According to a Certificate of Registrar wher she applied for Rationing in DeKalb Co., Ala., (4th of May, 1942) Josie was 5 ft. 2 inches tall weighting 90 lbs, brown eyes and gray hair.
I remember that she worked in the fields and garden without showing great signs of fatigue. She would often try to get me to work harder, or just do what I was supposed to and when I wouldn't she would say, "You'll remember this when I'm dead and gone." She was right, I do remember.
Once when I was real small, I remember mother and moma getting into a very heated argument. I do not remember what it about. I think I remember her (mama) saying that she would go stay with someone else, but she never did. The best I remember, there was only about twice in my life that I heard them argue.
I remember her going to Strait Creek Church of God. She would get up to testify and would shot and praise the Lord when she did. I can still hear her now. I really loved to go to church with her and the family back then.
I remember daddy had an old car that didn't have good shocks on it. We were going to church I think when he ran over a washed out place in the road. It bounced Momma Josie up against the top of the truck and it hurt her back.
She did all sorts of things for me when I was small and I always loved her for it. Most every Sunday most all her children would come and visit us. I loved this because I would get to play with their children, my little first cousin friends; some of whom have grandchildren older than we were then.
Momma Josie had a skin cancer on her arm for many years. I remember her coming home after Aunt Minnie had taken her to Doctor Guest in Ft. Payne, Al. where he took it off her arm. Aunt Minnie was worried about it and talked grandmother into having it removed. It was evident in a week or two that the doctor had not gotten all the cancer cells. He wanted her to come back and let him cut some more, but she refused. She said she had rather die than be cut on again. It just a very few months she was dead.
Before she died, however, she quit dipping snuff and joined the Ider Church of God. Pastor Virgil Stone received her into the membership of the church at our home while she was flat of her back in bed. She loved Brother Stone and listed to his radio broadcast everyday. He came by almost every day until she passed away and prayed for her. It seemed that the Lord wanted her with him more than he wanted her to stay with us.
I remember that sometime during her illness that she got to the point that her words came out so jumbled and distorted untill one could not understand her talk. Once she was trying to tell me something, but I couldn't understand what she was saying. In desperation she managed to speak clearly enough for me to understand her and said, "You don't understand me." Well, I have always wondered what it was that she had wanted to say that I could not understand. I think it was probably something like, "I love you."
I went to spend the night with Aunt Minnie the night she died. Aunt Minnie lived just down the hill from us. Someone came and woke us sometime around midnight and told us she was gone. I had seen her suffer so much, so that same day I had become willing for the Lord to take her on to be with Him, if it was not in His will to heal her. Rev. Marion Washington TRAFFANSTEDT and Josie Estell FREEMAN had the following children:
+339 i.
Minnie Maggie Lee TRAFFANSTEDT(49)
was born on 19 Apr 1902 in Lebanon, DeKalb Co., AL.
(1) She died on 12 Oct 1992 in Ft. Ogleghorpe, GA. She died of an
apparent Heart Attach at The Nat- ional Health Care Center, where she had been
living since around April of 1992. She was buried on 15 Oct 1992 in Fyffe, Ala.
Cemetery.
+340 ii.
Ollie Von TRAFFANSTEDT(49) was
born on 10 Apr 1906. He died on 9 Feb 1929 in Ala..
(54) Ollie T. died in a hunting accident. He was buried in Fyffe,
Ala.. Killed in a hunting accident. Shot by a shot gun when a rabbit ran between
him and the person he was hunting with. He was shot in the shoulder as I remember
and bled to death.
+341 iii.
Linnie (Nance) TRAFFANSTEDT(49)
was born on 8 Mar 1908 in Fyffe, AL.(1)
+342 iv.
Nettie Mae (Katie),(Creel) TRAFFANSTEDT(49)
was born on 23 Sep 1910. She died on 17 Sep 1987 in Fort Payne, Ala..
She was buried in Walten Grove Cemetary above Ft. Payne, Al.
+343 v.
Ira Robert TRAFFANSTED(55) was born
on 20 Jan 1913 in DeKalb Co. Ala. Fyffe.
+344 vi.
Ethelean TRAFFANSTEDT(49) was born
on 30 Aug 1915 in Fyffe, DeKalb Co., AL. She was buried in 1975 in Fyffe Cem.,
DeKalb Co., AL.(56) She died on 24 Aug
1975.(42)
+345 vii.
Paul T. TRAFFANSTEDT(49) was born
on 10 Apr 1918 in Fyffe, DeKalb Co., AL. He died on 17 Jun 1988 in Ft. Payne,
AL.(57) He was buried on 19 Jun 1988
in Mt. Hermon, near Ft. Payne, DeKalb Co., AL.(57)
Letter from Paul Traffansted addressed to Mr. Paul Cox, Postmarked
Nov. 29, 1944
Dear Gladis and Paul --somewhere in England
got your nice letter you wrote me and I was glad you all was well.
This is Sunday after thanksgiving, gess you all had a big feast back home. I would lovt to be home for Christmas this time but I no thar no nead of me wishing for every thing like that. far it jist could hapen to me far I am to un (could not make out the next word) to even live.
I hope you all have a big Christmas this year. gladis you ask me whear I heart (hurt) at I heart (hurt) all over my leags (legs) and in my hilps (hips) and back. I ges you get this letter befor Christmas you all be good and write me afton (often) my writing is affel poor I hope you can read it tell.V.D. and linnie to write me tell mother hello and not to weary about me
I sine off with lots of love, hoping I see you all some day. write me ofton. give my regards to all your Bud Paul Traff
As well as I can determine the above letter was written after Uncle Paul was wounded while serving in the War.
Nov. 17, 1944
Dear gladis and Paul
Will answer you kids letter that I got a few day ago I was glad to hear frome you all ... I am feeling some better then I was but I am not well yet? I have done a small bit of K P today. it was only one hour work and now I am all in I will rest and try it again after a little while...Tell every body hello for me. Tell Junior hello and to write me. I say chearo for now and write more next time. your bud that thanks of you all
love Paul Traffansted.
See Pictures on Page 4 of the May 1993 issue of THE FAMILY REPORTER.
Pictured L-R, Paul, Judy, and Maxine Traffansted, Timmie Cox. Front, Connie Traffansted.
I do not know who is in the two graves where the picture is taken.
---------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- ---- A Tribute to Paul and Erma Traffanstedt
By Eltonette Traffanstedt Bradley
I love to read your newsletter and hear about our family tree. When I was little Dad would take us riding every Sunday. We would go to places where he grew up. He would tell us about who lived where and his friends. He told so many interesting stories. I thank the Lord for the time he spent with us (family time).
I believe every step he took, I took too, to keep up with him. I went every where he went, if he would let me. I even hid and went when he wouldn't let me go. I would lay in the back floor board and be very still and quite until I knew we were so far from home that he wouldn't carry me home. Then I'd jump up and say, "Surprise." I am sure I made him so mad, but I never, never heard him say anything real mean to me. He was strict in ways and lenient in others. He taught me to ride horses, shoot a gun, and plow. He was never prejudice because I was a girl. I was a person to him equal in all ways.
I loved to go hunting with him. I loved every minute I spent with him. I also loved going to Uncle Paul and Aunt Gladys'. I loved Mamaw Traffanstedt's Lemon Meringue pies, made from Eagle brand milk. Law was it good!
Every chain has a link that keeps it together and makes it strong.
Our dad was the strong link in our life. He kept his family (brothers & sisters) close. We saw them a lot. He kept my brother and sisters and myself close. We saw a lot of each other especially Thanksgiving and Christmas. All that is gone now and they eat with their families. Christmas is just another day to me.
Daddy always made us laugh. He must have been shy about people giving him presents. We would all gather in the kitchen and laugh about how he would react. We'd say we'd faint if he actually liked what we got him or even looked at it good. He'd always pick up a gift, open it quick and toss it beside him. I'll swear, I know nine times out of ten he never saw what it was. We always had to have ham at these occasions. Boy was I glad. I hate Chicken and Turkey both.
Our foundation family is gone. I live in dad's house and that is exactly what it is now, just a house, not a home anymore. Daddy was home. He was my strength and my hero. He taught me so many things and I miss him so much. But, there are times that he feels so alive here, like in the late afternoons when it's just getting warm enough to sit out in that ole porch swing. I sit out there a lot and he and I still have our talks. I sit sipping a cup of coffee and I can almost reach out and touch him. I still catch my self saying something like, "I'll ask daddy," and I take a deep breath and say, "I forgot he's gone." But when things get really hectic and I use to help him do something he needed help in, I'd say, "Well, I need your help now too." I promise he still never lets me down.
He and I were really closer than Mom and I. He made me promise I'd take care of mother. How I hated to do that. I told him Randy would, but he said, "No sis, I want you to," so I agreed. That was the last thing I wanted to do because she was always wrong and he was always right in my eyes. So you can imagine how I felt. But it was one of the best things he ever done. Mother and I are close now like we ought to be. We live side by side and I have grown to love her as much as I did daddy.
Even now, my dad is having an effect on my life. I'm 48 and in all those years I was so blessed to have a dad like him and now my mom. Keep up the good work. The one thing my dad never talked about was his growing up. It must have been very hard on his family. Every once in awhile, he'd say we're kin to so and so, but would never say any more.
The ole home place is still here. A lot has changed, but my love for my aunts and uncles, and cousins remain very strong, thanks to my dad who knew what family really meant.
PRINTED IN THE MAY 1993 ISSUE OF THE FAMILY REPORTER
+346 viii.
Dovie Lucille TRAFFANSTEDT(49)
was born on 9 Dec 1920 in Fyffe, DeKalb Co., AL.
(58) She died on 11 Jun 1994 in Ft. Payne, DeKalb Co., AL Hospital
of Cancer. She was buried on 12 Jun 1994 in Mt. Hermon Cem. DeKalb Co., AL (services
at 4:00 p.m.). Funeral Home Memorial of Dovie Lucille Traffanstedt McElroy
Submitted by Paul Cox
Dovie Traffanstedt McElroy
1920 - 1994
Wilson Funeral Home Chapel
Ministers: Rev. Orien Ledford & Rev. Larry Haynes
Interment: Mt. Hermon Cemetery
Survivors
Husband: Howard R. McElroy
Daughters: and Sons-In-Law: Wanda Jean and Paul T. Green, Linda and
Johnny
D. Young
Sister: Linnie Nance
Brother: Robert Traffanstedt
Grandchildren: 5 Great-Grandchildren: 6
Wilson Funeral Home In Charge Of Arrangements.
OBITUARY SUBMITTED BY PAUL COX FORT PAYNE, Ala. -- Dovie Traffanstedt McElroy of Fort Payne died Saturday in an area hospital. She was 73. Mrs. McElroy was a daughter of the late Marion and Josie Freeman Traffanstedt. She was a member of Mount Herman Baptist Church and the Pine Ridge Friendship Club.
Survivors include her husband, Howard R. McElroy; two daughters, Wanda Jean Green and Linda Young, both of Fort Payne; sister; Linnie Nance, Fyffe, Ala.; brother, Robert Traffanstedt, Florence, Ala; five grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. Services will be held today at 4 p.m. at Wilson Funeral Home, Fort Payne, with the Rev. Orien Ledford and the Rev. L. Haynes. She was baptized in and member of Mt. Herman Baptist Church. Notes from Dovie Traffanstedt: Dovie was the 7 child and Howard was the first. She worked at W.B. Davis Hosery for 26 years. Howard worked 22 years. Then he raised laying hens for 11 years. They have one child buried at Mt Mariah on Sand Mountain. She was almost a year old. Jimie Faye.
The following from the May 1994 Reporter:
Aunt Dovie is very sick and needs your prayers. She has been in and out of the hospital in the last few months. Aunt Dovie is strong in faith and declares that she still believes that the Lord can heal her of cancer. Nurses go to her home daily and care for her. Wanda Jean and Linda does many of the chores in the house and are untirelingly taking care of their mother.
+347 ix.
Gladys Lorene (Cox) TRAFFANSTEDT(56)
was born on 15 Jul 1923 in DeKalb Co., AL. She died on 13 Sep 1985 in At home
near Henagar, Alabama. She was buried on 15 Sep 1985 in Fyffe, Alabama -- Minister:
Larry Haynes & Chester Nance. The following written by Tim Cox:
The following dream came to me on December 14, 1985, between one and two a.m.: I dreamed I was riding a horse alongside of a very famous King. We were looking at His many different flower gardens. As we rode along we saw many flower gardens that were in bad need of tending. Weeds were growing to their fullest and many of the beautiful flowers were becoming diseased and frail as a result.
As we rode along, the King would often stop and gently remove a diseased flower from its garden spot. He would gently and securely place it into His saddle bag and take it to His castle. I wondered what the King wanted with such dried up and frail flowers, so continued the journey to see the results.
Some of the flowers that He would gather, however, were very young and tender. When I would ask why gather them so young, He would simply reply, they will never make it among so many wild weeds. In my dream I noticed that I could hear the flowers talking among themselves. They seemed not to understand why those near to them were suddenly being up rooted and taken from them. Some were grieving over their young ones and some over those from whose seed they had been produced. Others were grieving over the ones that they had flowered with for those few summer months.
These flowers were unique in that the King had named each one individually. One flower was named Thomas, another Jossie, and there was Jessie, and Norman, Ethel, Gerome, Lillia, Gladys, Paul, Tim, Edward, Joseph, Diannia, Deborah, Linda, Charlotte, Sharon, John, Ronnie, Gail, David, Earl, Jennifer, Sherrie and the list just went on and on.
When I asked the King what He would do with these flowers, He invited me to come along and see. So we rode for many, many miles. Just how far we had gone, I am not sure, when suddenly after topping a very steep hill there was the most beautiful palace that I had ever seen. As we neared the huge gates they swung open and we rode inside. Dismounting, we walked into the most beautiful flower garden. This garden was well watered and tended. There were no weeds growing whatsoever. There were absolutely not any diseased flowers there. I thought to myself, surely He will not put these dried up, diseased flowers which He has gathered among such beautiful flowers.
To my surprise, He took out the flowers which He has gathered, from His bag and placed them into a vase. Said He, "This vase contains a special healing formula. I call it the water of life. It is made from twelve different kinds of fruit that come from the tree of life." As He would set them into the vase they would immediately straight en and the disease would cease. I could not believe the transforma tion that would come to these flowers when placed in the vase. All signs of disease and sickness would disappear and suddenly their splendor, fragrance, and beauty would become more intense than I had ever seen them before. He would then place them along side of the other flowers in His palace.
I noticed that these flowers had new names once they had been placed into the King's palace garden. However, I still knew their old names. Here I saw Thomas, and Marion, Jossie, Norman, Ethel, Gerome, Roy, and many more that I remembered having been gathered from the weeded garden. The name, however, that stood out the most to me was the one who had been called Gladys. She had been placed next to Jossie and Marion and Nathan, an infant. She stood out as one of the most beautiful flowers of all. I could hear her voice calling out to me to tell her loved ones and friends in the weeded garden not to grieve for her. Said she, "I am having the time of life in this lovely Garden. Tell them I am looking forward to our being together again. Tell them that I love them very much. Tell them it won't be very long now until they, too, will come to this lovely garden."
The King interrupted my thoughts as He spoke to me and said, "I come here everyday to be among the flowers. I paid a great price for these flowers. I became a flower to understand them and was killed by evil flowers in trying to help them. These that are here love Me and worship Me daily because I brought their salvation."
Said I, "Which flower will You pick next to place beside the flower whose name was Gladys?" Said He., "It is not for you to know the times nor seasons. Be ye also ready, for in such an hour as ye think not the son of man cometh."
I then awakened from my dream. This was not a dream which one might dream when asleep. I was wide, awake and driving a Greyhound bus between Chattanooga, TN, and Atlanta, GA, on I-75, when I dreamed this dream.
This dream is in memory of one of the most beautiful flowers of all in the King's garden, whose name had been called Gladys; a darling daughter, sister, friend, wife, and most precious of all, she was my mother who had been picked from the weeded, diseased garden somewhere around 1:00 a.m., September 13, 1985. -- by Tim Cox
Mother was a house keeper all her life and never worked at any public job. She learned to drive at the same time I was learning. I got my driver's license when I was 16. We both took the test the same day. Mother didn't pass and had to take her road test over. I gloated about that somewhat, but she went back, as I recall, the same year and did pass the test.
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