Veterans Day

Myron Gordon - Vietnam

Thanks to all my family members who have served or who are currently serving our country.

Spanish American War - My Mothers Great Uncle "Skeets" Tower

Civil War - Dad's Great Grandfather - John Turner Emberton

WWI - Dad's Dad - John Turner Butler - Army

WWII - Dad's Brothers - John Tom - Army and George Eagle Butler - Marine
- Dad's Uncle Houstons had 5 sons that served in WW II
- Dad's cousin, Everett Bowman was a Marine that earned a purple heart
- Dad's cousin, Cecil Earl Bowman was in Patton' army and toured with him throughout
Europe
- Dad's Cousin, Bethel Butler (one of Houston's boys) served and retired from the Navy
- Mom's Uncle Willie Welton - Navy
- Mom's Step-father, Chet White - Army

Korean - Dad's Brother George - Marine
- Dad's Bother-in-laws, Kenneth Francis and Leslie Carter - Army
- Mom's Uncle-in-law - Claude Wood - Army

Vietnam - Mom's brother, Myron Gordon - Army
- Dad's cousin, Tommy Butler - Army - Killed in Action

Retired - Dad's Nephew, Greg Butler, Marine

Iraq - Dad's Great-Nephew, Justin Butler, active
- Dad's Nephew, Steve Butler, active Army
- Dad's Great-Nephew, Benjamin Butler, Navy - in school
- Mom's Great-Nephew, Doug Gordon, Navy Sub commander - active

Ben with his Dad Steve Butler

Monroe, The rest of the story.

Things changed for Monroe when my brother Brett's boy, Blake, was little.

(These first two photos are not Blake but my brother Chad's boy Zachary.)Blake would often want to touch Monroe. Sometimes several times a day.

So one day Dad took Monroe down from the wall and something happened when he hung him back up because Monroe fell and broke off the tips of some of his antlers.

So the next time Blake visited Dad took Monroe and wrapped his lower half in Blake's blanket and placed him next to Blake.

So Blake watched cartoons with Monroe. Blake shared his snacks with Monroe.

Monroe sat in the seat next to Blake in the car when PaPaw would go to Hardees.

This is not the typical life for a mounted deer but Monroe must have liked it.

He began to be used as a prop in my Mothers photography.

No longer content with being in the background in OUR family pictures he showed up in other families Christmas pictures and senior pictures.


(These next few pictures are of Blake with Monroe.)


Blake still hangs out with Monroe and as a matter of fact Monroe came out and sat with us at a recent family wiener roast.

Don't you dare judge us!

Monroe, Part 3

This is Monroe sneaking in some pictures over the years.

He held his spot on the wall with pride for many years.

Then he found he really liked the attention and was no longer content to stay on the wall.

More tomorrow.