Mary Malcolm Walker
When John asked his parents if it would be helpful to them for us to come and live with them, his dad was a little reluctant. After some time, though, dad agreed that it might be helpful to have us there to prepare some meals, drive them places, and help with housework and other chores. He had to assert his independence, however, one day when he told John, "You know, I've been making my breakfast since I was six years old!" John assured him that no one was going to stop him from making his own breakfast. When dad (Norton) was six, his mother passed away. It wasn't the first tragic loss in their family. Two Decembers before, while Mary was in the hospital giving birth to Nort's younger brother Cecil, their older brother Malcolm passed away from diptheria. He was six at the time. Because he died of a communicable disease, his body had to be buried right away. By the time Mary got home from the hospital, her oldest child was buried and gone. John received Malcolm...