Missy McClure - Columns

Wow! Can you believe Thanksgiving is already here and Christmas is just around the corner? It seems like yesterday we were enjoying Thanksgiving and Christmas in the panhandle of the state with cold temps, wind, and a nice, warm fire in the fireplace. I always love winter with a nice roaring fire to sit by and listen to the sounds!

But I digress. This month, as we look forward to Christmas, I wanted to share some things from this part of the state that I am looking forward to. This column will be written just before the Ranch Hand Breakfast and events at the King Ranch. We already have tickets and are excited to see all the different things they will be demonstrating, along with eating an amazing breakfast prepared by the King Ranch staff. We did get to take our grandchildren on a tour of the King Ranch when they came for a weekend, and it was extremely interesting! The history of this area is intrinsically tied to the ranch from its very beginning. I took the opportunity to stop and look at the statue of Captain Richard and Henrietta King in front of city hall one day. Of course, the story was told on the ranch tour, but it still is amazing what the vision of one man can bring to an area. I think it is a great reminder to dream big and be willing to take the risk to see that dream fulfilled. 

I also took some time to wander through the downtown area and enjoy some of the old buildings and businesses that have served this area for a very long time. We heard about Harrel’s Pharmacy before I ever stepped foot in Kingsville. Then we got to go inside and enjoy lunch in the diner they have. We were greeted immediately upon walking through the door. The food was good, and the staff and service were awesome! We have been back multiple times and will be eating there again.

As a Kingsville Noon Lions Club member, we had a float in the Veteran’s Day parade, and it was great seeing people come out to support those in the parade and to say “Thank You” to our veterans. So, I am hoping to see people come out and enjoy and shop in Kingsville during the Christmas season.

I know there are events planned around Christmas and am looking forward to participating. I have met several of the business owners in the downtown area. They are all hard-working folks, who want to help keep the downtown area alive and vibrant. While there are some empty buildings, which is always sad to see, there are many who want to see Kingsville continue to grow and thrive. I enjoyed getting to visit with some of them and see Kingsville through their eyes. I know there are some who would say that the vision many would like to see come to fruition is a pipe dream and will never work here. But I believe Kingsville can thrive and continue to grow, providing jobs for its citizens, giving visitors a glimpse of the rich history here, and making the city one that will draw people from all around. 

There are so many positive things about Kingsville to draw people in – the Naval Air Station, Texas A & M Kingsville, King Ranch Institute for Ranch Management, Ceasar Kleberg Wildlife Research station, the access to amazing seafood just a short drive, birds and wildlife that are unique to this area - these are just some of the reasons for people to come. But – they will stay because the people here are some of the kindest, polite, generous people I have ever met, and they will be the draw for people to visit and possibly make this their home.

 I hope you take time this Christmas season to remember that the reason we celebrate is the birth of a baby boy who was and is the Messiah – God with Us. 

With the holidays coming, thoughts often turn to family and friends. Maybe there is an empty seat at the table this year. Or perhaps you are like we are and have relocated to an area without family nearby. 

We are blessed as we do have family that is closer to us here but there are some that are much further away. And if you are in the “sandwich generation” – aging parents that need more assistance and children and grandchildren drawing you a different way – these times can seem very challenging. However, there are always blessings if we just look for them. I do tend to be a glass half full kind of person most of the time, but holidays are different when your children are adults, and the grands are almost grown. 

I always loved the holidays with our children and extended family together. We decided early in our marriage, that instead of trying to make everything with both families, we would divide the holidays. We would spend Thanksgiving with one side of the family and Christmas with the other. Then the next year we would switch. It really worked well for us most of the time. So, all of this to say that being grateful/thankful is where my mind takes me this time of year. But – should it just be once or twice a year? Absolutely not! 

I am going to wander off the path of being a transplant to the area for this month. Part of the reason we made the move to Kingsville is that it puts us within about three hours of my parents, instead of 10. They are 85 and 84 and need additional help now. My father has macular degeneration and has not been able to drive for several years. My mother has dementia, but it seems to have developed into full blown Alzheimer’s since February (another story for another time). This makes it tough when you are basically homebound. My dad can see enough to cook but not well enough to drive or do many types of repairs, etc. I just returned from staying with them for a week and it was truly a challenge. I prayed that God would give me grace with my mom as she is extremely difficult to deal with most days. But I truly want to honor the sacrifices she made for all of her children throughout our lives. She has been a wonderful support and encourager to her four children as we grew up. So, I stayed with them, helped get them to appointments, grocery shopping, and going out to eat. My mom had and still has a temper, but she was rarely hateful to anyone. Unfortunately, as is often the case with Alzheimer’s, her personality is no longer what it was when we were growing up. So, any trip to the store or a restaurant can be extremely difficult with her. But – be careful of what you ask God to do. He certainly gave me plenty of opportunities to be patient, caring, and gentle with my mother and I did not always handle it well. 

As I was thinking about this month’s theme of thankfulness, I realized that I have my parents still on this earth. That is certainly something to be grateful to have as there are many who do not. There are three of her four children still on this earth as we lost my sister in September of 2021. 

My parents have been married for 66 years as of September 11th. They married young, had four children in three years (I have twin brothers), and have managed to stay together and show what love and true commitment look like to their children and grandchildren. I wrote a tribute to them for their anniversary this year and completely embarrassed them when I read it to them when we went out to eat for their anniversary. But that commitment, especially in light of their current situation, continues to shine through. The pictures with this column were taken last year, just before their 65th wedding anniversary. They were staying with us in Canyon, and I took them out to Palo Duro Canyon State Park for a drive through the park. My dad told me that after the wedding, they came to Palo Duro for their brief honeymoon. They were headed back to Norfolk, Virginia as my dad was stationed there while in the Navy. I think these pictures truly capture their life and their love for each other. 

So – getting back to this season of thanksgiving, I am grateful for my spouse, for our two wonderful children, for our son in law, for our five grandchildren, for all of our family, and for this life God has graciously allowed us to live. I am grateful for the beauty in His creation that He allows us to see and enjoy. I am also grateful that my parents are still with us. The move here was orchestrated – not by us, but by God. It is for my spouse’s job but also to be able to be closer to help my parents and support them the way they have supported me my whole life.

The Sailor and the Redhead

Les and Lou’s story

He was home and in town on leave from the Navy.

In his sailor white uniform, looking pretty snazzy!

Hanging out at the local Dairy Mart with some of his friends

Enjoying the evening and being home again.

A car of high school beauties were cruising ‘round town,

Honking and waving to say Hi to all around!

Driving up and down the streets just having a good time,

The girls were dressed up and looking so fine.

The car pulled in to the Dairy Mart lot,

So, the high school beauties could get a shake or a pop.

They saw him sitting there in that uniform of white,

They called for him to jump in and ride around for the night.

The car was full with no place for him to sit,

They tried to squeeze him in but he just wouldn’t fit;

Until one auburn-haired beauty offered her seat

Then sat on his lap and made his heartbeat!

Of course, he agreed, and they drove from Dairy Mart,

But the auburn-haired girl caught his eye and his heart,

They loved showing him off riding in their car!

As they drove, laughed and talked riding near and far!

But the young sailor was only home for a short time

He headed back to his ship with that girl on his mind.

The auburn-haired girl, though young and unworldly,

Promised to write letters that would make his hair curly!

They traded letters and oft had to wait

For a reply to the questions that made both hesitate.

The time seemed to drag as they were kept apart

By distance and time but true were their hearts.

He came home on leave to make her his bride,

And spend the rest of their lives with her by his side!

She said “Yes!” and had to start planning

For the day before God and man, they would be standing.

His blue eyes sparkled when she came into sight.

He was so handsome in his stark coat of white.

His grin was wide as she walked down the aisle;

Her lips were trembling until she saw his smile.

Auburn hair glowing in a dress of pure white,

Her brown eyes were focused with him in her sight.

Her beautiful gown was made of satin and lace,

Topped with a veil that framed her lovely face!

Their vows were spoken from the depths of their hearts,

For richer, for poorer, till death do us part!

And 66 years later, they prove every day,

Their love is still true to each other in every way!

As the name of the column suggests, we are new to the Kingsville area. We officially moved here, meaning actually moved all our furniture, the dog and me the middle of May. My spouse has been living here since the middle of January, basically out of a motel for the most part. So being new to Kingsville and this part of the state altogether, I want to see and learn all I can about this beautiful area. 

Now we moved here from the panhandle of Texas (think Amarillo by morning) so while hot temps are the norm in the summer there, the air tends to be quite a bit dryer. That means we get beautiful, cooler temps at night and can actually sit outside and enjoy the evening sunset with a big glass of sweet tea or adult beverage of your choice. That does not seem to be something that we can do here. And speaking of humidity – I don’t think I will ever get used to it. But that’s for another day.

My college degree is in Wildlife Management from Texas Tech University (Guns Up). I graduated many, many years ago and have never actually gotten to do a lot with my degree as life kind of took me in a different direction. I love learning about all the nature in this area. It’s not somewhere we ever thought we would be living but here we are! 

The native plants in this part of the state are different from the panhandle so I’m working to learn all about them. But the animals – that is my first love. I can sit outside and listen to all the different birds that are here and strain my neck trying to find them. There are some common ones – turkey vultures, bobwhite quail, songbirds, even herons, egrets, and other “wading” birds etc. between these areas. There are birds here that would rarely be seen in the panhandle. So it has been a blast getting to see and hear the different ones.

But birds are not the only wildlife I love seeing and hearing. I hope to be able to get to the beach when they do a release of turtle hatchlings and get to see them make their way to the water. Watching the dolphins leap out of the water is another highlight. I went with my daughter and grandchildren to the state aquarium one day and as we sat to watch the dolphin show, the dolphins in the bay were giving their own show! It was so much fun to watch.

These summer temps though have put a “whoa” on getting out to do much hiking or looking. I am hoping that when things cool down just a bit, that we can explore a lot of the areas around Kingsville. This column is really about seeing and experiencing the unique, interesting, and certainly historical offerings of Kingsville. I will also include some stories about the panhandle and what it has to offer. If you have some ideas of areas to explore or things that are a “must do or see”, let me know! We love getting off the highways and exploring areas that only the locals know about.