Richard and Barbara

I said in my other post that I wanted to talk about Richard and Barbara. They have been at Wesley for as long as I can remember. I believe Richard said they moved down to Russellville a few months before my family moved up there from Little Rock. They are an amazing couple, through and through.

One of the things they are famous for is their large family. When Easter or Christmas comes around, if the kids are home, they are filling a couple of pews. They had 5 kids and four months ago welcomed their 16th grandchild. Their kids are scattered to the four winds now, with one in Little Rock, one in New York, one in Colorado and one in China, but they keep the close family ties regardless.

Proverbs 16:31 states "Gray hair is like a crown of honor; it is earned by living a good life." When I first heard of this saying, it was phrased as "whitehaired gained in righteousness" or something similar to that. This always made me think of Richard, one because a distinctive feature of his is the head of bright white hair he has, but also because he lived the righteous life. Now that he is in PK with me, it comes through even more so. Richard seems to know everyone and has a story about them all, but he's one to make you feel like you've known him forever even if you just met him. I don't think there's a factory standard bone left in his body, as over the years he's broken most of them and had some replaced, but that just adds to the wealth of stories the man has. He's just a remarkable guy.

As for Mrs. Barbara, well, if you looked up the word "gracious" in the dictionary, I'm fairly sure that her picture would be next to it. She's soft-spoken to Richard's gregariousness, but she also lets you know that she cares about what's going on and how you are doing. Richard said that when he announced their reception to his Rotary club, six different people all at the same time said, "God bless her!" She's been known to hold up fingers indicating the number of times she's heard the story Richard's relating right now. You won't find a sweeter, gentler person.

Their 50 years haven't been without tragedy and heartbreak. They've lost both a son and an infant granddaughter. Their example of faith in these tragic times, though, has been an inspiration and example to those that know them. They are an amazing couple whose love for each other shines through even today. Richard, indicating the high school pictures on the wall at their reception, said "You can tell what caught my eye." Barbara, later talking about the same pictures, said "I was sure to keep a hold of him."

Here's to many more wonderful years to both of you!