I lost a good friend  last weekend. Phyllis Redmon Bennett, former UCHRA Director, died last Saturday.
She had survived a bout with cancer treatments but had some recent complications last week. I have known Phyllis, Faye and their family for many years.  I remember her as a pretty teller at First National Bank. Then she joined the LBJ&C team in the local Concentrated Employment Program with many of us. When we were single, we double dated.  Phyllis was diretor of UCHRA for over 30 years. She was a very caring person and a good business woman.
Funeral arrangements are slated for Wednesday.  My sympathy to her family.
Get-well wishes to Eddie Sutton and John Loeb (NHC), Ruth Redmon at Vanderbilt Hospital, Bertha McBride and Sarah Brown.
I have been watching some of the Summer Olympics in Paris, especially the women's tennis matches.
My Jewish friend from Florida had tickets to almost every Olympic. After his death, his wife found tickets in his possessions for the next four years. Do you know what the five rings represent?
I attended the Headstart Policy Committee meeting last week in Cookeville.  Michelle Southard from Smithville also attended. I continue to be impressed with the education of the staff and their curriculum for the children preparing them for kindergarten.
Father's Day is this coming Sunday. I like to reminisce about my father and his witty sense of humor. I think I inherited this feature from him and I'm glad. Better to laugh than cry!  Another good trait of my father was that parents would trust him to let their children ride alone to Nashville on a Trailways bus with him.  W.J. (Dub)  Evins recalls Daddy putting him behind his seat so he could see him and then keeping him at the Nashville bus station until his dad arrived.  He was the guardian angel as many other children rode solo with him, especially the Buck and VanHooser children.
Sharing this message about Fathers:
*At four-years-old: "My dad is smarter than your dad and do anything."
*At 14-years-old:  "Don't pay any attention to my Dad. He's so old fashioned."
*At  25-years-old:  Dad knows a little bit about it, but then he should as he has been around a long time."
*At  35-years-old:  "Maybe we should ask Dad what he thinks. He's had a lot of experience."
*At   50-years-old:  I'd give anything if Dad were here now so I could talk this over with him. Too bad I didn't appreciate how smart he was. I could have learned a lot from him.                                                                                 
Exodus 20:12  - "Honor thy father and mother."    (One of the 10 Commandments.)
Belated happy birthday to Betty Davis, wife of Rev. Tommy Davis. She celebrated her birthday on June 10 by attending annual conference at Brentwood UMC in Nashville.  I rode down with them. Happy birthday, Betty.
Have a  good week  and don't forget to smile, laugh and pray.   Amen.