young child she chewed the toes and fingers off all my dolls! Enough now about Linda Carol. Looking back now , I wish I had asked more questions, talked to more relatives, and took notes. I should have better labeled my photos, journal stories, and just listened closer. We should talk to our children as soon and as often as we can. By sharing stories, they in turn will pass the heritage to the next generation. I truly cherish the memories I have of my family and friends. I hope this blog will be an addition of memories for my grand-children to carry forward with 
theirs and share with their future families. This is my life, one day at a time.

                                                                           
For more stories that have been locked away in the cobwebs of my mind, please subscribe with the provided link below.   Thanks! 
©Deborah L. Burgess
All Rights Reserved 
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How Did I Get The Name Do-Dot?

Claire Thomas Dean, Jr.

I thought it would only be appropriate to start my blog with a question that I am asked frequently. "How did you get the name Do-Dot"? When I was young, but old enough to remember, my uncle Thomas Dean pinned this name on me. The photo is one of his earlier Naval shots.

I was born on September 24, 1951. My father was W.H.Johnson, Jr., more commonly known as "Shag" and my mother was Joycelyn Dean Johnson, commonly known as Joyce. Claire Thomas Dean, my uncle, was my mother's only brother. Uncle Thomas was my favorite! He was the one who kept a journal of every single penny that he made and how he spent it, but he was such a good person. If he took me to Payne's for a coke, he wrote that nickel down! He always wanted me to succeed in everything, so he constantly would come up with fun ways to help me learn. I remember the times that he offered to pay me $5.00 if I could learn and quote the presidents of the United States without any hesitation or help. Keep in mind that $5.00 in my early childhood was a "bunch" of money. To the best of my memory I was about 7 or 8 years old at the time. Needless to say, I would take his challenges every time without hesitation. I might add that I collected a considerable amount of money in this endeavor. I was only 8 years old when Uncle Thomas graduated from Auburn University, on a Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps scholarship, with a batchelor of Science in Science and Literature. After graduating he commissioned an Ensign in the Supply Corps of the U.S. Navy. At this point, I knew that he would not be at home as much and my favorite uncle would be traveling the world. Even with his Naval career he did not abandon me. He would still challenge me and help me via "snail mail" and we would play catch-up when he came home. His goal was to make me a stronger person and help me learn. I see that now although I didn't realize it at the time. As he traveled the world he would find and send me such interesting items about the country where he was. He would send books, dolls, science kits, anything to learn and there was always a story that went with each gift. He didn't consider the item to be a "toy", it was a learning tool. Although, at the time, I sure did have fun with the dolls! His life story is an interesting one and I am going to post a dedicated blog just to him in the near future. He was born and raised in a Christian home and he was a major part of my life. I can still remember, as he would give me the $5.00 I had earned, saying, "Good job, Do-Dot!, you are so smart! " The name just stuck. As I grew older, I decided that Do-Dot was not really "cool" so I just hid it back with my other memories. Several years ago I needed a nickname for a program that I was installing on my computer. I thought and thought and nothing came to mind. Out of the blue, bingo! Do-Dot! It stuck!
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