Tradition on Thanksgiving

Our Thanksgiving celebrations have been our own brand of traditional since we moved to Tennessee. For the last several years, it's been pretty routine. And it's a mix of Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Thanksgiving is the day I break out the Christmas dishes. I always say we are going to use them until New Year's day. That doesn't usually happen. With just the four of us (hubby, older daughter & younger daughter) usually after the dishwasher runs, the plates get put away.

This year we had turkey, dressing (my mom's recipe) green bean casserole, baked beans, mashed sweet potatoes and crescent rolls. My mom's dressing (or stuffing) was always made in great quantities at our house when I was a kid. Sometimes mine approaches the stuffing my mom made. Other times, it's ok. This year, I added the napkins my mother-in-law gave me. They came from the bar that they owned in the 1950s - Lefty's Sportsman's Bar on Warren and Livernois in Detroit. I suspect my mother-in-law made them. Hubby did a fine job of carving the turkey and with a lot less noise on his part.

Another tradition in our family was usually my dad getting sick around a holiday. Later, hubby's mother gained that dubious honor. This year, our dog required an emergency trip to the vet. We're still not sure what made him sick, since he ate no people food. A full 24 hours later and he is starting to bounce back to his normal self.

Our final tradition is whatever turkey is left over after Black Friday becomes turkey pot pies. One will be shared with our daughters the day I put them together. The other one usually becomes Christmas Eve dinner.

Copyright 2010-2018, ACK for Gene Notes

Thriller Thursday - Repeat Offender

When composing this and the previous Thriller Thursday posts, I did something I never do:  I let a relative see what I was going to post first.  Obviously, this relative okayed it. Then she dropped the news that Sonny's killer was currently in prison for another murder. As a follow-up, here is his "rap sheet." Note that he received 10 years for the March 1983 murder of Sonny McCarty, not 17 years, 210 days. Those were for other crimes - like grand larceny. The paper, The Newport News (VA) Daily Press corrected that in a later edition.

 If that wasn't enough, while on trial for the murder of Police officer Larry Bland in 1994, he felt he shouldn't do any jail time. He is still in prison for this murder and still seeks parole.

Copyright 2010-2018, ACK for Gene Notes

Thriller Thursday - Sonny McCarty

I don't often get a chance to write about recent deaths, i.e. deaths that took place in my lifetime or as in this case, 35 years ago. Sonny McCarty was my mom's first cousin once removed. He is survived by both his sisters and nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews.

Richmond Times Dispatch, March 17, 1983 p 71:

MCCARTY
  Ovid (Sonny) McCarty, Jr., 49, of Ottoman, died March 15, 1983. He is survived by two sisters, Mrs. Virginia Berry of Ottoman, Mrs. Ann Anthony of Lively; three nieces; four nephews; four great nieces; one great-nephew. Remains rest at the Elmore and Haynie Funeral Home, Kilmarnock, until 12:30 P.M. Thursday, then at the Currottoman Baptist Church where services will be held 2 P.M. with interment in St. Mary's White Chapel Episcopal Church Cemetery.

Richmond Times Dispatch, March 16, 1983, p. 37:

Lancaster, A Lancaster County man who had been free on bond since Feb. 2 pending a hearing on a grand larceny charge was jailed yesterday in connection with the shooting death of the man who posted his bond.

Ovid Roy McCarty, Jr., 49, an employee of the Rappahannock Record, was shot and killed at his home in Ottoman early yesterday, Sheriff John H. Hammell said. Hammell said McCarty apparently died from a wound caused by a bullet fired from a small caliber pistol into the back of his head.

Maurice O'Neal Boyd, 18, of Nuttsville was arrested after McCarty's body was found by deputies. He was charged with murdering McCarty and is being held at the Lancaster jail in lieu of $80,000 cash bond, Hamell said.

A preliminary hearing on a grand larceny charge agains Boyd in connection with an automobile theft in Kilmarnock is scheduled for next Wednesday. Hammell said McCarty posted a $1,500 bond Feb. 2, and authorities released Boyd pending the hearing on that charge.

The sheriff said Boyd was arrested in Pennsylvania on the car theft charge.

Boyd came to the Sheriff's Department at 4 a.m. yesterday and said someone had been hurt in the Ottoman area, Hammell said, but provided no other details. At 7 a.m., Boyd returned and said McCarty was dead. Deputies investigating the report found the body, the sheriff said.

Boyd was charged with the killing. He also has been charged with one count of using a firearm in the commission of a felony.

Richmond Times Dispatch, November 10, 1983, p 78:

Lancaster - Maurice O'Neal Boyd was sentenced to 10 years in prison for involuntary manslaughter yesterday in the shooting death of Ovid R. "Sonny" McCarty March 15.

Boyd was indicted on a charge of 3rd degree murder in April, but a Circuit Court jury found him guilty of involuntary manslaughter and recommended a 10-year sentence, the maximum allowed.

Judge Dixon L. Foster imposed the sentence yesterday.

McCarty, 49, was found shot to death in his home at Ottoman after Boyd turned himself in several hours later and told police he had shot the victim. Boyd testified at his trial that he was "playing a prank" on McCarty by aiming a .22 caliber rifle at the back of his head.

He said he pulled the trigger, thinking the gun was unloaded. McCarty died from the gunshot wound to the back of the head.

During the trial Commonwealth's Attorney Philip P. Purrington argued that McCarty and Boyd had quarreled before the shooting. He contended that Boyd, 18, would have called an ambulance immediately had the shooting been an accident, instead of waiting to contact authorities.



Copyright 2010-2018, ACK for Gene Notes