Category: Cecil Lewis

Aging, Amazing Things, Cecil Lewis, Thoughts and MusingsLeave a comment

Cecil Lewis, my father, was a handsome man with certain flaws

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To know him was to witness wisdom and a lot of contradictions. I didn’t resent his tough love, for it paved my way. But if I could change one thing, it would be his struggle with alcohol. Without that burden, he would have been near perfection, a true role model. Yet, I still treasure the lessons he taught me, and they are still within my heart. He was selfless, always helping others in every endeavor. He possessed both physical and emotional strength, forever. Adversity didn’t hinder him; it only made him more resilient. He taught me the worth of perseverance, … Continue reading Cecil Lewis, my father, was a handsome man with certain flaws

Amazing Things, Another Daily Happening, Cecil Lewis, Crazy Times, The Jollyville Years, Thoughts and MusingsLeave a comment

The Sideboards

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When I ran across the post below about the Bois D’arc tree, it conjured up a memory from more than 60 years ago. We were living down on the creek out of Jollyville. Cec, our dad bought a 3/4 Chevrolet Pickup. It had been a Texas Highway Department truck in its first life. So it was yellow with the huge logo sanded off the doors. Later on he even painted it green. Not a green anyone else on earth would have chosen for a pickup truck. It was something of a mint green, but not a true mint green. It … Continue reading The Sideboards

Cecil Lewis, Crazy Times, Past Angora Chronicles Stories, Smithwick, The Early Days3 Comments

Cec And The Soldier

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Cecil was my Dad. My brother and I called him Cec. No one else did. It was our name for him. He was from the old school as they say. He had a very rough exterior. Come to think of it he had a rough interior too. He was in the construction and trucking businesses. He worked hard his whole life. I always thought he was the toughest man I knew. He never backed away from anything or anybody. Once when I was about 13 or 14, my friend Billy Gene Henry and I accompanied Cec on a trip to … Continue reading Cec And The Soldier

Cecil Lewis, Crazy Times, Funny Happenings, The Early Days, Thoughts and MusingsLeave a comment

Twist & Turn

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The summer of 63 had us spending part of the summer in Gatesville, Texas where Cec was working as a general superintendent for Holland Page Construction, installing a new sewer system all around town. The apartment we stayed in while in Gatesville that summer was really a duplex with another smaller unit that was directly above each lower unit. The upstairs had a set of stairs that you used that went up the outside, along the side. Very reminiscent of the way you went up to enter Doc Adam’s place on Gunsmoke. Kenny Jackson (or Big Kenny as most everyone … Continue reading Twist & Turn

Amazing Things, Cecil Lewis, Crazy Times, Kenny Lewis, Thoughts and MusingsLeave a comment

The Andice BBQ(As told by Kenny Lewis)

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THIS IS A STORY I’VE STARTED TO TELL SEVERAL TIMES, BUT REALLY THOUGHT KENNY COULD DO MORE JUSTICE TO IT SINCE HE WAS THERE. It has been noted previously that Cec was one of the toughest men I ever knew. He had a threshold for pain like no other. In the winter of 1986 it was predicted to fall below freezing and stay that way for several days. I had just built a new house between Georgetown and Andice. I suggested to he and mom that they close everything up at Smithwick and come stay with us for a few … Continue reading The Andice BBQ(As told by Kenny Lewis)

Amazing Things, Cecil Lewis, Crazy Times, Funny Happenings, Smithwick, Thoughts and MusingsLeave a comment

The Race Was On

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This is the story of one of the greatest car races ever held in Smithwick. His name was Curtis Brown Parker. Brown Parker was how he was known. Brown was the person my Dad looked up to more, maybe than anyone else. Brown was several years older that Cecil Lewis. I believe that Brown help him become a man in more ways than one in his early days in Smithwick, Texas.However in the 1940’s Brown and Eula moved to California, the same as a lot of people did during that period of time. They operated laundries in and around Carpentaria, … Continue reading The Race Was On

Cecil Lewis, Crazy Times, Smithwick, The Early Days11 Comments

Brown Parker’s Well

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Brown Parker and wife Eula moved back to Texas after spending 3 decades or so out in California, to a couple of acres down on our old home place on the hill overlooking the Lake. He went up to Marble Falls and bought a building that needed to be moved. He set it up on stilts the way it had been in town, so it would improve his view. Many of you may remember this building. In the earlier 60s it was a snack bar that Mr. Seals and Mr. Hill had built at the mini-golf place. To have water … Continue reading Brown Parker’s Well

Amazing Things, Cecil Lewis, Crazy Times, Thoughts and Musings, Travels1 Comment

Travels Across The Desert

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Few people ever went long distances prior to the last 4 or 5 decades. If they did it was making a migration to hopefully find a better life. That was in about 1955 or 1956. Maw-Maw Nonie and Paw-Paw Theron went with my parents and us to visit California. Kenny and I were both were pre-school age, 3 and 6. All six loaded up in a new Mercury 2 door car that Cec had just bought. It didn’t have air conditioning, few cars did back then. Being in the hot summertime Cec bought a contraption called a Thermador Car Cooler. … Continue reading Travels Across The Desert

Cecil Lewis, Crazy Times, The Construction Biz, Thoughts and MusingsLeave a comment

Cec And The Big Billy Goat

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When we were building the Guadalupe River State Park my dad, Cecil took his small travel trailer down at the very end of the park at the rivers hairpin bend, to stay away from everyone else. The park land extends across the river at that narrow point and has some primitive camping and hiking over there. Between the time we bid that project and it actually getting under way, there was the huge flood that snapped off gigantic cypress trees and altered the landscape forever. Cec would sit and watch a herd of Spanish Goats that climbed the rock bluffs … Continue reading Cec And The Big Billy Goat

Cecil Lewis, Crazy Times, On The JobLeave a comment

He Bit My Thumb

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There are a few things in life that really don’t mix. Being really tough and drinking too much are a good example of this. Cecil Lewis was tough guy and he drank a way more than he should have. Back in 1980 – 1981 I had contracted to build a new state park and campground area down on the Guadalupe River near the little community of Bergheim not far from Boerne, Texas. When I needed him, my dad would help me out on projects. On this job he mostly drove a water truck. He never drank while on the job … Continue reading He Bit My Thumb