Herbert Russell Justice

Born: April 28, 1896 in Coosa, Talladega County, Alabama
(later known as Nixburg, then Childersburg)

Died: February 4 1981 in Birmingham, Jefferson County, Alabama

Burial: Macedonia North Baptist Church Cemetery,
Highway 231, Vincent, Alabama 35178

My Maternal Grandfather

This is my personal memories of my grandfather, Herbert Russell Justice.

He died while I was in high school, Mom and I were in Georgia at the time; due to the fact that is where she was employed when Dad filed for divorce. When the call came early that morning, Mom was upset that her siblings had chosen to wait about calling, as they did; Granddaddy Herbert had died the night before.

The reasoning that I heard was that "they" thought it would be better if Mom and I were to get a good night's rest; before getting such unexpectedly bad news. In any event, Mom called the high school where she worked; told them we would be gone for a few days due to a death in the family.

When you get calls about loved ones dying, you get a wall of emotions that hit you instantly; then re-coil and continue to sweep over you, until your grief has run it's course. I think to this day, I am coping with missing Mama Kate, Granddaddy Herbert and Uncle Gene. Each of them were vital, strong-willed, determined to make a difference, even if only on a community or local level.

Granddaddy Herbert, was a store owner, a quarry owner, a sawmill worker, and United States Postmaster for the Community of Calcis (until his retirement in the 1970s). He had lived through injuries from World War I, lost sight in one eye, due to a wild pitch of a baseball; but never let his struggles get the better of him.

What impressions of him I have were shaped by many hours of him telling stories of his life and struggles to me, my brother and John -- a first cousin. He did this often while we were young. Granddaddy Herbert also used to record his stories on a cassette tape deck at his desk in the 'pool room' of his house in Calcis.

Untold hours of tape were used; but no one in the family seems to know what happened to the tapes; or if they still exist. Uncle Gene picked up the story-recording habit, following somewhat in Granddad's footstep.

These elements are what I 'emotionally' remember from Granddaddy Herbert's tales -- vivid images, well- woven details that brought people he knew to life for children/grandchildren that had and would never meet the main characters; any other way than through the mind and words of a then aging man.

Brief Glimpses of Granddad's Life

Granddad's time served for the US military during World War I, cost him the loss of (most of) one of his lungs; but after an extended period of healing and re-adjustment, he could pace his walking and out-do any of us kids, up the steep incline that led from the H.R. Hustice General Merchantile to his house at the top the hill, across the road. He set his pace slow and steady, but in doing so, he never got 'winded' as nearly everyone else did.

Baseball

He loved baseball! There wasn't a game on the radio or televsion that he would miss. Often he would be watching one on television and have another on the radio; and could tell you everything about how BOTH games were going. Amazing.

Crossword Competition

Every Sunday, I also remember, the weekly competition between him and Mama Kate -- this involed 2 copies of the Birmingham news, and the weekly super crossword puzzle. Each would get "their" paper, and take to seperate portion of the house, until one of them was able to finish the last of the blank spaces. It was rare that either of them were 'stumped' by the clues.

My grandparents loved crossword puzzles. Maybe I should just state it this way, they LOVED words, and writing. Mama Kate had written on several occassions for a newspaper; about various items. Granddad struck up a written relationship with a local reporter about communnity happenings, history, and human interest topics. He later arranged these writings, and newspaper clippings that came out of the correspondence, into a scrapbook. This is one of my 'most valauble' items I have left to Mom, my brother (Byron) and me. It covers many years; and gives a glimpse into the country life, hard-times, and grand events that happened to him while he lived in Shelby County.

I wish that there were more tales, and historical intereviews like this that the family had for future generations. Family history should not be neglected, if left to someone else; the stories might just as well end when the loved one dies, and is settled in the family/church cemetery. That is a sadness, and grief that will never leave. Regrets of never taking time, just a short while to write things down, sit and talk with elderly family members; go through old photographs.

As I said at the beginning, of this memorial, I was still in high school when Graddaddy Herbert died. Now, I wish I had been attentive enough to sit and hear his stories; just once more, before he was gone. Such regrets go with living; but I can only write from memory now.

For those kinfolks who may read this, and wish to honor Granddaddy Herbert's memory, on this 2004 Veteran's Day; and on into the future -- I have a simple request, please sit down and put words to paper about your memories of Granddaddy Herbert. He would be delighted, if the stories lived on.

Also, if anyone knows of any cassette recordings of Grandad have survived, and how to locate them -- I would be ecstactic to hear them again.

-- Cathy Ann Abernathy

taracat@calcis.us