This is a picture that was drawn by the famous war artist Robert Bailey. 

March 24, 1945. 1st Lt. Earl R. Lane of the 100th Figher Group destroys a Messerschmitt-262 jet high over Germany. Also shown: the Luftwaffe were using a captured P-51 (all black) Mustang during this action.

Day is done, gone the sun, from the hills, from the lakes, from the skies.  All is well, safely rest, God is nigh.  

Go to sleep, peaceful sleep, may the soldier or sailor, God keep.  On the land or the deep, safe in sleep. 

Love, good night, must thou go, when the day, and the night, need thee so?  All is well.  Speedeth all, to their rest.

Fades the light; and afar, goeth day, and the stars, shineth bright, fare thee well; Day has gone, night is on.  Thanks and praise, for our days, 'Neath the sun, Neath the stars, 'Neath the sky, as we go, this we know, God is nigh.

This happened during one of my visits to Uncle Earl and Aunt Dorothy's house in Wickliffe.  Leslie and I loved to go next door to her grandparents, Levi and Christine Lane's house.  It was on one of those occasions, after getting in the way, Grandma Lane decided to keep us busy for a while.  Grandma Lane asked if we would be helpful girls and go to the chicken coop and gather some eggs for her. I know what you're thinking, eggs? coop?  Not Kroger? 

Helpful girls that we were, Leslie and I quickly headed for the hen house.  After opening the gate and gathering a few eggs in our little wicker baskets  it happened, (the hens didn't seem to mind us taking their eggs), we were met by the biggest, baddest, roughest, toughest, @#%@# rooster.  He proceeded to chase Leslie and I all around the coop.

It wasn't until Grandma Lane came out with her broom, pulling the starched apron from around her waist, waving it at the mad rooster, were we able to escape.  I wish someone had a movie camera at that time.  All you heard were the sqaulks of chickens, the screams of two little girls, along with the laughter of one grandmother.  That was my first and only lesson in collecting eggs.  Surprisingly, I still like eggs.  I call it payback.

It just came to me that Uncle Earl was just four years older than I am today, and Hubert was five years younger than I am now when they passed.  Wow, it puts it all in perspective, that time is fleeting, and we should live each and every day as if it were our last, because it very well may be.

I want to put down as many stories as I can recall for my children, grand-children, and their children.  Especially since Leslie died having no children, and I'm one of the older generations who still can remember. Time seems to be accelerating.

I only pray the remaining Tuskegee Airmen are telling their stories to their children, and grandchildren.  Don't let it be left up to movie-makers and Hollywood actors to tell your stories.  You should be telling the unabbreviated, not  necessarily politically correct, raw, good, as well as negative experiences.  What a teachable moment. 

This is on a plaque in the Wickliffe Ohio Hall of Fame regarding Uncle Earl's father, Levi Morris Lane, who was honored in 1993.

Described as a "soft-spoken, but steadfast and unmovable worker."  Levi Lane was a civil rights activist long before the Civil Rights Movement was popular.

Moving to Wickliffe near the start of the Great Depression, Mr. Lane helped to found the Outlook Club and served in all of the positions on its board.  He became the club's treasurer in 1947, a role in which he was still active when inducted to the Hall of Fame in 1993.  Levi expressed a sincere commitment to the City of Wickliffe through his participation with Wickliffe Day Care, Antioch Baptist Church, Senior Center.  Even in his occupation, Mr. Lane exhibited dedication and persistence in a lengthy career with the Bailey Meter Company.

Still active in his civic duties nearly 30 years after retiring, Levi Lane has been recognized for his strong sense of civic duty, for which , appropriately, Civic Park - a gift to the City through the achievement of Mr. Lane exists as a reminder.

I don't remember this, but it was always a source of amusing conversation whenever the sisters got together, my mother was Aunt Dorothy's older sister.  Even though it happened over 60 years ago, it is still quite funny.

The story goes like this -  It was a hot summer day in June, 1948 in Cleveland, Ohio.  This was before central air-conditioning in homes, so the luxury of the day was to have electric fans placed in strategic spots all around the rooms to keep the guests as cool as possible.  Just before the vows were made between the bride and groom (Aunt Dorothy and Uncle Earl), the ceremony was interrupted by the screams and cries of a child in pain; yep, you got it - ME.  It seems at that particular time, the fascination of blades spinning on the fan was more interesting than watching the nuptuals.  Needless to say the ceremony was delayed for a few minutes. 

The good news is that I have all ten fingers (I never found out which one I tried to amputate), and Uncle Earl and Aunt Dorothy finished their vows, despite my interruption.

The moral of the story (in my humble opinion) don't put an electric fan on the floor where a 3-year-old can get to it.  

If you look closely, you can see a fan on the floor in one of the wedding pictures, not sure if it's the fan in question.