837. A generational end.

Of all of the brothers and sisters of my grandparents, my earliest memory of any of them is of Aunt Virginia Lee Lewis Sharp, my maternal grandmother's youngest sister, who passed away this morning in Bokeelia, Florida, where she and her family have lived since the 1970s. As I was growing up, she was a constant presence when we visited my great-grandparents' farm on Old Louisville Road in western Franklin County, usually in the kitchen and making sure every one was fed, but especially her dad, my great-grandfather, Robert Lewis, Sr.

Of my four grandparents, I never met any of the siblings of my paternal grandfather, U. G. Noble. I know he had two brothers, Robert (or R.G.) in Millington, TN, and James (or J.G.) in Bakersfield, CA. I also know he had two older half-sisters, Helen and Louise, who were twins. I believe he had two much older half-brothers who were also twins. As he was the youngest of all of these siblings, and he was born in 1906, I presume they are all deceased.

My paternal grandmother, Grace Lee Noble, had one sister, Mary Lee Hiner, who I remember as an very elegant, well-to-do lady. Aunt Mary, who I believe lived in Shively, died in 1981.

My maternal grandfather's siblings were all well-known growing up. My grandfather, Dan Hockensmith, died in 1983. His closest brother Milford (of Frankfort) died in 1990; sister K. Lorraine McKnight (of Nashville, TN) in 1991, his step-brother Luther Raymond Crutcher (of Crestwood) in 1995; sister Anna Louise Roberts (of Louisville) in 2000; brother William (of Springfield, MO) in 2010; sister Mildred Smith (of Clarksville, IN) last October; and youngest brother Lee Roy (of Paducah) in December.

My maternal grandmother, Vivian "Tommie" Lewis Hockensmith, was from a large family and I was close to most of her siblings. We visited my grandmother's family often growing up, mostly in Frankfort, but also in Lexington, Lawrenceburg, Versailles, Shelbyville, Bagdad, Waddy, Graefenburg, Alton, Switzer, Stamping Ground, Bridgeport, and most points betwixt and between. I have many cousins - second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth cousins, removed and so-forth, some of whom I actually know - all through Franklin, Anderson, Woodford, and Shelby counties.

Of my grandmother and her siblings, in order of birth, Henry died in 1995, my grandmother in 1976, Robert, Jr. in 2008, Frances in 2017, Billy in 2018, Charlie in 2016, Elbert "Egg" in 2017, Lura Edith in 2013, Harry (who died as a child) in 1931, Dorothy Ann in 2012, Virginia Lee today, and Jimmy Carroll late last year. My mother and her uncle Jimmy, who were close in age, grew up together and were very close. Of those who grew to adulthood, my grandmother died the earliest at the age of 59 in 1976. There were some interesting characters among the Lewis family - businessmen and women, politicians, farmers, teachers, and engaging story tellers.

Today draws a close to the generation of my grandparents' siblings. I have wonderful memories of all of them, and I miss them.

Jimmy, Virginia Lee, Walter (Virginia Lee's husband), Lura Edith, Glenda (Jimmy's then-wife), Garnet (Lura's husband), great-grandfather Robert Lewis, Sr., Sarah (Elbert's wife), Elbert, Frances, my grandmother Tommie, Dorothy Ann, Jake (Dorothy Ann's husband), Joann (Billy's then-wife), Virginia (Henry's wife), Billy, Henry, Garnett (Charlie's wife), Charlie. Missing: Bob.  Sadly, with the exception of Aunt Glenda, Aunt Sarah, and Uncle Jake, everyone in this picture, which was taken in 1975 I believe, is deceased.