God Made Me Funny
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About this ebook
"Some people may think that the words "faith and fun" in the same sentence are incongruous; don’t belong together. I’ve met plenty of them, but I've come to the conclusion that they are compatible, and can be related. Upon looking back over my history I see a tandem track of "faith and fun" things running through my life. Together they have made my path brighter and my loads lighter." In "God Made Me Funny" Violet Coffey has written an inspiring and fun book about her life. It is a quick read and offers a lot of laughs, some tears and a firsthand look at the way things were back when. She also answers some questions you might have about faith; and even about God.
Violet Lashley Coffey
I grew up knowing that Violet was the funniest and sweetest person you would ever want to know. She is faithful in every way and was my first example of a lady preacher. I watched as she grew in faith and saw her preach some of her first sermons. She gave me strong and wise, Godly council many times. It is such a privilege to get to be the first to read her life’s story.Violet Lashley Coffey lives in a plantation style house on 9 acres near Tightwad, which is near Truman Reservoir in Henry County, Missouri – with her son Marc. A daughter, Brenda, lives next door.Her daughter, Mary Lynn, lives a little farther away with one son and a half dozen dogs. Another son, Joel lives about 30 miles away with his recent bride, Tracy, and children that Violet welcomes into the family – giving her a total of 16 grandchildren plus 12 great grandchildren. Eldest son, David Lee, and wife Diane, live in San Antonio, Texas – a long way away. Another daughter, Patsy, and husband, Dennis live in California – a very long way away!Violet attends Souls Harbor Worship Center in Tightwad where she is acting Sunday School Supervisor, board member and teacher whenever needed. Just 2 miles away, three times a week.
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God Made Me Funny - Violet Lashley Coffey
Dedication
I dedicate this body of work to the memory of my parents Arthur and Nancy Lashley and to all their children. Most of them are in heaven together singing with the angels. We cannot pick our parents, but if we could have, I would have chosen them. Their love never failed us.
Also, to our six children: David Lee, Patsy, Mary Lynn, Brenda, Marc and Joel; and their spouses; Diane, Dennis and Tracy. It is a privilege to have been a part of your lives. To your father, my wonderful husband and the love of my life – David J. Coffey. Thanks to God for the love, joy and peace He blessed us with.
I cannot forget the wonderful friends, some for many years, some for fewer; but all faithful and true. Love to you, my ‘nother children!
Most of all I thank the only true and living God Who gave His Son Jesus as a sacrifice for our sins and His Holy Spirit to guide us. Without Him I can do nothing. With Him all things are possible!
In
The poetry
I hope you will see
How we saw our world
As it used
To
Be
Forward
I’ve known Violet all my life. She is the funniest and sweetest person I know. She is faithful in every way. I watched as she grew in faith and became an awesome teacher. She gave me strong and Godly council many times. It is such a privilege to get to be the first to read her life’s story.
Violet’s eldest sister, Eyleen, was the oldest of ten siblings and she was my mother. It seems to me that she felt like she was a hillbilly from the poverty stricken post-depression years of a poverty stricken people. She passed that on to me by osmosis.
This book is important to me! Because of it I have a new view of my roots and ancestry. It makes a lot of other things about my life clearer. I am the eldest of the next generation that came from the ten children of Arthur and Nancy Lashley.
There are a lot of us! I’ve often said we could populate a small city. I hope our family will see from this book how awesome and wholesome our grandparents were and what their legacy of faith and love is to us. I believe many American people share the same legacy.
The difference between what my mother felt about her family and the truth about them, was that the father she knew changed after he became a Christian. That’s when everything changed. From past generations to this new generation there is the thread of Faith in God and the foundation of the scriptures. We all need to know this.
Elanya Tracy
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Dedication
Forward
Prologue
Chapter 1 Our History
Chapter 2 Grandma Rich
Chapter 3 History of Mom and Dad
Chapter 4 The Neilson Place
Chapter 5 The Brunot Place
Chapter 6 Victor
Chapter 7 Growing Up Country
Chapter 8 Music in Our Family
Chapter 9 War and Peace
Chapter 10 Roberts School
Chapter 11 The Newground Patch
Chapter 12 Black River Rd / Des Arc HS
Chapter 13 Bethany, a Learning Experience
Chapter 14 Winds of Change
Chapter 15 Graniteville Church/Foursquare
Chapter 16 My Angel Experience
Chapter 17 Mount Vernon Bible College
Chapter 18 Franklin/Fayette
Chapter 19 A New Family
Chapter 20 New Church New Friends
Chapter 21 Dixon
Chapter 22 Back at Elwood/Postal Service
Chapter 23 LeRoy’s Retirement Party
Chapter 24 Royal Heirs – Senior Moments
Chapter 25 Israel and Alaska
Chapter 26 Our Vesta
Chapter 27 Hospitals
Chapter 28 Dealing with Death
Chapter 29 Politics and Religion
Chapter 30 My ‘nother Kids
Chapter 31 Ronnie Faulkenberry
Chapter 32 Perfect Church – The Myth
Chapter 33 Crow Bait
Chapter 34 Bits and Pieces
Chapter 35 Blast from the Past
Chapter 36 To Some He Gave Teaching
Chapter 37 Wings of the Wind
Chapter 38 Lessons I Have Learned
Chapter 39 Open Doors
Chapter 40 A Goodie Two Shoes Report
Chapter 41 My Eightieth Birthday
About the Author
Acknowledgements
Poetry and Songs from the Family
Our Family Tree
Great Grandpa’s Minister’s License
Grandma’s Breadboard
Her Hands
Old Country Preacher
Wood Smoke in the Hollow
Mom’s Sewing Machine
Miss Liberty
A Little Ditty by Violet
My Sheep Know My Voice
Let Me Hear It Again
What’s Happening in Heaven
Israel’s Menu Venue
Our Vesta
Step by Step
The Brothers Are Home
Wings of the Wind
Violet age 7 David age 11
Living on opposite sides of the state, we had not met at this early age.
We didn’t know that time and circumstances, and God,
would bring us together after many years.
Prologue
Some people may think that the words Faith and Fun
in the same sentence don’t belong together. I’ve met plenty of them, but I’ve come to the conclusion that they are compatible and can be related. Upon looking back over my history I see a tandem track of Faith and Fun
running through my life. Together they have made my path brighter and my loads lighter.
This record of events in my life began as a simple history for my family. I’ve been persuaded that others would find it interesting. Most of it comes from my memory and may not be without error to some degree. More than a hard record, it is a work of love for my Lord, my family and for wonderful, faithful friends with which God has always blessed me.
The word funny
has other meanings than laughable
. It can mean odd
or even crazy
. That’s what my hair dressers say when I come into the shop, Here comes the crazy woman
.
Shear Design is run by Paula - and Julie is her abettor. They have been giving me all kinds of advice, – they-re glad to give me the business. Once they even did surgery on me. Paula held me down while Julie used, what felt like the jaws of life, to open a lump on my shoulder.
We can be serious - like when Paula told me, Julie is in ICU at the hospital, unconscious.
So we just joined hands and prayed for her. It turned out it was the medicine. You could say the doctor made her sick. You will have to decide what kind of funny
this book is to you. In my opinion, without faith, life would be no fun at all.
OUR FAMILY TREE
By Violet Lashley Coffey
Should you look into the family tree
Of Arthur and Nancy Ann Lashley
These are the names that you would see
Plus, many more of their progeny.
Eyleen longed for what was ‘round the bend
So she took her family to the World’s End
Amos’s quick wit brought everyone joy;
Ray is a scientist and still the cowboy
Victor, the songster - - a noted musician
Fern picked the guitar, following after him
Multi-crafted is Lily Aldena
Born between blondies Vet and Galena
Violet - - a mischief maker, (maybe)
And Vernon - - always Mama’s baby.
There are writers, poets, artists and more
Scientists, farmers and preachers galore
There are carpenters, truckers, saints and sinners
Late night jamborees and big family dinners.
There may be some rascals, you can believe;
But I’m not here to rake up fallen leaves
There are teachers and nurses, a doctor or two
There is fishing, camping and deer hunters too.
We often joke and heckle each other
But we loved and respected our Dad and our Mother
They gave us their lives and love without end - -
Taught us to value our family and friends.
If you cut through the bark on that family tree
You’d find faith in God flowing prominently
From our first ancestor who crossed the sea –
Amos Veach Lashley preached at Marble Creek.
The Bible is a Holy book
If you want the truth, that’s where to look
It’s the same today as it’s always been;
And Jesus is still your very best Friend!
God Made Me Funny
By Violet Coffey
Chapter 1: Our History
I was the car next to the caboose of my father and mother, Arthur and Nancy Lashely’s train of expectations. Born November 3, 1935, the ninth of ten children, at 11:15 AM at home, I am told. Attended by Dr. Piles and our neighbor, Gladys Pedrini.
My grandmother, Ellen Rich, had been stricken with cancer. She had hung on to life long enough to hear that my mother had delivered the new baby and both were doing well. When I was three days old Dad wrapped me well on a cold November morning and carried me across the fields to her house for her to see. Grandma was a student and teacher of the Bible, noted in the neighborhood as such; and known in the family as a kind and loving influence in her grandchildren’s lives. Each of them had their own special memories of her, and stories to tell.
The baby was laid beside her, confined as she was to her bed, she placed her thin, worn hands on the child and prayed for God to bless and watch over this new life for all its days. I believe that prayer has had a profound influence on my life. Three days later, on November 9, she went to her heavenly reward. Dad, Uncle Ed and, I believe, another neighbor was there in the room with her. My Dad told me that at the moment of her death a great light shone on her, she sat up in bed and spoke in a language foreign to them all. My grandma was a devout Baptist and had no history with any other denomination nor any knowledge of any such language in the natural.
There have been times in my life when I have felt the pronounced influence of my grandmother’s prayer in ways I can only describe as a spiritual event.
Amos Wallace and Sarah Lashley
Ancestry
Our Lashleys came from England and Ireland in the 1600’s. According to the research of Jack Allen Lashley and his son, Brandon, our ancestors first came to America from Ireland in the late 1600’s. Amos Veach Lashley was born January 5, 1790. He lived in Kentucky and Illinois before he bought a farm in Iron County, Missouri in what was called the Flat Woods – East of Arcadia Valley. He and his family belonged to the Primitive Baptist Church. He was a Baptist preacher for 57 years. He was my grandfather’s grandfather. His youngest son was George Washington Lashley, born February 22, 1844.
Reverend Amos Veach Lashley served in war of 1812. Died in Iron County Missouri in 1875. George Washington Lashley, a skilled horse trainer, was known as a horse whisperer. Father of Amos Wallace Lashley. Moved to the Des Arc area farm in 1880’s.
Amos Wallace Lashley in 1891 married Sarah Victoria Palmer, daughter of Pinkney and Sarah Dixon Palmer. Sarah Dixon Palmer’s family founded the town of Dixon, Missouri. Amos Wallace farmed and worked in timber. He went to Detroit to work in hard times. He was a Nazarene preacher and in later years was known as a circuit riding, visiting pastor to small towns around Des Arc. Amos Wallace Lashley and Sarah Victoria had twelve children: Jessie, William Fermín, Arthur Raymond, Luther Bryon, Mary Ellen (Ella), Zella Menorah, Sarah Gladys, Charles Pinkney, Eugene Virgil, Marshall, Amos Wallace, Jr (Buster, who died at age 9), and Walter Harvey. Arthur Raymond, was my father, born September 17, 1895.
Charles and Marshall lived and had families in Michigan. I met Marshall at Grandma’s funeral. He was a very nice genteel man. Charles was heavily involved with the union back when they were literally fighting in the streets. I never met him. The story our family got was that he was present in a riot where someone was killed. The union, we are told, took him out of Detroit to live somewhere else with a new identity. He never came to either Grandma or Grandpa’s funeral. Marshall may have known where he was but Charles hasn’t been seen in Missouri since then.
In 1880 George Washington Lashley bought 160 acres in Iron County, Missouri, three miles East of Des Arc on Big Creek, a quarter mile south of the Poston Bridge. He worked at the Doe Run mine as a mule tender underground. He fell down a 470-foot mine shaft to his death on May 11, 1909. George was my great grandfather. My grandfather was Amos Wallace Lashley, born October 15, 1872.
Amos Wallace Lashley had a 60-acre farm across the creek from George Washington Lashley, his father. I remember they had two big red leather chairs sitting in front of their fire place. There was a big picture on the wall of a man I learned after a while, was Franklin D. Roosevelt. Grandpa would bounce me on his knee, as a small child and say I had his mother’s eyes – Myers eyes. He and the boys farmed to make a living for his big family. Imagine Grandma having to wash all those overalls by hand on a washboard!!
Grandpa’s Minister’s License
Grandpa was a Holiness preacher. He held license with the Nazarene denomination. He would ride a horse all around the country preaching the gospel. If Grandma went they took a team and wagon. He became a circuit riding preacher as far as Greenville and Gad’s Hill (where the James brothers once robbed a train). The first memory I have of church was when Fern and Lily took me one Sunday to a little church that was by Roberts School. I was about six years old. Grandpa was preaching, he was serious and emphatic, not like when he was at home. So I asked Fern, What’s Grandpa mad about?
Her answer, Shhhhh!
He was held in high regard around Iron County and beyond. He was invited to pray the prayer at the dedication of the new high school in Des Arc. It was built about the same time as the Roberts School. Both were WPA projects in the early 1940’s.
My Dad had some kind of ailment as a small child and Grandma kept him pretty close to the house. She boiled eggs and left them so he could come in and eat them between meals as he needed them. That was the closest thing they had to snacks back them.
They gave him light duty around the place during that time. It was his job to go get the milk cow in the evening. He said he would take his French harp (harmonica), climb up on her and ride her back as he played Sheep and Hog
. Maybe that got her in a good mood to give down her milk! He and the others would walk three miles to school. Dad liked school and finished eighth grade, more than most of the boys did at that time. He told a few stories about getting into scrapes with other kids along the way. He and his brothers stuck together at such times.
Dad’s sister Ella was not around enough for me to get to know much about her. We spent a lot of time with Aunt Gladys and