A TRIBUTE TO RUSSELL, THE PRAYING RAILROAD
MAN
Written by Luz Leigh – 10 July 2007
A few
years ago my husband’s family gathered in a
rural area of East Texas for a family
reunion. This became a family
tradition. Different families conduct family
reunions in different manners. Some families
rent a big hall or church fellowship
building, complete with air conditioning and
kitchen facilities. Restrooms are readily
available. Well, not this family. We meet at
one of the relatives’ home out in the
country on land that has been in the family
for generations. Huge shade trees provide
shelter from the sun and porta-potties are
there as restroom facilities.
The picnic
tables are covered with casseroles, big pots
of fresh grown peas or beans, and homemade
yeast rolls. Then there are the homemade
pies and cakes. The meat is prepared by the
male relatives who get together on Friday
night preceding the gathering on
Saturday. They fire up a huge BBQ pit and
proceed to cook briskets, chicken, and
sausage.
On the
appointed Saturday morning cars, vans and
trucks began to stir the dust on the country
road as we arrive. Some travel several
hundred miles; others just drive across the
pasture. Kids ride their bikes, racing to
see if they can get to the reunion site
before their parents do. There will be a few
of the older generation who come smiling at
all who greet them. Each of the older ones
is thinking in their hearts, “This may be my
last reunion here on earth.”
Those of
us in the “middle” generation have fond
memories of the gatherings in the past. The
youngsters are wondering, “Why am I
here?” The answer to that is simple: you are
there because this is a part of your
heritage. You will learn to love and
appreciate the family gatherings.
When all
the foods have been laid out on the long
tables under the trees, or inside the huge
metal building that is used in inclement
weather, the family gathers to give thanks
for the food, and also for the family and
fellowship we will enjoy. One year many of
the group were talking and did not hear the
host when he said we were going to have the
blessing. Not to worry. Cousin Edith (who
was in her 50s at the time) climbed up on
one of the tables where we would sit to eat
our meal, put her fingers in her mouth, and
did that shrill whistle that will almost
wake the dead. When she had our attention,
she said, “Everybody be quiet. Russell’s
gonna pray.” And Russell prayed.
At family
reunions was not the only time Russell
prayed. You could tell by the way he spoke
to the Lord; asking the Lord to bless the
food as nourishment to our bodies and our
bodies to His service. I missed a couple of
the reunions because of health reasons and I
regret it now. You see, Russell, won’t be
saying grace, asking the blessing or
whatever term you want to use, at the
reunions any more. Russell caught the angel
train Sunday morning and rode into heaven on
the train that God sent for him.
For many
years on earth Russell had been employed by
the railroad company that services our area
of the state. He was well known among his
peers and well respected.
When his
health failed, he and his wife, Edith,
enjoyed a few years in retirement on their
country place. But Russell will never be
truly gone for he left behind a portion of
himself in his children and grandchildren
who will forever love and remember him.
If I ever
get to attend another family reunion, it
just won’t be the same without Edith yelling
out, “Russell’s gonna pray”. But I would
like to think that on the day of the reunion
Russell will be sitting in the engineer’s
seat, blowing the whistle, telling the
angels, “Those East Texas rednecks are about
to pray. Listen up. “
