Ernest Edward Blackstone

When he came back to Houston he lived with Bobo Blackstone (his Mom) for a while until he could get adjusted, find a job and get on with what life had to offer. He met Mom (Mildred) because he started bringing Marie Archer, his niece, to work from time to time. Mom had a cleaning/laundry substation and cosmetics next door to the Home Portrait Studio where Marie worked. He asked Marie to see if Mildred would go for coffee at the cafe` a couple of doors down. He wouldn't ask her himself so Marie asked Mom to go for coffee and she said Yes. That was the beginning of Mom and Ernie seeing one another.

He wanted to take Mildred home in his convertible that he had bought and meet her kids. The Blackstone family was always crazy about kids and that was a good thing because there were plenty of kids. He met Max and Carolyn and most of the dates with Mildred ended up a foursome. Mother was impressed that a fellow would take the kids everywhere because most guys would pay a sitter and not want to get involved with kids. We would go on picnics at Herman Park, the zoo, Galveston and the movies. We loved his convertible even though it had a leak in the top when it rained. We loved that leak and had all kinds of fun when it rained trying to keep the water from coming in on us in the back seat.

Mother, Max and I lived in upstairs apartments over the shopping center. Aunt Amy and Uncle Will Anthony lived across the hall from us...they owned the variety store next to Mom's cleaners. I slept with Mom most of the time before she married Ernie and he would tease me by singing a popular song back then called "Move over little dog the big dog's moving in". We would all laugh.

Mom knew some people in the neighborhood that owned a building across the street from where her cleaning substation was. She did some investigating and found out it had living quarters behind the main building (attached) and it would be perfect to start her own cleaners, laundry and seamstress business and live in the back to save money. She knew several people that had been in the cleaning business for some time so she began investigating opening her own larger business. She was so fortunate to have some people with successful cleaners that mentored her. Mom was a quick study of whatever she set her mind to learning and so she and Ernie started a new venture. She named it the M. T. Cleaners (Mildred Threadgill) and it still operates under that name today. Mother bought a station wagon and fixed it up so she could run a pick up and delivery in this diversified and multi cultured neighborhood (Italians, Germans, Polish, Chezk and Blacks).

When the business grew, Ernie decided to buy his own trucks and lease the loads out with a refrigerated truck for produce and a flatbed for oil field hauling. He would go on runs to California, Washington State and all points....have a load ready and he was off. We teased him about having "truck tracks" under his eyes. You know, it's not the age for some people, but, the mileage and how they abuse their bodies by pushing far beyond what they should.

Scarlett Hazel was born on June 8, 1948. She was a beautiful little girl with a bright smile, great disposition and was "our" baby. Living in back of the cleaners was perfect for us because Mother could work in the cleaners; Ernie had plenty of room in the lot next to the cleaners to park his trucks. I kept the house and took care of Scarlett, Max helped by running the cleaning route after he got older. People learned to know that Panel Truck. We all had our jobs in the family and yet we all had plenty time for play and study time. I remember Ernie drilled me on multiplication tables and spelling words out front in the cleaners while I waited for the school bus.

Ernie and Mom found a piece of land to build a house in a subdivision that was several miles out Airline from the cleaners. It was in the country then, with cows and horses, but, they picked a house plan that suited our family and our budget. We would go out almost every afternoon and inspect the building ethics of the contractor while they built the house. If a board was not just right, Ernie would knock it down and leave a note of what was to be corrected. This was their house and they took such pride in planning and building and decorating.

Joe and Jerry Blackstone, my step brothers, came to visit once in a while when they were small but then their family moved to El Paso and we didn't get to see them. When they were in their teens, they came to live with us. Talk about a full house....3 bedrooms and 1 bath got a good workout. We found out really quick about the MINE/YOURS/OURS family grouping.

I won't say that our life was perfect because we did have our ups and downs from time to time....but I will say that we were a normal family with lots of love, good food (Mom was a very good cook), average income, hard work and a lot of fun and family time. Our parents believed in God, good manners, rules, responsibility, respect and obedience from the kids.

Scarlett died at the age of 11 when she fell off a horse that she and Candace Archer was riding and hit her head on a clump of dirt. That impacted our whole family more than you will ever know. I don't think any of us have ever forgotten that sweet girl. As a matter of fact, if possible, Ernie died of a broken heart. We know that he loved each of us separately and special, but, Scarlett was the last child at home and the baby and was very close to her Dad.

Ernie and Mom brought a young girl to live with them for a few years. Her Mom had died from cancer and her Dad was overwhelmed with trying to cope with the death of his wife and raising a young girl. Mary Alice was a God Send for our family by filling an empty space and easing the hurt of losing Scarlett. There again, we were good for Mary Alice in her early developing years. Her father decided to move to Lufkin when she was a teenager and he took her with him. She could now become better acquainted with her relatives there. She eventually met her husband there and she and Kenneth now live in Crosby, Texas. We love her and consider her a Foster Sister and very much a part of the family.

Ernie was returning from El Paso with a full load on his truck and was crossing a bridge near Austin when he started having a heart attack....but he continued to head for home. He said he was hurting so bad that even if he wanted to turn into the hospital on Airline that day, he couldn't turn the wheel. He parked the truck on the side street and just about fell in the door when Mom opened it. Mother and Max got him to Methodist Hospital were I was working for Dr. DeBakey at the time and he only lived for a few days. He was joking with one of the nurses in ICU and when she turned around, he was gone...just that quick. Such a shame that he lived only 42 years. He was a great fellow and a great Dad. I was never sorry for a moment that WE married him. He was the only daddy I ever knew and we never doubted his love nor did he ever doubt our love for him.