My favorite memory of Edna Mae occurred when Daddy was taping Ted’s World War II experiences for some historical archives in Washington, D.C.  I was Daddy’s ‘go-fer’ and a neighbor of Ted’s was conducting the interview asking the questions which had been predetermined by the historical folks.  The questions were designed to trigger memories and allowed for the inclusion of personal anecdotes. 

As everyone knows, Ted is a great story teller and we became fascinated by some of the tales.  I believe he was recounting the story of Daisy (the chicken or duck – I can never remember which – that laid an egg on a bomber plane while it was in flight).  In the midst of the story Ted paused.  Wistfully he said, “You know I wrote all these things down in letters I sent to my sweetheart back home.  I sure wish I had those now.”  Edna Mae smiled and quietly slipped out of the room.  In a couple of minutes she returned with a pile of letters tied together with a ribbon.  She said, “Ted, here are those letters.  I kept every one of them.”

We all got teary eyed watching Ted’s reaction to the gift Edna Mae presented to him.  He had never known she had saved and treasured every word of those letters he had written so long ago. 

Edna Mae was his one true love, his bride, the mother of his children, his constant companion, and most important, his soul mate.

Diann Broughton Hoops