Loss and Peace

 We lost a son, brother, husband, dad, uncle, nephew, cousin and friend on Christmas Eve. It feels like there are not any words for this, but yet we have heard so many good words.  Words of comfort, but also of recognition and love.

Tom was my son.  Unfortunately, he became one of millions of people who must deal with a cancer diagnosis.  He fought this diagnosis for 5 long years.  The last year being the hardest.  Tom also lost some of himself that year. A shadow of the great person that we all knew and loved.  But he still fought until his body just couldn't keep on any longer.  I like to think that he died peacefully on his way home after a family gathering.  Even tho the ER worked to bring him back, God had mercy and helped  Tom down the road to what had been promised to him.  

Yes....Loss and Peace.

Going back to that Christmas Eve, Tom's entire family gathered at the hospital as word was shared that we had lost him.  There were lots of tears and hugs between his parents, his wife, his children, his sister, his niece and nephews, his brother in laws, his mother & father in law (who were all definately more than in laws to him). There were 15 of us there supporting each other and loving Tom.  

Yes....Loss and Peace.

We each had an opportunity to visit with Tom afterwards there in the ER.  Hold his hand, stroke his face, a kiss to the forehead.  Some last messages to him as he was leaving us.  I believe he knew we were all there. 

Yes....Loss and Peace.

But still disbelief and numbness that this could have happened.  Just like that, we would no longer hear his voice, hug him, ask his advice, tell him our latest goings on.  

It was hard to sleep that night.

Our family still gathered for our Christmas day.  Tom would have wanted us to.  We missed him but we needed to be together and we managed to laugh and have a good day.  The harder days yet to come. 

Yes....Loss and Peace.

Chapter 1 - The week after was filled with the necessary meetings to make funeral arrangements. His wife, myself , his sister and his mother in law all contributed to these decisions with all the love that we each have for him.  Guided by a funeral director who also was a friend of  Tom's and his family.  It was decided to have a day for receiving family and friends followed by a service the next day at Tom's church.  

Chapter 2 - We needed to be prepared for what was expected to be a large amount of visitors.  Why? Because Tom touched so many in his life.  He was active in his community, his children's activities, his church, he touched many lives beyond what we even knew. He served in all of these arenas. The day was a constant flow of people wanting to pay their respects.  We saw people who were from our past and relatives we could not see as often as we wanted.  People who needed to reach out as much as we needed them to.  I personally heard stories of Tom that I never knew because he just didn't share them. He was not one to boast, he was humble that way.  

It was hard to sleep that night.

Chapter 3 - New Years Eve day. The family gathered at the church and visited with Tom one last time before the service.  That was a hard one.  To think we could never see his smiling face again.  He had a great smile.  The service was filled with love.  HIs sister doing a reading from Tom's personal bible. His three children spoke with a maturity and emotion that made us smile and cry, they loved him so.  And his wife, she held us all to her in her sorrow but helped us to accept and understand with a love that only she could have for him.  

Chapter 4 - Two days after the service we held a family only service at Tom's graveside.   The minister said about this being a hard chapter today.  My reply was that yes with each one harder than the last. The funeral director jokingly said that Tom must have been playing a final joke on us. The weather. It could not have been a colder, snowier, windier day in January. Thank you Tom for the weather that created yet another humorous story. My van almost could not make it to the gravesite.  We had six guys pushing it to finally make it up a small slippery grade. Two of them sliding out of sight in the process.  Tom would have appreciated that one with a witty comment.  But we prevailed. The service was very nice. The minister ended by giving Tom's wife, his dad and I each a white rose with some wonderfully comforting personal words to each of us. Tom's sister's husband gave a very heartfelt moving eulogy saying that he would remember Tom like an oak tree and the acorns his legacy and the squirrels his humor.  

As we left Tom, we each laid a white rose next to his beautiful blue urn which will be buried on the slope of a gentle hill looking out over a beautiful view of rolling farmland.  He will like that.

Yes... Loss and Peace.

We love you Tom and will miss you.

Please give credit and post a link to my blog if you intend to use any of the information written here. My blog posts are © Ann M Sinton 2025. All rights reserved

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Hope

 

September 23, 2024

Caregiving is not for the faint of heart. But sometimes it is thrust on you and you just have to do what you have to do. But we also do it for love of the person you are taking care of. It's been 8 1/2 years since my husband needed to retire on disability. Each year finding him losing more and more of himself and his abilities. I found that I could do things that I never thought I would have to do. It does take a toll on both of us. Some days I fail and others I hope have better results. Just when you think you've got a handle on it, something new comes up and changes the routine. This year, my caregiving duties expanded a little. Our son was dealing with cancer that just didn't seem to want to let go of him. It has spread several times, but he has always fought it. I was able to help him out by driving him to appointments mostly. I feel like our time together has brought us a little closer than we had been. I am grateful for that. Now, more recently, another close family member has also been diagnosed with a cancer. When will this stop? I can't take this anymore! Why?! All questions I have been asking myself. There are no answers, of course. But I do try to keep my positive attitude. I credit it with my being able to deal with all of this that life has given us, yes, good and bad things both.

I turned another corner this week. After not being able to cry for anything, happy or sad, the last few years, I have cried two days in a row now. Yesterday, I noticed that our niece's church where she is the pastor, offered to add people's names to have prayers said for them. It came at the right time as our family has recently had a third case of cancer hit us. I gave the three names and watched the service streamed on YouTube. As our niece said their names and she also added to pray for those who care for these persons, I finally had a cry. It just got to me. Cancer needs to leave us alone. But I thanked her later and told her how much it meant and that her sermon also applied to me this week.

Today, I had a routine maintenance checkup on our furnace. The technician had gotten lost coming because of an address mixup and when he called I made sure he had the correct address and I told him that we have a wheelchair ramp in front of our house. He was a new guy that hadn't been here before and was very nice. As he was leaving, he, a complete stranger, told me that I was doing a very good thing and repeated it again to me. Somehow I knew exactly what he meant and thanked him and promptly began to cry again. Someone out of the blue noticed and cared.

I feel better now than I have in the last few months. I know that all I needed was to cry. It has always cleared my mind and made me feel again.

Such a simple thing that I know doesn't solve any of my problems, but it somehow makes, me anyway, able to go back and deal with all of the things that need to be done.

Please give credit and post a link to my blog if you intend to use any of the information written here. My blog posts are © Ann M Sinton 2024. All rights reserved.

Week 38- Symbols

 My story is short and I wish I had some photos to go along. My dad was a Math teacher and he created small handmade geometric models for his Geometry classes. He would use ping pong balls and cut index cards to piece together the shapes. He first taught in Jr high, then moved on to High school, and eventually settled into a professorship with Penn State at their branch campus Schuylkill. He also tutored local kids. The models he made were always around and eventually kept in one of his bureau drawers, obviously special to him.

Please give credit and post a link to my blog if you intend to use any of the information written here. My blog posts are © Ann M Sinton 2024. All rights reserved.

50 years ago today

 50 years ago today, August 26, 1974,  marks the anniversary of Tom Sinton Sr's enlistment in the United States Air Force and a lifetime of service in the aviation industry.  He enlisted at age 19 at the Pottsville, PA recruiting office. This would have been just at the beginning of the end of the Vietnam War and because of his enlistment date, he is considered to be a Vietnam Era veteran.  His test to see what job in the Air Force he would be best suited for pointed him toward Avionics Maintenance.  He left for Lackland AFB in Texas from the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Airport.  I remember driving to the airport with him and our toddler daughter in our 1969 Chevy Camaro.  Our daughter and I watched his plane depart, yes "into the wild blue yonder"  from the observation deck that many airports in those days still offered.  

Once at Lackland, Tom was assigned to Squadron 3711, Flight 962 for 6 weeks of Basic Training in the hot August Texas sun.  In October of 1974, Tom found himself assigned to 3370 Student Squadron at Chanute AFB in Rantoul, Illinois for his school courses to become an Avionics Instrument Systems Specialist. 

1975

Avionics wiring!!

 Once he finished these courses, his first, and as it turned out his only, assignment was to the 375 CAMS (MAC) at Scott AFB near Belleville, Illinois.  Here, he continued his on the job training in his specialty, working on various aircraft types but mainly the McDonnell Douglas C9A aircraft stationed at Scott AFB as an aeromedical squadron.  He excelled and was recognized for his expertise.  Tom completed his 4 year tour of duty and separated from the Air Force in 1978 but reenlisted in the US Air Force Active Reserve unit based at Scott, the 932CAMS as an Air Reserve Technician.  He continued the same job as he held in the the regular Air Force but as a civilian reservist.  

Scott AFB

1980's Scott AFB

In early 1981, Tom separated from the Air Force Reserves as a TSgt to start a civilian job with the US Army across the Mississippi River in St Louis, Missouri as an Aircraft Equipment Specialist.  This would be a short lived job because Tom was offered an opportunity to become a Field Service Rep with the Douglas Aircraft Co division of McDonnell Douglas Corp.  So in July of 1981,  Tom was on his way to Norfolk, Virginia to begin this new adventure as Field Rep to the US Navy VR-56 squadron that was composed of  3 Douglas C9B aircraft.  At age 26, Tom was one of the youngest field reps in the company.  A compliment to his reputation and expertise.  As a civilian, the one thing he lacked was his A & P  and FCC licenses that were not needed during his military service.  Tom completed classes and passed all testing, even repairing the fabric wing on a vintage aircraft,  and was now in possession of his licenses.  During his early time at Norfolk, Tom also completed his college education and received his Bachelor's degree in Professional Aeronautics from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University's local branch.  About 4  years into this job, the squadron was tasked with converting one of it's aircraft into a VIP transport.  Tom was an integral part in this conversion.  Fondly dubbed "ET" for executive transport, aircraft tail number JU 9119, became the official transport for the Secretary of the Navy and other high ranking Naval personnel. "Join the Navy, see the world"  does not apply only to naval personnel.  In his capacity as Field Service Rep, Tom was assigned to be a part of the flight crew on all overseas trips and was for Navy billeting purposes seen as the equivalent of a Lt Commander.  Tom took many trips in the following 3 years all over the world  and served two SecNavs, John Lehman and James Webb.  

"ET"

As with all government contracts, this one was coming to an end.  In order to provide more stability for his family, Tom elected to look for a job that would not have him moving all over the country.  He found this in a Maintenance Foreman position with, the then, USAir in Pittsburgh, PA in 1988.  In his 27 years with the airline, Tom saw several mergers, a strike by mechanics that put him back on the flightline for s time, a new airport built and a change in his work location from an office in a hangar to a state of the art Operations Center.  He gained experience on some new aircraft types, such as the Boeing 737. When he retired  in 2015, his retirement card read American Airlines.  

One of many training courses

Flightline at Pittsburgh International

Aviation has given Tom a chance to do something that he ended up loving.  Something not afforded to everyone.  Something to be proud of and remembered for by many. 

So Happy 50th Tom and thank you for all of your service and keeping people safe.

Please give credit and post a link to my blog if you intend to use any of the information written here. My blog posts are © Ann M Sinton 2024. All rights reserved.

Thomas

I found a family signature recently, so I thought he would make an interesting story.

Thomas.... quite the popular name in the Sinton family.  Our family tree has 24 distinct Thomas' so far.  The signature that I found is one of them.  

Thomas Sinton was born in February of 1826 at Tamnaghmore House in Tandragee, County Armagh, Northern Ireland.  Tamnaghmore House had been the home of Sintons for several hundred years.  He was the son of David Sinton & Sarah Green.  They were a Quaker family, as were most  early Irish Sintons.  Thomas was educated at the Friend's School in Lisburn, Northern Ireland, a boarding school.  In 1859, he married Elizabeth Buckby of Tandragee.  They had eight children, all born at Laurelvale House, also the name David gave to the large linen mill that he bought in 1870. 

Thomas served as a local magistrate in addition to running his linen mills owned by his Thomas Sinton & Co.. He built a village around the mill and named it Laurelvale,  meant to house his linen mill workers.  By the 1880's, the mill employed 700 people producing a very high grade linen.  His other mills were located at Tandragee and Killyleigh.  After Thomas passed away on Aug 20, 1887, his descendants continued to run the family linen mills.  Thomas's will valued his property and effects at £112,716 11s. 4d. the equivalent of nearly  £7,000,000 in 2009.  His widow, Lizzie, dedicated a large stained glass window in the Mullavilly Parish Church in Tadragee to her husband's memory.  He is buried at the cemetery at the Friend's Meeting House in Moyallan. The Laurelvale mill closed in 1944 when it was taken over by the Ministry of  Defence to manufacture ball bearings for tank turrets.  

In the 1970's the mill was destroyed by fire.  The area of the mill and Laurelvale House itself were leveled for a housing development.  The Sinton family did continue to operate the Tandragee Mill until 1996.  Plans fell thru to make the property into a tourist and retail location and the Mill building was listed for sale in 2003 by Thomas's great grandson(another Thomas). 

Linen mill owner, Thomas Sinton is your 3rd cousin 5 times removed.  An interesting connection is that Thomas's brother John (also a linen mill owner) had a son David. The family came to Pittsburgh when David was age 3 in 1811.  David settled in Cincinnati and became a millionaire from selling pig iron during the Civil War.  His daughter Annie married and became the sister in law of Pres. Howard Taft. Sinton money helped finance Taft's campaign.  (Remember the small photo of a woman that your dad had hanging on the chimney in the dining room?  That's Annie).  There is also a Sinton Ave in Pittsburgh. It is only 1 block long. I wonder if it was named for John or David? 

I could add more but with 29 David Sintons in the tree, they are a story for another day. Along with the Williams and Johns and Sarahs and Marys......

The signature found on ebay for sale and a description below

Tamnaghmore House - found on Facebook page "Ulster-Scots Community Network"

The linen mill at Laurelvale

Sinton windows in Mullavilly Church

Found at https://www.sinton-family-trees.com/headstones/all-names.php?id=1&letter=L

Web site created by Bob Sinton of Portadown, a genealogy contact many years ago. 

There is also a church website with more on the windows and the church's history here:

https://mullavilly.armagh.anglican.org/page-9/page11.html

Elizabeth's death notice

Thomas Sinton also has a Wikipedia article with links to other  articles of interest. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Sinton

I have a pdf file of an article written in 1994 with much more about the Sinton mills and some great photos as well, found here:

"Before I Forget...": Journal of the Poyntzpass and District Local History Society

No. 7 (May, 1994), pp. 25-33 (9 pages)

Published By: Poyntzpass and District Local History Society

https://www.jstor.org/stable/25512104

Please give credit and post a link to my blog if you intend to use any of the information written here. My blog posts are © Ann M Sinton 2024. All rights reserved.

In Memory of D-Day - 80 years

I wrote this up for family recently in honor of the 80th anniversary of D-Day, June 6, 1944.

Pvt. James William Heacock. He is my Dad's 1st cousin.

James was born on Jan 6, 1925 in Everett, PA to Lawrence(Floyd's brother) & Mary Heacock. He was the youngest of three children. By the time James was 5 the family had moved to Mercer Co, PA where his father was a Horticulturist and growing trees. In 1940, James was 14 and the family lived in Pymatuning, Mercer Co and his father was then working for the WPA as a record keeper in the road building industry.

James turned 18 in 1943, beginning an event filled year. He filled out his Draft Registration card that showed an address in Greenville, Mercer Co. His description on the card said that he was 5’11” 180 lbs with brown hair and eyes. Before enlisting on March 29, 1943, James was employed at the Greenville Steel Car Company. James would enlist in the Army at New Cumberland, PA. His enlistment term was for the duration of the war plus 6 months. His education level was listed as Grammar school, but James did attend Penn High School. By Oct of 1943, James is shown in a marriage record from the state of Tennessee. Pvt. James Heacock married Ethel Elkins of Dickson Co, TN. She was 16. Ethel would live with James’ parents in Greenville after her marriage to James.

After training at Fort Campbell, KY and Ft Benning, GA he was sent overseas in January of 1944, first to Ireland then England, as a paratrooper with the 101st Airborne Division Screaming Eagles, 502nd Parachute Infantry Regiment. His unit was HQ3. While in England, he was able to meet up with his brother Foster, a SSgt in the Army Air Corps whom he had not seen in two years. Just 6 months after arriving in Europe, James would be wounded on D-Day, June 6, 1944. According to a history of the 502nd, they were in the first wave to depart for Normandy headed to Drop Zone A near Utah Beach just after midnight on June 6. James would not survive and died a week later, June13 according to a family letter, in an Allied Hospital in France. Some new information says that James was awarded the Purple Heart Posthumously on June 10, 1944. So the death date is still in question. Unfortunately, the family was not able to conduct a funeral for James until 5 years later, when he was buried in the Delaware Cemetery in Fredonia, Mercer Co, PA. Thank you James for your sacrifice.

Please give credit and post a link to my blog if you intend to use any of the information written here. My blog posts are © Ann M Sinton 2024. All rights reserved.

Same Name? Not Quite

 Recently, I had an interesting message from my cousin Lora. While she and her family were on vacation in Niagara Falls, they  ran across a plaque with the name Burrel Heacock on it and wondered if he was a relative. The story on the plaque sounded familiar so I checked our tree and he was there. Only his name was spelled Hecock in our tree. It was definately the same person as I also had the story attached to him that the plaque told. In looking at his ancestors, his Hecock went back several generations and also went thru some spelling changes ( Hickox and Hitchcock). So no relationship thru our Heacocks. BUT, he is related to us thru three other families, the Austins, the Allens and the Palmers as well as a connection thru a Hatch family of my son in law). All of this makes Burrel Hecock a 9th cousin to us. Now, I'm sure you are wondering about this plaque. 

photo by cousin Lora

The plaque reads:

Ice Bridge Tragedy

On February 4, 1912, the ice bridge across the Niagara River, with dozens of tourists on it, broke loose below the American Falls. Three people were unable to get to shore, a honeymoon couple, Mr and Mrs Eldridge Stanton of Toronto and Burrel Heacock of Cleveland, Ohio. The Stantons are shown in this sketch as the ice floe they were on entered the whirlpool rapids, just before the floe broke up, tossing them into the water, where they drowned.

2nd plaque

But what happened to Burrel? I found a second plaque dedicated to him, it reads:

To the Memory of Burrell Hecock of Cleveland Ohio

Aged 17 years who lost his life in an heroic attempt to rescue Mr and Mrs Eldridge Stanton of Toronto Ontario

when the ice bridge in the gorge immediately below was swept down the Niagara River and into the whirlpool rapids

February 4th 1912.

Burrell was an only child, son of Harry and Annabell Hecock of Lorain, Ohio (near Cleveland). We can only assume that Burrell was visiting for the day to see the frozen falls and the ice bridge. I can't imagine that I would venture out on that! Burrell's Hecocks came from an old Connecticut family who originally did come from England as our Heacocks did.

Burrell Hecock

I found this account of the event at: https://milhomme.blogspot.com/.../till-death-do-us-part...

On February 4th 1912 - by noon on Sunday, approximately 35 persons were standing on the ice bridge which had formed covering the Niagara River below the Falls each winter. This ice bridge was huge, thick and solid, allowing people to cross the entire width of the Niagara River from Canada to the USA on the surface of the ice rather than using the International Bridges located downstream. Two such persons on this ice bridge were Eldridge Stanton, age 32 and his wife Clara Stanton, age 28, both of Toronto, Ontario. The Stanton's had been married for six years and had come to Niagara Falls twice each year; once in summer and once in winter since being married. They had arrived in Niagara Falls on Friday for a winter weekend visit. They strolled hand in hand as they crossed the ice field. Also on the ice bridge were Ignatius Roth age 17 and Burrell Hecock, age 17, both of Cleveland, Ohio. William "Red" Hill was opening the little refreshment stand he built every year as soon as the ice was thick enough. With him were Monroe Gilbert and William Lablond. Hecock and Roth were throwing snowballs and playing leapfrog.

Hill suddenly felt a small tremor under his feet. At the same time came a loud groaning sound from the base of the Falls which could be heard over the roar of the distant Falls. Immediately Hill recognized the danger and began running towards the Canadian shore as he shouted for the others to follow him. Lablond, Gilbert and the boys followed Hill. Mr. and Mrs. Stanton turned back towards the American shore. The ice bridge began heaving up and down as the grinding noises became louder. The ice had began breaking apart. As the Stanton's ran towards the shore, they suddenly stopped a stones-throw width away as the ice separated from the shore and water appeared where the ice once was. As the gap began to widen, the Stanton's were frozen in place by shock for a second before turning and racing for the Canadian shore. As they ran, Clara Stanton began to slow and stumbled to the ice from exhaustion within 50 feet of the Canadian shoreline. Eldridge Stanton tried unsuccessfully to lift his wife. The ice field on which they were standing began to move. Stanton grabbed his wife and tried dragging her as he shouted for help from the men ahead. Lablond was in waist deep icy water and with the assistance of Hill they pulled Roth to shore and shouted for Hecock to jump to safety. Hecock heard the cries for help from Stanton and turned around. Hecock rushed toward the Stanton's in a desperate attempt to save them. Hecock reached the Stanton's and helped Eldridge lift his wife to her feet. Together they tried to get Clara to shore but the gap between the ice and shore was quickly widening. The three were now stranded as the ice bridge flowed ever quickly downstream. The ice sheet was swinging wildly. On this ice sheet, the Stanton's and Hecock paced back and forth. Hecock and Eldridge were seen talking while Clara stood holding her husband's hand. As they passed beneath the first of three bridges spanning the Niagara Gorge, the ice sheet seemed to edge towards the American shore. Directly downstream, a hydro-electric station was discharging water into the river. The pressure from this discharge crumbled the nearest edge of the ice forcing the three to the opposite side. The giant ice sheet broke into two pieces. One half drifted towards the American shore while the other half on which Hecock and the Stanton's stood remained in mid-stream. The first half grounded out against the American shoreline. On each of the two lower bridges located three hundred yards apart, firemen, policemen and railway workers had stationed themselves in order to lower ropes to those stranded as the passed underneath. Stanton was seen to place his arm around the waist of his wife. About a quarter mile above the rapids, the ice sheet broke in half again, this time separating the Stanton's from Hecock.

Hecock waved and shouted something. Stanton returned the salute. Clara crouched down beside her husband. The river current was becoming faster as it neared the rapids. Hecock's ice sheet remained in mid-stream. Hecock took off his coat in preparation of attempting to grab one of the dangling ropes. As he passed beneath the bridge, Hecock grabbed one of the ropes and swung free of the ice flow he was riding on. Hecock was plunged waist deep into the water as his rescuers attempted to lift him. As he was hoisted 60 feet above the water Hecock lost his grip of the rope and fell into the raging river below. Entering the rapids, Hecock was never seen again. The Stanton's had watched Hecock's valiant attempts. As the flow swirled under the cantilever bridge, Stanton quickly grabbed the nearest rope and looped it around his wife's waist. As the flow continued and the rope became taunt, it broke. Stanton grabbed another rope as they passed underneath the Lower Bridge. He quickly tied the rope again around his wife's waist but changed his mind and untied the rope, knowing it would be futile. Stanton took his wife in his arms, kissed her and let her down. They both knelt together with his arms around her. The flow remained intact until it reached the giant wave in the rapids and spilled over throwing both into the raging water to their deaths.

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Please give credit and post a link to my blog if you intend to use any of the information written here. My blog posts are © Ann M Sinton 2024. All rights reserved.