Retirement Day

In August of 1977 James dad, Ray, was afield superintendent for Alice Sidney Oil Company, located out of Eldorado, Arkansas. We were living in Pittsburg, Texas, where James worked on a dairy. The Oil company needed a pumper in the Minden, Louisiana field and a family man. Not normally hiring family, Ray set up a meeting with the company's owner, Dr. Yocum, who hired James. Not knowing what our future would be like, we loaded up a U-Haul truck and left Texas to start a new life.I can still remember following behind the uhaul with our 2 year old daughter, coming into Louisiana , and overwhelmed by all the pine trees. I’d been down that same road many times , traveling as a child with my parents , but never really payed attention to so many trees. It was a feeling of unknown, just like the one I was feeling of our new life. Times weren’t easy at first. Finding a place to live because the two company houses in Webster parish were occupied by two other Alice Sidney employees. One of them thou, owned a home in Minden and we were soon renting from them. We settled into our life. In September 1978, James was diagnosed with Burgers disease and only given a lifespans of up to seven years to live. Our new life was turned upside down with many doctor appointments and surgery to amputate two fingers. Dr. Yocum, James boss, and his colleague , Dr. Mendez were James doctors.  He was soon back to work  and using that right hand as well as anyone. In May 1979, our second child was born. James would have gone through two more surgery’s and still working for the company. Things got better, we moved into the Minden field company house in 1981 when Bob Johnson retired. Throughout the next years , James beat all odds with Burgers, went into remission and our life fell into place. I worked in the medical field and finished nursing school, but never went and took my boards.   Yea, I know that was dumb but God had other things planned. During those years, James Dad retired from Alice Sidney with 20 years and passed away shortly after.  That was in August of 1989. Tim Ingram became field superintendent after that. 

 In 1995, our oldest married and finished beauty school. 1998, our youngest would leave collage and get married . 

Empty nest set in our comfortable life and it was just James and I again. James was still working with Alice Sidney and I was still working at the hospital. Dr. Yocum also passed away  in 2012 and John Yocum in 2013. Alice Sidney oil company was now run by his son, David. Three more of his colleges would leave. Wilber Childers passed away, Conrad Reeves was with a new job, and Jimmy White passed away. 

That left only James in the Louisiana fields. I was working in the bank industry at that time. The Dubberly company house was no more and the Minden field was sold. We were given the opportunity to buy the company house we lived in all these years and where we raised both our girls . After we purchased it and five areas. James, being the only employee for the company was now operating the Dubberly, la field.  Thirty gas wells. 

Years have past on. Remolding our home completely and turning the oil office next door into a guest bunk house. James has his roping arena in the back pasture and we have three grandkids that keep us busy. James has worked when he was sick or hurting.  Didn’t matter if it was snowing, icy roads , tornado weather, or extreme heat. Always had to work if   Holidays, birthdays, or funerals fell on a weekday. He never complains much about anything. Yes, we’ve had to call  David, who the company uses to check wells for the weekends. He’s stepped in a few times when we had to leave town or was on vacation. 

I think James dad would be very proud of how his son has given everything into this company. He never gave up even when things broke down. He knew what to do, who to call to fix things, and when to do it.  

I’ve been home now for over ten years and know that it takes a learning process of being home . You kind of go through stages . First busy, then lazy, then depressed , then busy and a routine of life. James will go through all those same stages but he will survive and love it. We are so thankful for our life here in Minden , our family , and to James dad for believing in him so many years ago.  God has been good to us and we wouldn’t change a thing .

Today, Tuesday , March 31 ,2020 marks the beginning of our new chapter in life together.  James retired  with 43 years working for Alice Sidney Oil company.