This lady, many may recall is Dr Rosie. When I moved to CV in '69 the hospital was closed. Dr Rosie played a big part in the lives of the Walkinshaw's. But more on that later.

A friend e-mailed me, wanted to know about the guy sitting at the counter at the Hill Top when Mr Treadway, Superintendent of Cedar Vale Schools was interviewing me. (Previous posting) It has taken me awhile to add to the story.

Little did I know when Jock Walkinshaw took me to the Green Door that was going to end up with lots of Pizzas and Tacos to follow. Lots of driving to Winfield and Ark city in the yellow Mustang, playing Bobby Gentry on the 8 track. After about the 3rd date, I asked him again what his last name was. That name would not stay in my memory bank. I had not seen it written, therefore I had a hard time remembering a ‘different’ word. I explained this to him, as he did give me a look that said, and she went to College?

Jock had a simple answer. If we get married, you can just pull out the check book to read the name. So standing there at the front door of the little house on the dirt road was the beginning of a new chapter in the life of 2 total strangers who had spied each other at the Hill Top Café.

I am looking at the yellowed copy cut from the CedarVale Messenger published May 7, 1970. Rev Otis S Bussart,. Norman Koester, Jolenne Sanders gathered at the United Methodist Church. Family came. My precious Auntie Florence and husband, Brent, came from Wichita. My family came from Pittsburg, Mom, Dad and 17 yr old brother. My other brothers were in the Army. Within a few weeks, we were in our new home, “the Cox house”, next door to the Montgomerys on Caney. Since we were so close to Nellie, John did not have far to go to see Grandma Nellie and Sinbad and all the kittens that Sinbad brought to her.

John, Jock and I made a trip to see a lawyer. There was a name change to be made. John was going to now be a Walkinshaw. The judge tried to tease John, as the child was so serious (most unusual for Mr happy go lucky). “I just want to be a Walkinshaw, like them,” he said with tears. “If you change my name from John, no one will know me”. When we got home, he sat down to learn to spell it

I do not recall when Dr Rosie came to Cedar Vale. I know I was glad to have a doctor in town, as I suffered terribly with migraine headaches. I came to know and love Dr Rosie. When I was pregnant with Katrina, I was ordered to bed. John made sure I followed doctor’s orders. He had twigs by the fireplace before he went to school if I wanted a fire, but “do not pick up those logs, Mommy”. He stood on a chair to turn on the washing machine. He and Jock would fold clothes, and I would hear them debate, “my mom does it this way”. “My mom does it this way”. John had been asking for a baby brother since his kindergarten days, and now he was older, had toys that he did not want a little brother messing with, so he wanted a sister.

John was at school when his sister arrived. Jock called the school to tell him. His teacher let him go to each class room to make the grand announcement. Only in a small town would this happen The hospital was just right for little brothers, the designers probably never gave that a thought. But a little brother can stand outside and look in the window at his new red hair sister.

Jock could not wait to go get cigars and pass them out. He came back to ask me what her name was. He had been telling people her name was Kristine, it was Katrina. Katrina Marie Walkinshaw. So out he rushed again. Dr Rosie was as excited as we. She worked very hard, also, to bring that little gal into the world. All night, she never left me. After wards, she carried Katrina down the hall, and washed her up herself

I was in a room, they brought Katrina to me inside an enclosed crib. I wanted to hold her, a nurse said no. I asked to see Dr Rosie, now. She came in with that strong, loving personality. She told the nurse to put that baby on my heart, I had carried her under my heart, now I should be able to have her on top What Dr Rosie said, that was it. Every March 7, thru the years, yellow roses would arrive for Dr Rosie from a very great full mother.

John stood outside at the window, Jock lifted him up. He wanted to know why his sister was in an ‘air container”. Katrina & I got home, and every night after school, she had visitors. Her brother loved to show off his sister.

Now the window at the store had a new purpose. It held a baby, while we worked. It had been great for a place to make a little bed for John when he was smaller.

I called her “the Judge”. She was not into this ‘cutsie’ baby stuff. She studied people. She stayed that way. Very serious. John had been the, “Hello world, I am here, life is fun” child. Katrina was the “is there any sing of intelligent life around here” child.

John was the best big brother, took great care of his sister. He came home with his shirt torn and covered with dirt. “A kid made fun of my sister’s red hair. I HAD to beat him up. No body makes fun of my sister.” He would drag her out of the crib on Saturdays, “let’s let Mommy sleep” I would hear him say. He played with her with the educational game. “No one is ever going to call YOU stupid”, “now, lets do it again”. He had dealt with dyslexia. School had its challenges for him. Today, 35 years later, they are still the best of friends. Katrina goes to her big brother for advice.

Every year, around Easter I would take pictures of John and the Sanders boys. Now there was a new person in the group. They are on slides, I hope to get them scanned and add them. With my constant back pain, I do not make it to the computer/book room often. Let alone do anything when I get there

I had told John that day we saw CedarVale from the top of the hill in ‘69 that we were going to find love. I kept all the promises to my little boy. I got him the dog. I got him a sister he loves dearly.