The 75th year of one’s life is considered the platinum year. The diamond is the gemstone associated with 75, and of course, I consider my Daddy and Mama gems. Daddy is now 78 years old and Mama will be 78 in January 2016. My Daddy was born on September 14, 1937 in Madison County to Jodie and Dovie Watson Lasseter. He was born at home. Daddy grew up on a farm with twelve brothers and sisters. They all had to work hard and help the family to survive the hard times. My Daddy started school where the old Setzer’s Store and Pantry Pride used to be in Madison. He told me that a boy stabbed him in the ribs with a pencil at school and he was blessed that it didn’t go any further into his heart. My Daddy has had several close calls over the past 78 years. He was headed to work one morning and almost got hit by a train coming through Lee. He has had several arteries close up in his heart and has had to have stints put in. The main artery to his heart was blocked and they couldn’t put a stint in it but the blood flow came through a smaller artery to supply sufficient blood flow. Three years ago he had a polyp on his liver, caused from a bad gall bladder, that almost took him out. He was blessed again that a smart doctor realized what was going on. He has had several skin cancers successfully removed.
Daddy has been so blessed by God, Mama, the doctors, my brothers, sister, brother-in-law and sister-in-laws, that have loved him, stood by him and have taken good care of him, through the years. He can be a little hard headed at times, but has really mellowed out over the years. Daddy has told us a lot of stories about his childhood; some were good and some were bad. I won’t talk about the bad. He can tell you everywhere he has lived, what the name of the farm was and what year they were there. He’d say like, in 1944 was the year I started school, 1947 was the year Lola Grace and Thomas got married. He can remember what happened back then better that what happened yesterday. My Daddy was a Journeyman Certified Meat cutter and worked hard on a lot of jobs through the years. Daddy was called to preach when I was around two years old. Daddy and Mama’s first church to pastor was the Day Town Church of God in Day. They pastored the Madison and Lee Assemblies of God, a Storefront Church in Greenville, White Springs Church of God in White Springs and of course they have pastored the Lee Pentecostal Assembly/Lee Worship Center since 1985, and has been the Pastor Emeritus for the past three years. My Daddy and Mama were married on November 30, 1955 by Rev. Clyde Nichols at the Lee Assembly of God Church in Lee. Daddy said in 1955 he did the best thing he could have ever done in his life except for getting saved of course. On that day he married my Mama, Mary Lou Flynn, a very beautiful and smart girl that a lot of people were very jealous of. I won’t mention any names. Mama had a lot of guys chasing her and she was even engaged to one, but Daddy stole her away from him, thank goodness, or I wouldn’t be around. Daddy met Mama at Midway Church of God, South of Lee, at a camp meeting, I believe. Daddy asked his niece to go in the church and ask Mama if he could sit with her during the service and she told him that he could. Another guy had brought Daddy to the church and he also liked Mama, so he wasn’t real happy when Daddy wound up with her. Daddy was real blessed to get a woman with values, morals and just good common sense. A lot of folks don’t have that part! She stood by him when he was down and couldn’t work, getting out and getting her jobs to support the family. Daddy has said, a many a time, that they scratched their head when it didn’t itch. Mama attended Lee Jr. High School and went on to become a Certified Nursing Assistant.
She has helped so many people in her lifetime. Mama was born to D.B and Ollie Rye Flynn on January 23, 1938. She was their only child and her mother passed away from complications of diabetes. Granddaddy married again to Ruth Green Flynn and they had three boys and two girls. We later found out that we had another aunt and another uncle. So, altogether there were eight of them. Mama’s Aunt Hattie and Adolphus Donaldson, Mattie Rye Anderson and Jim Anderson raised her after her mother passed away. They were very good to her and spoiled her. They lived on a farm out close to the Suwannee River, until moving to Lee in the 1950’s. Granddaddy let her stay with them because Lee was her home and he didn’t want to take her away from them after they had been so good to her. He always wanted her to go live with him and his family, and she visited them quite often. Mama has always been a soft spoken woman and helped everyone that she could. Mama and Daddy were named the Grand Marshalls of the Lee Homecoming Parade and have received several plaques and honorariums for their involvement in the ministry of the Lee area. My family and I are so proud of them and all that they have accomplished through the years. It is amazing that they have stood the test and trials they have been through and have been married 60 years! What an honor to us, as their children, that they stuck together through thick and thin and kept our home together and secure. They have lived on the same property for 52 or 53 years. Brenda was the first born of five children, born on July 16, 1958.
Charles Trent came along on October 5, 1961. On July 17, 1964 a second son was born, Anthony Kent. On June 3, 1967 a third son came along, Brent Dion. On September 21, 1969 another girl came along, Lori Lea. Charles and Mary also have 21 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Happy 60th wedding anniversary from your children, in laws, grandchildren, great grandchildren, all family and friends. We love you both so much and are very proud of you! There will be a special celebration event, in honor of their anniversary on Nov. 28 at 5 p.m. at the Lee Worship Center Fellowship Hall, located at 397 S.E. Magnolia Drive in Lee. All family and friends are invited to attend this wonderful event. For more information contact Brenda Lasseter McCormick at (850) 869-9175.
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1. Rev. and Mrs. Charles R. Lasseter