Pansy Nell Crail was my grandmother's sister. She married James Tierney in 1907. They had two sons, James and Gene. The family lived in Shelbyville, IN, Mobile, AL and Drummerton, VT, Winston-Salem, NC and Treasure Island, FL.
Aunt Pansy lived with James and his family after her husband died. The Tierneys had a vacation house on Baden Lake near Winston-Salem. Mom and I would fly out early in the week for visits and Pop would drive out on the weekend. [He didn't fly commercial.]
Boating, swimming and fishing would fill most of the time. I did some "bar huntin" in the woods near the house as well. I had to be watched like a hawk near the water. I apparently thought I could walk across the lake. I couldn't.
Aunt Pansy was a wonderful, sweet lady with a knack for whatever card game she and her neighbor ladies played in a side room of the house. James was a big jovial, good natured guy. He and Mom were 1st cousins, but James was 13 years older. James' wife, Katherine, was from Mobile. She could make the phrase 'Mrs. Tierney' lyrical. Phyllis was James and Katherine's daughter. She was quite artistic and insisted on calling me "Ter, the Terrible Turk." Gene and his wife often visited. Their son Eddie and I hung out some, even though he was older.
Our last visit to NC was about 1967. I did get a chance to visit them after James retired to Treasure Island near St. Pete, FL. One of my college roommates and I spent part of Christmas vacation in FL in 1970. We were invited to the Tierneys for dinner one evening. My roomie was not prepared for the experience; especially when Phyllis arrived asking, "Where's Ter, the Terrible Turk?" She remembered!
Those were great times! I miss the Tierney clan.
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