Sentimental Sunday

This doe-eyed little angelic boy was about 3 years of age when this photo was taken. Just shortly before his death in 1946.

Roy Edwin Bean was the last child of my grandfather's old age, born to my grandmother, Mary Faudree Bean.

At three years of age Roy succombed to a ruptured appendix and died.

On the day this photo was taken, family members were visiting from out of town. Little Roy's brother-in-law, Dick Harriff, took this photo.

My Dad recalls that Roy is looking so downhearted because he'd just received a scolding. You'll note why when you look closely at the photo.

Little Roy had a slight...uh hum...accident in his trousers. [See the telltale wet pattern in the front!]

My grandfather, John Bean, Sr., died in 1954. I've been told he never quite recovered from the loss of any of the children who predeceased him. [There was Max, Eloise, Pauline and Roy. Pauline was the only one of the 4 who reached adulthood, the others were toddlers and babies.]

My grandmother, Mary Faudree Bean, seldom spoke of Roy. But when she did, it was always with tearful eyes and a sorrowful countenance. His death haunted her until her own, 29 years later in 1975.

These are the three youngest children born to Grandpa and my Grandmother. [Grandpa had been married twice before, having outlived both of those wives, and fathered 12 other children in those first two marriages.]

So, when I speak of these three, I often call them the children of my grandfather's old age. He was 71 when the eldest of these three were born [my Dad - in 1837], and was 77 when the youngest one, Roy, was born.

Left to right is Edsel [born 1939], Walter ["Buster"] born 1937 [he's my Dad!], and little Roy is in front, born 1943-died 1946.

Of the 15 children born to Grandpa, five remain:

Margaret Bean Loper  - 96 years

William "Bill" Beane - 93 years

Jack Bean-Ashley - 81

Walter "Buster" Beane - 73

and

Edsel Beane - 71

Families are truly Forever!