THE DAY MY BROTHER WAS BORN

The most fondest memory I have was the day my baby brother was born. He was born on February 15, 1965, the day after Valentines' Day. When my mother was 9 mos. pregnant, she didn't know if she was going to have a girl or a boy. In those days they didn't have ultrasounds to let you know what the gender will be. My mom always wanted to have a son. Since my sisters and I were all girls we wanted so much to have a brother too. I remember my stepfather Earl coming home from the hospital. Karen, Marie and I waited patiently to hear the response from our stepdad when he walked through the front door. He exclaimed in joy, "it's a JUNIOR!" My sisters looked at each other and I said, "Does that mean it's a boy?" From the moment our baby brother came home from the hospital, we all spoiled him rotten. My grandmother even taught him how to suck his thumb!

1965 - Baby Earl JR laying on the living room couch in Naples Florida

RING BEARER AT MY WEDDING

Here is a picture of my mom, stepfather, and JR. This was taken at my first wedding in Van Nuys, California, February 19th, 1972. JR was six years old in this photo. Notice my mom with black hair and the big hair doo (lol)! My brother, on the day of the wedding, was playing around a fountain pond when he fell in with his rented tuxedo. He was also my ring bearer at my wedding. Fortunately he fell in the pond after the wedding.

1972 - JR was my ring bearer at my first wedding.

JR WITH HIS GRANDPARENTS

This photo was taken in the backyard of my parents house in Sunland. The pool hadn't been built yet at this time. JR was very close to his grandma. They did a lot of things together.

1973 - Backyard in Sunland

VISITING HIS COUSINS

JR was visiting his cousins Calvin and Carl in Ft. Myers, Florida. JR is the one on the left. Calvin's in the middle and Carl to the right.
They were enjoying a nice summer day around the pool.

1974 - Summer day at the pool

CLOWNING AROUND

As usual, JR liked to clown around. This photo was taken at Melissa's (our niece) birthday party. The party was in the back yard of my sister, Marie's. That was a fun family day. I remember having hamburgers and watermellon and watching the kids dunk for apples as one of the games. My mom gave Melissa her first Cabbage Patch doll. Remember those days??

1981 - JR at Melissa's birthday party

NEW YEARS IN THE 80's

My sister Karen & JR clowning around again. This was at my parents house in Sunland. We always use to go there for all the holidays. Those were the happy times, being around family and eating blackeye peas. It's going to be very difficult for me and the rest of the family to go through the holidays without him.

 

1983 - New Years in Sunland

CHRISTMAS

My sister Karen is on the left, me, my nephew Danny, JR and his best friend Mark.

1984 - Christmas at my sister, Marie's house

CHRISTMAS IN THE 90's

This photo is near and dear to my heart. I get choked up everytime I see this particular picture. Two people that I loved very much; my brother & my grandmother. Both are gone forever, but not in spirit. I miss you both dearly.

 

1996 - Grandma, JR & Grandpa Jim

NEW YEARS DAY

Another photo that is near and dear to my heart. My brother has his arms around his dad and his grandmother. All three are gone. JR's dad passed away on Xmas eve 2000, & grandma passed away, Sept. 9, 2002 at 92.

1997 - Earl Sr., JR, grandma, mom & me
1998 - A beautiful Easter day in Palm Desert. We were standing off the 13th tee in my backyard. From the right: my sister, Marie & my niece Jackie, grandpa Jim, my husband Gordon, my handsome brother, JR, mom, brother-in-law Duane, grandma, my sister Karen, me & Pumpkkin and my stepdad Earl Sr.
2002 - This picture was taken at Robbie's wedding (JR's nephew). From the left, my husband Gordon, my brother JR, my sister marie and niece Jackie.
Here's another photo of us at the same wedding. My brother JR, from the left, that's me sitting, next, my stepsister Donna, stepsister, Debbie and my sister Marie standing. We were on a boat making a toast. I remember my brother dancing to the rap music at the wedding. I couldn't get over what a fantastic dancer he was.

ELVIS IN DISGUISE

In this picture my brother dressed up as Elvis on Halloween. He loved impersonating Elvis. I remember being in Las Vegas playing the Elvis slots, and JR would imitate hilm with a heavy Elvis voice. He had me laughing so hard I had to play a different slot machine. That was one thing about my brother, he can be very funny at times. His favorite holiday was Halloween. He made all of his costumes (see photo). He even made costumes for all his friends. Every Halloween he would go to parties dressed up.

WHAT MY BROTHER MENT TO ME

JR was always my little brother that I was proud of. He was handsome, witty and he loved to have fun. I was proud of him when he graduated from college and had a degree in art. I was envious of him when he became a commercial artist and then an art director. The dream I always wanted. He was so created in many things. He wrote poems, he was an inventor, he was an athlete and much more. One time JR & I rode our bikes from Azusa to Seal Beach and back, all in one day, aprox. 85 miles. I could barely make it towards the end when I threw my bike down and sat on the curb. JR yelled at me to get my butt up and keep going or he'll leave me behind. I got up real quick when he did what he said. JR you will never be forgotten. Your memories and your spirit will be with me until I die.

I'll never forget his beautiful smile and his handsome face.