My youngest sister Patty, while in the hospital for Leukemia treatment, told me these short stories. I said the first few words (the titles) and she told the stories. They are written using her words. It was priceless and so fun.

When I was little

“When I was little, I must have been a brat because they always said, ‘Go play in the street.’ They tied me to the clothesline, and all I wanted was to be around them. I didn’t want to miss out on anything.

When I was little, I ran off every day to the neighbors because they liked me. They’d hide me in the attic because they didn’t want me to go home. They had fun playing with me. I remember the ladder in one of the bedrooms that went to the attic.

I remember waking up from my nap and nobody being home. They always left me home alone. I got up and put on my little dress with the ties flapping in the wind and went to grandma’s clear across town.

Oh, when I was little I was a Jacks Champion. Lina reminded me of that at Christmas. At the VFW, girls played Jacks, and the boys played marbles outside. It was good therapy for eye-hand coordination. You had to be good to get them all, but we did it!”

The first day of school

“The first day of school was great, because I had new shoes and clothes, and new pencils and paper. I got to see all my friends. And, new crayons. I can’t forget crayons. Brand new crayons.

I guess that’s all about that. I don’t think I cried which is amazing.

I cry when they sing Happy Birthday to me. I cry at commercials. I’m one of those.

Our little town

“Our little town is the best little town. Everywhere you go you meet someone who knows of Akron, Colorado.

It’s the best because people are such a community of caring and taking care of each other.

It makes me think of Mayberry. Aunt Bee was Mrs. Baylor, and Sheriff Andy was Bill McDonald. His side-kick Barney was Bob Jones. Little Opie was Eddie Burley.

My friends are still my friends forty-six years after graduation. They all got along. No cliques. We all just got along together. We had fun together. A lot of giggling.”

Sleeping on the roof

“I had two friends, Sandy and Sandi, and when they came to spend the night, we would sleep on the roof.

We would take a big jar of hot cherry peppers and crackers and eat the whole jar,  sitting up there watching the stars. We swore we saw UFO’s. Maybe we did. The sky was SO black.

We’d sneak off the roof and go across town to the swimming pool and meet our boyfriends. One day we were leaning against the fence, and it went way out. That’s how we got in at night; there was a gap between the foundation and dirt. That was the old swimming pool.

Dogs would bark at us all across town.

We did a lot of walking in those days. Walking downtown. Walking to the movies. Walking to school. None of us had cars. But the boys had cars.

Once while sun bathing on the roof, I spied on my sister Jennifer while she was kissing her boyfriend in the driveway. He had a white Pontiac or Ford.

I guess that’s all I have to say about that. I plea the 5th.” (Laugh)

She always wore…

“I remember she always wore curlers in her hair when going to the grocery store, and I would be so embarrassed.

I was surprised. She usually sent us girls, but no, she would go to the store with curlers and a scarf over them.

Then there were those pink pants she wore when she was with Jim. She had lots of pretty blouses to go with them. Color coordinated.

Bless her heart.

She also called me every day. She did. Pretty much. Maybe not every day, but pretty much.

I miss that – a lot!

Now don’t make me cry.” (Written in June of 2016 when she was in University Hospital)

My baby sister died 2-1-17 and I miss her so much. Following is her obituary

Patty Sue (Goble) McFarland was born May 23. 1952 to Lee W. and Mildred Zora (Compton) Goble. She was their sixth daughter. Her older sisters chose Patty for her name, and Sue honored her grandma, Susie Hinton.
As a baby, she was bounced around by four big sisters and cried to be put into her crib. As a small child, she was known to run away to the neighbors or go across town to Grandmas.
She loved school. She said, “The first day of school was great because I had new shoes and clothes, and new pencils and paper. I got to see all my friends. And, new crayons. I can’t forget crayons. Brand new crayons!”
In high school, she had great friends and was involved in band, cheerleading, 4-H, church, and any activity where help was needed and fun things were happening. She graduated from Akron High School with the class of 1970. She said, “My friends are still my friends forty-six years after graduation.”
She attended college in Greeley for a short time, but like a lifetime friend said, “I was interested in intellectual things, but Patty was interested in heart things. She was truly, the most giving person I have ever known.”
She and Kent Douglas O’Neil were married July 3, 1975, and to this union were born two sons: Jon-athan West and Patrick Aaron.
She and James Edward McFarland married on Valentine’s Day, 1987. Their love was sweet, and they lived together for thirty years enjoying their blended family and attending events, usually together.
Patty was a caring, optimistic person, and she always had the time and a sweet smile for anyone. She was artistic, talented, and lived life sharing her joy of the mountains, the beach, and time with family and friends.
Patty loved the Caribbean. Close to the ocean, she felt peaceful. She could usually be found walking the shore picking up shells.
The Fourth of July, next to Christmas, was her favorite holiday. Her home, clothes, and jewelry reflected her admiration of our red, white, and blue. She was a true patriot.
Miniatures, crystals, hearts, and hummingbirds were her treasures, and she knew who gave her each one.
When you visited Patty, she would always offer you cookies, or snacks. When she came to visit, she would bring casseroles or breakfast rolls. When she went camping, she would have her car loaded with food, blankets, and chairs for everyone. If it was needed, Patty had it within reach.
She loved to have fun. If there was a gathering for a birthday or holiday, if possible, she was there. She would bring gifts, many she made herself, and often something for everyone. She was the last to leave the party. She didn’t want to miss a thing. She was thrilled to be involved.
Patty loved God, her family, and especially her two sons, their wives, and her six grandchildren. Her eyes would sparkle at the mere mention of their names. She never missed their activities if she was physically able.
On February 1st, 2017, at the age of 64, our sweet Patty Sue joined the celebration waiting for her in heaven. She fought leukemia (AML) since October 2015 and was cancer-free in December 2016. In January of 2017, she was diagnosed and hospitalized with pneumonia, RSV, and parainfluenza. Her lungs and immune system were too damaged to recover.
She was preceded in death by a sister, Beverly Kay, her grandparents, and both parents. She is survived by her husband, James McFarland, her sisters Marva Lee, Zella Mae, Vicky Marie, and Jennifer Jo and husband, Cal West.
She is survived by a son, Jonathan, wife Kimberly Corinda (Horn), their children Lina Lane, Thomas West and Kathleen Louise; son, Patrick, wife Stephanie Jo (Glosson), their children Molly Jo, Macklin Kent and Micky Aaron; Kent O’Neil and wife Betty (McMillian) who supported her continually.
She is also survived by Jim’s three children: Daughter, Sharil Lynn and children Tony, Marcus, Glo-ria Marie, and Malika Marie; Son, Dustin James and his wife Melanie Joy (Good); and daughter, Marie Annette and her husband Trava Faris Tschannen and children Cherokee Dawn, Dylan James and Dalton James
A friend, after her passing, said it well, “She lived a life better than most. She married her love, raised boys who love her, lived to know her sweet grandchildren, had good friends, and loving sisters. Really, the years she lived are the best ones.”
A funeral service will be held Monday, February 6, 2017, at 11:00 a.m. at the Foursquare Church of Akron. Memorial donations may be made to the University of Colorado Hospital Cancer Center.

Dr J’s Comments

Such great little stories. I invite you to enjoy reading them as much as I enjoyed listening to them. The picture was taken on February 9th. She is beautiful and feeling good in a wig so much like her natural hair. Great day. Her body is still accepting, NOT rejecting, her bone marrow transplant. Hallelujah!