Almost Wordless Wednesday - December 30, 2009

Richard "Dick" and Audrey [Beane] Harriff

12 Aug 1984

Growing up, my Uncle Dick and Aunt Audrey would visit on occasion, and each time that they did, they were encouraging to my creative side. Always encouraging me to write my poetry. Always pressing me on to the next story I would write. Uncle Dick, especially, enjoyed discussing the dialogue's in my stories. "How'd you come up with that?", he'd ask. Or, "Why did you make them pretty people, instead of ordinary folks?"

Aunt Audrey was one of my Dad's sisters. [You will recall, I have written several times of my Dad's rather large - 15 children - family.] She and Uncle Dick traveled the world. He was an engineer for the General Electric [GE] Corporation. They once spent several years helping to establish GE in Korea. When they came back, I can remember Aunt Audrey's relief over "regular food!" being served in restaurants and homes they visited! [She was definitely a pork and potatoes kind of country woman!]

Richard Calvin "Dick" Harriff was born 04 Feb 1913 in Sharon, Mercer Co., PA. He met Blanche Audrey "Audrey" Beane, who was born 12 June 1912, in Waiteville, Monroe Co., WV and the two were married 14 Aug 1934 in Sharon, Mercer Co., PA.

As I said, Uncle Dick was an engineer with GE for many years. While Aunt Audrey was active in her church, and a loving housewife, of the old school. They had 3 children: Richard, Judy and William "Bill".

On 12 Apr 1988 in Ashland, Oregon, Uncle Dick passed away at the age of 75. Since I began writing more proficiently, and professionally, I have missed his gentle criticisms, and the strong and loving wit he shared so openly with me.

On 27 Jan 2002, also in Ashland, Aunt Audrey left this life, too. Because it was the dead of winter, her many family members here in West Virginia were unable to make the long trek to Oregon to attend her funeral. And so, we held our own Memorial Service here, led by her nephew, Jeff Beane, an ordained deacon.

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Whenever I think of my Uncle Dick and Aunt Audrey, it is like the photo at the top. They were always a bit older than my parents. [Aunt Audrey was 25 years older than my Dad!] But, as I speak with other family members, those few siblings that remain [only Margaret, Bill, Jack, Walter and Edsel are still living of the 15 children!], they recall the couple as you see them below. This photo was taken about 1937, when their eldest son, "Dickie", was about a year [or so he looks in the photo]. This was taken back in West Virginia as the couple visited family friends there. Aren't they a handsome family?

Dick and Audrey Harriff with son Dickie

About 1937.

We certainly miss you Uncle Dick and Aunt Audrey! But your memory lives on forever.