UNCLE PAUL AND UNCLE TOMMY LAVERTY

         I wrote the following observations of of my two favorite uncle's back in 2008 and would simply like to share them once again.

My Uncle Tommy (12/5/1910-10/7/1977) and Uncle Paul Laverty((2/15/1923-12/27/2000)

       Paul Mac Laverty was my dad's youngest brother by eleven years or so and was considered the baby of the family. Thomas LeRoy was my dad's oldest brother by a little over a year. He was held back in school at one point so he and my dad could walk to school together a mile east of their farm.

     The both became  role models after my dad passed away in 1953 when I was only nine years old. And, since my Grandpa Laverty had also passed away in 1950, they were, in m eyes, the head of the family at least when it came to the farm operations. There was never any doubt who was the head of the immediate family--my mom!

     I enjoyed being around them as much as I could simply for no other reason than their sense of humor. To this day I am convinced that there is that certain "gene" or gift that we all have within us and I have always been grateful and feel that I possessed those same"good humor genes" that both Uncle Paul and Uncle Tommy possessed.

       Uncle Paul, when he spoke, always had a little bit of a slur to his speech  maybe due to  the  juices from cigarettes or an occasional cigar. He would finish a sentence or phrase with possibly a spit after removing a short non-filter Camel cigarette and always followed with a nervous  Ugh! Ugh! along the way. Also, another nervous motion with his arm and elbow. Another funny thing I can still almost still smell to this day. During hay baling time or combining oats the smell of the hay or oat debris and his arms and the smell coupled with sweat. Maybe that was just a guy thing but it was one of those great smells that you remember.

        Uncle Tommy also was an extremely fast talker. If someone were to play him in a movie, it would have to be Broderick Crawford, a film actor from the 1940's and 50's. Tough acting and a fast talker. The difference was Uncle Tommy was always in a good mood with a teasing remark or gesture.

       One of his favorite "tricks" would be to pass a butter dish with the butter on the edge and then give it a little jerk and push while passing so your thumb would get jammed into the butter. He loved that bit! He introduced me to that trick one year when he took me to the Father and Son Banquet at the Laurel Methodist Church. Larry, his son had by that time had left home and was at college.It meant so much to me that he took me. This was after my dad passed away.

      One thing worth noting was that Uncle Paul, one year, drove a tractor across the mile to our house and through the fields on a tractor, with no cab, during a snow storm just to bring me a birthday card on my birthday in late January! That always meant a lot to me and showed me the importance of family.

        One other observation as a youngster, I could always tell or sense the love shown and expressed between my Uncle Paul and Aunt Mary. It always seemed they enjoyed holding hands and, of course, they loved to dance!

*************originally written September 2008