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| From Oregon to Texas: ‘Old friends I just met’ RICH RIEGEL THE MID-COUNTY MEMO
The old cliché would go something like, “It’s a small world,” and in this case, the cliché would be true. Rather than make it too complicated, let’s just say that two Mid-county residents, Neil and Wahetta French, recently moved to Kerrville, Texas. Wahetta, by the way, goes by “Wiggie.” But the way we found out about the move at the Memo is a story in itself. The “connected” part of interconnected begins with the person who assembles the stories, photos and advertising for the Mid-county Memo, Debbie McWilliams, of Medina, Texas. Her official job at the Memo is “layout and design.” Medina is a small community located about 60 miles west of San Antonio, set smack in the middle of south central Texas. Medina is also where Debbie’s mother and father, Clara Ann and Laverne McWilliams live. Debbie took over the story from here. “On Saturday, Dec. 3, the Medina United Methodist Women held its annual bazaar,” began Debbie. The Medina United Methodist Women is the women’s group that puts on the bazaar for the Medina United Methodist Church. Debbie McWilliams explained that she had prepared Spanish rice to go with the tamale lunch the women serve at the bazaar. “Let me just say that my mother has never met a stranger,” daughter McWilliams related. “We always joke with her that she’d talk to a fence post if it had ears. But, she’s just a friendly soul and likes to make everyone feel welcome.” And, like a friendly soul would do, Clara Ann McWilliams made a connection. “So she commenced to talking to this couple,” Debbie said of her mother Clara Ann, “and found out where they were from, to which she replies, ‘Portland, Oregon? Do you know of the Mid-county Memo? My daughter does the layout and production work for Tim Curran.’” The people Clara Ann McWilliams was talking to were Neil and Wiggie French, former Mid-county residents, and active members of the Wilkes Community Group. In response to Clara Ann McWilliams’ query, the Frenches smiled at Debbie’s mom. “Yes,” one of them said, “it gets mailed to us.” It’s just about at that time that Debbie walked up to the three, toting two pots of rice, in time to hear someone say, “There she is now.” Debbie’s world just became smaller. “I look over and see that my mom is talking to this couple,” Debbie related. So daughter McWilliams walked over, extended her hand in greeting and introduced herself. “Upon visiting with them,” Debbie said, “I found our world really is small. They are transplanted Oregonians, from the Wilkes neighborhood in Portland. They have moved to Kerrville, Texas, which is about 25 miles from where I live.” Debbie’s father Laverne also joined in, sharing lunch with the couple from Oregon. Debbie called Neil and Wiggie French “the nicest folks a person would ever want to know.” Debbie visited with the transplanted Oregonians “a couple hours or more,” she said, “and just had a grand time learning about Portland and various people and places,” taking the time to “clue them in on a few things in our area. “It was as if I met some old friends for the first time,” Debbie said, “Neat feeling. They stayed and had lunch with the group and I believe thoroughly enjoyed themselves.” Debbie added that Neil and Wiggie French “said hi to everyone, especially those in the Wilkes neighborhood.” Both Neil and Wiggie French served on the board of directors of the Wilkes Community Group. Both were active in a number of ways within the neighborhood association, including participating in the annual National Night Out crime prevention gathering. “People are friendly in stores,” Neil French said of his new home, “hold doors, smile and speak to us. They are very courteous in their driving.” He added that he found “homes are less expensive and property taxes are frozen when you turn 65. [The] weather is great.” Neil French said he does “miss all the friends we have in Oregon,” and that he misses the members of the Wilkes Community Group. For Wiggie French, she said the “Kerrville residents we have met are caring, friendly and helpful. We are enjoying the small town atmosphere and traffic.” She said the weather is sunny and warm “and helps our arthritis.” But, she does “miss our old neighbors and friends. Our neighborhood was a great one to raise our children.” She said their former Mid-county home was located near city transportation, shopping, schools and freeways, with a view of Mount Hood and Mount St. Helens. |
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