The Rock Wall

We got the phone call early Tuesday morning, May 7, from our brother-in-law, Tom Gough, with the news that my cousin, Murnie Fast, had just died. The Bolivar hospital couldn’t stop her internal bleeding and sent her home where hospice took over.

I thought, “That’s a favorite cousin gone.”

When Kimball and I got to the funeral Friday, I discovered I have lots of favorite cousins. Sure did enjoy the visits.

Somebody after the funeral said Murnie and I were close and we were. She was the youngest of five children born to Uncle Russell and Aunt Reba Ingram who eloped. Murnie was almost exactly one year older than me, a fact I often reminded her of.

Once we visited them when they lived in Louisberg. At noon, Murnie and I sat on opposite sides of the north end of a long table. We started laughing and couldn’t stop. Finally our parents sent is away from the table.

Whatever it was wasn’t funny in the next room so they let us come back to the table. We sat down, took one look at each other and busted out laughing again. Without being told we got up and left the table. Years later, we had no idea what was so funny.

Here’s how Murnie got her name:  Uncle Russell had a sister, Murneth. Aunt Reba (Miller) had a sister, June (Miller} Long, my mother to be. So it was Murneth June.

            KL