Another "Happy Birthday." This time to Hazel Perkins who was honored with a reception Sunday afternoon at the Lipan Community Center.

This lady is now 90 years of age. She was born on Oct. 23, 1906 at Thorp Spring.

When Hazel was three years old her mother died. Following her death the children and their daddy moved to Granbury where they lived with their maternal grandparents, A. J. and Martha Wright.

The Wright residence was what is presently referred to as the Wright- Henderson-Duncan House. This is in honor of three former Hood County sheriffs. A. J. Wright was the first sheriff elected in Hood County. He is also the one who built the house. It is sometimes referred to as the Rock House and is a historical site in Granbury.

It is presently owned and occupied by a descendant of one of the other sheriffs, but was an enjoyable place of abode when Hazel and her family lived there.

Hazel's daddy owned a combined meat market and café in Granbury. He was famous for his homemade chili, which was within itself a "booming business."

One of her brothers owned a grocery store in Granbury at one time.

Hazel's school days were spent in Granbury. She graduated from high school May 25, 1926. Two days later on May 27, she married Charles Perkins. They made their home in Granbury while her husband was employed at the post office. Later, he worked for an oil company near Shreveport where the family resided for 20 years until it was time for retirement in 1968. It was at that time that Charles and Hazel moved to Lipan.

They had raised two daughters and a niece who was and still is considered a part of the family - counted as daughter number 3. Her mother died when she was born pre-mature. It was when she was well enough to be dismissed from the hospital that Charles and Hazel became her parents. At that time their two daughters were still "little girls." It was necessary for Betty, being the oldest, to lend a helping hand so she began to share her bed and room with little sister Jane since the baby bed was needed for Joan, the newest family member.

Now - why the decision by the Perkinses to build a home and retire here [in Lipan]? Time and circumstances can and sometime do change a person's ideas about things. When Hazel was a child and growing up in Granbury, her family sometimes visited relatives in Lipan. A horse and buggy were their means of travel over a road that was not always the best. It was a time-consuming voyage and not much to see here compared to Granbury. So needless to say, Hazel was not overly impressed with Lipan.

By retirement time, their daughter Betty had graduated from college and her first teaching position was in the school here for the 1951 - 1952 school year. This was an opportunity to get some teaching experience and move on to other locations, but something happened that changed her thoughts regarding that. She met Vaughn Addison, a local young man, and they were married. That has contributed to about 46 years of teaching in the school here. Their daughter Anne Stobaugh and her family live here. Their son is John Addison who resides near Baird with his family.

Another Perkins daughter, Jane Smith, also resides here. She is the mother of two sons - one of whom teaches in the Lipan school. Joan and her husband Nathan live in Bruner, Missouri. They were here for the birthday reception.

There are three grandsons and three great-grandsons of Charles and Hazel.

I know from personal experience that siblings and grandchildren are a drawing card for families to be nearby when possible. Those in the Perkins family are definitely an asset to this community.