This is how I remember my great grandparents, Georgia Ellen "Trigg" Hector (1903-1983) and Charley Wilbur Lincecum (1902-1990).

In this second picture, Grandpa Charley is holding me. It's Thanksgiving 1975 in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. I can clearly see I am comfortable and happy in his arms. Little did I know it would less than 10 months more that I would have them all to myself. My brother was born in September 1976. I don't remember much of life before my brother, and it's hard to image Trigg and Charley had a life before me!

The newest edition of Smile for the Camera blog carnival has a topic of "Worked." I could easily have discussed the farm. Charley's father, Francis Marion Lincecum (1857-1931), left his land in Hickory Ridge, Missouri to be divided among his children when he passed on. Charley farmed his portion and eventually bought out his siblings to own and operate all of the land. I can recall seeing a picture of Charley in his farming attire surrounded by farming equipment. If memory serves correctly, it was a newspaper clipping in which he was interviewed about the Great Depression. And family stories suggest Grandma Trigg was a good gardener. I do not have possession of any photos to illustrate these times. But that's not the occupation I want to focus on, anyway.

In about 1950 Charley and Trigg bought a grocery store in Delta, Missouri. I'm not really sure why they decided on this. Maybe they knew, as they began to age, it would be harder and harder to keep up with farm maintenance. I believe another reason for the purchase was it was intended to be Lincecum & Son Grocery. My grandfather, however, had other plans. He entered the U.S. Air Force instead of sticking around Delta. I'm sure Great-Grandpa Charley was a little upset, but there were no hard feelings toward his son. Grandpa B.J. went on the see the world, and he made sure he shared it with his parents.

Above is my favorite image from the days of Lincecum Grocery. Charley and Trigg at the register -- posing, but not quite posing. The date on the back says December 1954 -- a year after my father was born. 

Next is a really cool image taken from inside the store. Trigg is near the register, and Charley is across the aisle.

I wasn't around to watch my great-grandparents in those days of Lincecum Grocery. I have been driven by the old brick store, though, and I believe it was still standing in 2009. I'm thrilled to have the knowledge of this bit of family history, as well as a few photos to "see for myself."

This final image is in a frame on a shelf a little more than a foot above my computer screen. The light blue frame is a simple one. At the top is printed, "A Family is Forever." Lord, I'm glad that's true.

[Above originally written by Stephanie Lincecum in July 2009. All rights reserved.]