You are My Sunshine  / Angel Whaley (Granddaughter)
Nanny and Granddaddy, I love you guys so much. I appreciate all the love you have shown me and Chloe. Nanny, I have done some silly things in my life and you have always loved me no matter what. You will never know how much that means to me and warms my heart. Granddaddy, you have been so awesome to Chloe and that just brings a Huge Smile to my face. You guys are a true blessing to me and to the whole family. Chloe and I love you and thank you for everything!! Angel and Little Miss Chloe Close

What can I say?  / Emily Beth Pearson (Grandaughter)
Nanny and Grandaddy- First I want to thank you for being such an incredible example to me and to the family.  Where would this hilarious family come from if it was not for you two having all these wonderful, Godly women that are in my life and that have all played a huge part in my life somehow.  I want to thank you both for taking care of mom and I when we needed somewhere to stay to babysitting me those late nights so mom could finish school and for ALWAYS picking me up from school when I was not feeling well and then you would asked me what I would want for breakfest on the way home and I would say "gravy and biscuits, eggs(runny), bacon, sausage and the rest of the works. " Yeah I really was sick wasn't I?  I have to say part of me probably faked not feeling well just so I could eat that wonderful breakfest of yours and to spend time with you and grandaddy watching game shows and the Waltons.  I remember when nanny used to always be at my house waiting on me to get off the bus to take me to her house.  Thank you nanny for always being so patient with me considering I would have to clean all the cabinets and drawers for mom before I left the house.  How you tolerated that beats me.  I also remember when nanny and I would go sit outside on her swing and talk while I waited for mom to come pick me up.  Memories like these make it everlasting.  I will never forget all the memories I have of nanny and grandaddy.  They have always been there no matter what the circumstance was.  Their prayers have gotten our family through times of trouble and times of happiness.   How blessed are we that we have a nanny and grandaddy to pray for us daily and nightly for our safety and well being?  VERY BLESSED!  Thank you for always caring and showing us the real meaning of love and what it is.  Thank you for all the memories you have given me with all my cousins, aunts and uncles.  I will always hold them dear to my heart.  THank you for giving me such a wonderful family of 60 whom I treasure more than anything.  I am richy blessed and thankful for each and every one of them.  Most of all thank you for my mommy.  She is an amazing woman.  You both trained and raised her well and now that I am soon to be a married women I will carry on the tradition of "Family" the way my mother was taught and the way my mother has now taught me.  I am proud for my name to be "EMily" why...because it comes from an amazing, humble, Godly, devoted grandmother, wife, mother and friend.  I am honored that my name is after my nanny and BEST FRIEND.  No matter how old I get or how far away I will be you will always be the bestest friend I could ever have.  Thank you so much for all you do for our family and for all the good cooking that makes me have "DOUBLE KNEES."  I love you both so much.  Happy Mother and Father's day.  Close

With much, much love...  / Mandy Hale (Granddaughter)
The task of putting my love for you two into words is more than a little daunting...but I do want to say, in my own simple way...thank you, from the bottom of my heart. It was a few words from Nanny, scrawled in a greeting card, that gave me the hope and the courage I needed to pick myself up out of the darkest days I have known. You never stopped believing in me, even for a second, when I couldn't even find the strength to believe in myself. I am crying as I write this, because how many people in this world are lucky enough to come from such a rich spiritual heritage and to have a precious, humble, unconditionally-loving grandmother whose prayers have literally carried me through all the hills and vallies life has thrown at me? Nanny & Grandaddy - your love and devotion to each other and to this family has made us all the people we are today. Be proud. This sprawling, faithful, lovably cooky and delightfully entertaining family was started with just the two of you and a little love. I love you both to the moon and back... Close

God bless Mama, Daddy, Brenda, Judy, Rita, Debbie, Terri, Pam, and Rose*  / Judy Whaley (Daughter)
This was the prayer every night before we all went off to sleep and God has answered our prayers. We are blessed beyond measure. Growing up as one of the daughters was an awesome experience. We were all so close and still are and we all still have each other. Mama and Daddy you are the greatest. When I look back on my childhood I can only say Thank You for everything. You did everything right. I wouldn't change anything even if I could. Mama you taught me faithfulness and how important staying together is.
You literally gave your life up for us. Daddy you taught me how to work by example and made me believe that I could be anything I wanted to be. Both of you made life so very special for us all, not only on holidays, especially Christmas, but everyday when we would wait on the front porch for Dad to bring home our daily lolly pop. After that we were all set for Mama's home cooking as we gathered around the table. There are so many precious memories. Thank you Mama and Daddy. I love you with all of my heart. Judy  *( Rose was our cousin who lived in Columbus, OH, but would come to our house and stay all summer with us. She stayed so much that we included her in our prayers everynight. ) Close

You have given us a lifetime of memories ......  / Debbie Brooks (Daughter)
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Greatest Parents in the World!  / Terri Hale (Daughter)
There is so much to thank you both for that it would take all day to list all the reasons. I love you both very much and having you for parents has been the greatest blessing anyone could ever ask for. My memories from our childhood are all so precious to me.When I close my eyes I am in Rockvale again smelling the newly mown grass and the fried chicken cooking for supper. Thank you for your prayers, your hard work, but most of all your love. I can only hope that one day my own children and grandchildren will revere me as much as yours do you. Close

Thank you for your sacrifice.  / Brenda Woodson (Daughter)

Mama and Daddy, when I think of the both of you, I think of sacrificial love.  Starting a family when the both of you were still children, and keeping that family together for over 60 years through some very difficult times takes a lot of sacrifice and prayer.  Thank you Mama for being a woman of prayer.  You are the glue that holds it all together.  Thank you Daddy for always providing for your family.  I know there were many times when you did not know how we could make it, but we always did.  You worked many long hours to make sure we were clothed, fed, and had a safe warm home to sleep in.  Thank you both for giving me the foundation that I needed to raise my own family.  My favorite memories are the overnight trips we took to The Smoky Mountains, sleeping in the car by the creek, and Mama cooking breakfast the next morning, and hiking up to Clingman's Dome.  We always looked so forward to that.  I don't have room to list them all, but thanks for the memories!!  I love you, Brenda

 

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Thanks for "Letting the Sunshine In"  / Rita Lynch (Daugter)
I can't think of anything I would rather celebrate than the two of you as my parents.  We are so fortunate to have such a close, loving and funny family.  Reflecting on our homelife as we were growing up, I thank God for all those hours spent in church and all those many Sunday afternoons spent  in country churches, nervously awaiting my turn to get up and sing with my sisters.  We did not have a lot of material things, but we had oh, so much more.  I am grateful to you, Mom, for teaching me homemaking skills without even realizing you were doing it.  I am thankful to you, Dad, for all those hours you spent teaching us to sing Lord only knows how many songs.  I am sure good use of our time kept us out of a lot of trouble we could have gotten into.  Mom, there sure were a lot of late nights sewing our clothes and curling our hair.  I remember the white dress you made me when I was a Junior in high school and a page for Judy's class graduation, and the pink seersucker one you made me for my own graduation, and the many pairs of shorts and blouses you made for my graduation trip to Florida.  Dad, you were always the math whiz, and could usually solve our math problems in your head without a pencil.  Most of all, thank you both for the wonderful Christmases when I am sure it took all you had to give us the kind of Christmases we had.  To this day, Christmas is my favorite time of year, mostly because of you.

I could write a book, and someday, I suppose, I will.  But for now, I guess I should leave room for the others.  Suffice it to say, I am so thankful for the two of you and all the beautiful memories.  I love you dearly.


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You Are Such A Blessing!  / Pam Brickey (daughter)
What a blessing it has been to have you as my parents!  Thank you for the values you instilled in us and for raising us in the church.  I know it is your faithful prayers that have sustained me through the years.  Thank you for your untiring devotion to your family and for keeping us together through even the most difficult times.  What a comfort it is to know that you are always there for us.  I couldn't ask for any better grandparents for my children.  Thank you for the example you are to them.   But thank you most of all for loving me, even in times when I haven't been so loveable.  I love you with all my heart!

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