Dawn Hargrove

I cant give alot of details because this is all through the eyes of a little boy. George married my mother Diane kaye Hargrove and I was Her oldest son by another Marriage. To start things off I would like to say the few years I got to be around George were some of the happiest memories of my childhood. What I remember most about my step dad is how tall he was seem like a giant to me. I remember the first time we met he introduced himself to me then took my hand and walked down to the corner, there was a little store there a cross from the local elementary school.He took me inside and gave me a Nichol. I believe I got a Chico stick with it he really didnt talk much on the way home then when we got there a little white poodle come running out George said I would like to Introduce you to Tina. From what I remember of her she would do just about anything for a doggy treat. The next few days were sort of quiet then I noticed this little wooden covered wagon replica and was playing with it when George came up and said (me thinking I was going to get in trouble for playing with it ) do you know where I got that (remember I was young and this was a lot of years ago) I remember like the store he smiled softly and said sort of that he use to be a champion rodeo rider and he had bought that at a place some where in his travels. Being a little boy at the time I loved cowboys and still do we bonded.I dont want to bore everyone with alot of day to day memories. I remember George working at some sort of chemical plant or something like that so I was told. Geoge would walk me to school almost every day and I would remember that sense we were both so close to home would have lunch together almost everyday. George had a brother Harry maybe Harold any ways we called him. Harry I remember going there for Easter and it seems like we went there quite frequently to the point Harry became very dear to myself and my mother.In the end Harry died with in days George always thought it was like the next day but couldent be sure. From the short time I new my step dad he was gentle and kind to me and be for the cancer set in he use to tell me that this ruby ring he wore that I admired so much would be mine soon guess I didnt know what he ment at that time he had also been putting together an american heritage book collection for me. I use to love to look through those books I still remember a few things I read even way back then.George had one of the best apricot trees in the neighborhood in our back yard that tree was great. There was an old beat up shed to the right of it. I still have a photo of me and my friends playing in the back yard. I still know where the house is at but I dont remember the physical address I think the street was bell ave but I cant be positive Im sure it would be easy to google. just about the time I was thinking life was wonderful my mother sits me down and tells me my step dad was sick and I should be quiet and not bother him this was hard for me because I came to love George as the weeks went by George very rarely came out of his bedroom I remember one day I was coming out of the bath room and George came charging out of the bedroom and knocked me out of the way I was devastated and went crying to my mother. George had never raised a hand to me ever. That day my mother set me down and told me that George was dieing and that he probably didnt even know that he had knocked me down like that.I remember being devastated whit what my mom told me that day she told me we didnt have to worry that Harry loved us very much and George had told Harry his last wish's and Harry would make sure things were taking care of.Georges last days were quiet he was cared for by my mother and Im pretty sure he died at home in is bed. When George past away my moter comes home really crying I had thought It was about George and she was still grieving. She just blurted it out Harrys dead she really couldent talk. Every thing that happened after that was a night mare. Some men show up at our house and started moving all out stuff and packing it I cried to my mother that they were packing up my american heritage books my step dad had bought for me. She grabbed me and held me and told me that it wasent ours anymore that Harry was the executor of Georges estate and that When Harry died he didnt have a will nobody knew Harry was going to die it was a sudden death.And I guess there was a younger brother who stepped up and took all of Georges Properties He even took my books and the Ring George had promised me it had a picture of a bucking bronco cowboy on it. He told me I t was given to him by the king and queen of England for a rodeo performance there. My mother never would tell me the name of the youngest brother and in the few years we were with my step dad I never met him so I cannot even describe him what I know of this man he put a little boy and his mom on the streets and all my mother was left with was a social security check. What I can tell you about George and Harry my mother and I loved them both and in the short time I knew them both they were men strong men, men of character and I was the better for having known and loved them