JESSIE ON M.E.

Jessie on her husband, M.E. Drinkwater

Jessie & M.E.  ca1951*

Art, Don, Faye, Bernice, Bud, Charles, Inez,  Jack, Jackie
Gary, Gail, Linda, Jimmy, M.E., David, Jessie

More from the family history book that Grandma Jessie was caretaker of, two pages she wrote about her husband, Minor Earl Drinkwater.

Minor Earl (Cap) Drinkwater

Passed away July 25 1967 after a long battle with heart trouble.  He fought long and hard yet he left us suddenly, peacefully with a smile on his face.

He started life as the 4th child in a family of 10 on a small Mo farm at Montseratt, Mo.   When out of grade school his father put him to work for a neighbor.  This was the usual thing at that time in farming communities.  When we were married, he was making $40 per mo. good wages.  We set up housekeeping in 2 rooms.  In 1930 he decided to work for a Construction Co.  Our first big move, Floressant, Mo., where our 3rd son was born and they built Lambert Airport at St. Louis.

From there to Iowa, Okla, Miss, Ill, Texas, La.  Then the depression.  Back to Mo. No job a drough [sic] & bad depression.  Back to La as the depresion [sic] could be stood no longer 1939 it was ending and we could feed our children and Jack had a decent job.  His work took him away from home most of time but we both worked & saved finally a new car & no debts.  We were rich.

Then he began getting promoted. And he was becoming know [sic] all over La for his honesty & fine workmanship.  His name still stands as one of 1st great dragliners in the state.  He was loved by many and hated by many.

Helped build Sulphur mine at Port Sulphur.  But most of the work was in oil fields.  He gave his life & time to J Ray McDermott for 27 yrs & enjoyed his work.  I guess he knew every waterway in south La. He taught his 4 oldest.... 

...sons to be excellent dragline men and good workers.  The youngest is now Chief Engineer in McDermott pipe line Div.  It is now one of largest compines [sic] in world.

A very complex man after retirement he enjoyed his home children and younger grandchildren as much as he did his work.

He learned to relax and we had our last 4 years never apart except his trips to hospital.  I am very thankful for those 4 years.  We were so different & yet so close we had each taken some of the others [sic] ways.  I think even tho he was sick those were our happiest and most understanding years of each other.  Of course knowing death may be trying to slip in makes many things different.  You seek for understanding & closeness as you know not when it will be taken away.

After 11 year [sic] I still miss his bossiness, protectiveness, and the many other things that make a marriage.

--Jessie S Drinkwater, wife

M.E. died 25 Jul 1967, which would date this entry ca. 1978


Some additional images from the same day as above, about 1951*:
* I'm basing the date on the ages of the children and Art in uniform for the Korean war, 1950-1953.

back row: Gaylan Chic, Don, Art, Fay, Bernice, Bud, Inez, Jack
middle row: Gail, Gary, Linda, Jackie
front: Jimmy, M.E., David, Charles
(thank you for your help deciphering little boy faces!)

"I like this picture.  Jack's quite proud 'cause he looks the tallest.  Ha."  --Jessie

"Bud took this after I started to walk away." -- Jessie