By Dickie Dixon

Belated birthdays:  1^st:  Willie G. Morgan 3^rd:  Virginia P. (Darland) Baker, Becky Stowers, Carol Rosson Barnett, Barbara Corbett, Jared Pigg, Jack Gorden, Sandra Short Sparks, Virginia Reynolds Mechell 4^th:  Alyssa Moore 5^th:  Jonnie Miller 6^th;  Letitia Lowery Hopson, Patrick Stokes, Toni Dubose

For Posterity’s Eyes:  June birthdays:  7^th;  Rick Higgins 8^th:  Letechia Crockett, Manny Castano 9^th:  Barbara Ann de Ath, Michelle Roden, Sandra Martinez, Richard Geraci 10^th:  Lynn cavin, Kenneth jones 12^th:  Gracie Hudson 10^th:  Louise (Morgan) Halyard, Mike Watkins, Kyle Krohn 13^th:  Linda Davis, Dale Armet, Courtney Hamilton Gould 14^th:  Gayle (Squyres) Quarles, Rena (Harris) Lowther, Vida (Sharp) Sullivan, Cindy Capps, Linda Conner

For This D-Day: The last years I have become increasingly aware of how little I have given to my country.  Although I probably never would have passed the physical to be inducted, only twice did I come close to joining or becoming part of the armed forces.  The first time I was a senior at Stephen F. Austin State University and was suffering from an acute case of senioritis;  while under the influence of such a malady, I almost succumbed to joining the Army.  The second time I was serving as the lead chaplain/counselor of the Employee Assistance Program for Marketplace Ministries called Pilgrim Cares on assignment to Pilgrim’s Pride in Lufkin and Nacogdoches.  I investigated being an army reserve chaplain, and, to my amazement, was very surprised at how little these men received for their services.  Unfortunately, the military was downsizing, and they would not accept my application.

Today, however, let’s look at the men who made D-Day happen and thank them and their families for the service they rendered.  Every time I think of D-Day, I think of how much courage these men must have had to face those guns as they ran across those beaches.  To know the odds were you might not make it made it even more difficult to engage in battle.

Lately, I’ve thought of families who live in suspense wondering if their son or daughter will come back at all, or will come back a shell of how they left. These families live in fear of receiving the bad news that their son or daughter has been killed in combat or on active duty.  We—at least—since World War II—(when my father had five brothers who went overseas) have lived relatively free of the circumstances that accompany having someone in the military.

So today, let’s thank the men and women at D-Day who planned it, coordinated it, and implemented it on the scene or behind the scenes, so that we can live as the home of the free, because of the brave for this D-Day.

Save the Date!  (1) The Angelina County Genealogical Society will meet at 4:00 p.m. in the Railroad Depot Meeting Room of Kurth Memorial Library on 702 South Raguet Street in Lufkin Texas (75904) on Monday, June 18, 2018.  The speaker will be announced at a later time.  That day a special party will be held for Keith Allred as he takes an early retirement from serving as the newsletter editor.  For more information, call Dickie Dixon at (936) 240-8378, or e-mail him at dickie.dixon@hotmail.com  At 6:00 p.m. a panel discussion of Texas Foundry employees will help commemorate the 80^thbirthday of its founding.  This discussion will take place in the Fellowship Hall of Keltys United Methodist Church on 1867 Old Mill Road in Lufkin, Texas (75904, but formerly Keltys).  For more information, call Rev. Cindy Doran at (936) 852-4123 or e-mail her at keltysumc@hotmail.com or contact Dickie at one of the ways provided above.

(2) Karen Kurth Hall will discuss “Using familysearch.org” when she speaks to the Timpson Area Genealogical and Heritage Society (TAGHS) at 2 p.m.on Wednesday, June 20, 2018 at the Timpson Public Library on 520 Austin in downtown Timpson (75975).

For book reviews/notices please send a complimentary copy to Kissin’ Kuzzins P. O. Box 151001 Lufkin TX 75915-1001

Send your queries to dickie.dixon@hotmail.com by mail to Kissin’ Kuzzins P. O. Box 15-1001 Lufkin TX 75915-1001 or by phone to (936) 240-8378