My father, Walter “Shorty” Hackley, only had a fifth grade education. His grade cards for those five years were straight “E”s. His father in today’s world, would have been in jail for child abuse. He took him out of school to work in the field. When he was 16, his father died and his older brothers came in and took all the horses and equipment, and left him with nothing.
My father knew nothing but work, and work he did. Seven days a week, 365 days out of the year. He milked cows night and morning, and sold Grade A milk to Adams Dairy in Blue Springs for 47 years. He was instrumental in forming the local Sni Valley Fire District, and when they had the first election and elected three directors, he received more votes than all the other candidates combined. He served twelve years as Secretary/Treasurer of the district. Although he was a religious man, he only took time to go to church Easter and Christmas. He always said he had those two stories down pat.
Even though my dad was a good Christian, he was probably the best cusser I ever heard. I lived in town and drove to the farm one evening at milking time. I met the Methodist preacher, Rev. Fulbright, just leaving. I went in the milk barn where my dad was milking and he was cussing up a storm. It seems as if my dad had bought several bonds that built the new Methodist Church. The bonds were all different denominations and maturities, but all paid 7% interest annually, which was a pretty good investment at that time, and in order to finance the new church were sold to church members and townspeople. When I asked him why he was so mad, he said the preacher had just talked him in to forgiving the interest on the bonds this year, and not only that, forgiving the bond that had matured and was due and payable.
Jack can be reached at PO Box 40, Oak Grove, MO 64075 or jackremembers@aol.com
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