During the depression, her father and mother moved to Athens, her mother's home town, where she started school and graduated in 1941. In September 1942, Mary Lee enrolled in what was then the College of Marshall, now East Texas Baptist University, and there she met William (Billy) R. Barnes, Jr., son of Mr. and Mrs. Roy Barnes of Marshall. He was waiting to be called to the Air Force Cadet pilot training program. (Billy was already a pilot, having learned at CPT school held in Marshall in which many of his friends participated.) He was called in June of 1942 and went first to San Antonio for AAC basic training. It was while she was there on a visit to see him, in August of that year, that Billy gave her an engagement ring.
They were married on the 5th of Sept 1942 in East St. Louis, Illinois, where he had been sent for further training. In February of 1943, Billy graduated as 2nd Lt. and was sent to Brownsville, Texas, for specific training for service with the Air Transport Command. Overseas in June of 1943, he served 16 months flying the "Hump" in the China-Burma-India theater, for which service he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. A son was born on Dec.22, 1943; Billy did not see him until October 1944. Mary Lee waited in Athens until his return. They were then stationed at Love Field in Dallas, then Kansas and in 1947 he went to Robins Field in Warner Robins, Georgia. While overseas, he had been promoted to Captain. Also in 1947, another child, Deborah Lee, was born. Unfortunately, in 1949, Billy was killed in the crash of a domestic military flight shortly before the birth of their third child, Billye Louise.
During the depression, her father and mother moved to Athens, her mother's home town, where she started school and graduated in 1941. In September 1942, Mary Lee enrolled in what was then the College of Marshall, now East Texas Baptist University, and there she met William (Billy) R. Barnes, Jr., son of Mr. and Mrs. Roy Barnes of Marshall. He was waiting to be called to the Air Force Cadet pilot training program. (Billy was already a pilot, having learned at CPT school held in Marshall in which many of his friends participated.) He was called in June of 1942 and went first to San Antonio for AAC basic training. It was while she was there on a visit to see him, in August of that year, that Billy gave her an engagement ring.
They were married on the 5th of Sept 1942 in East St. Louis, Illinois, where he had been sent for further training. In February of 1943, Billy graduated as 2nd Lt. and was sent to Brownsville, Texas, for specific training for service with the Air Transport Command. Overseas in June of 1943, he served 16 months flying the "Hump" in the China-Burma-India theater, for which service he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. A son was born on Dec.22, 1943; Billy did not see him until October 1944. Mary Lee waited in Athens until his return. They were then stationed at Love Field in Dallas, then Kansas and in 1947 he went to Robins Field in Warner Robins, Georgia. While overseas, he had been promoted to Captain. Also in 1947, another child, Deborah Lee, was born. Unfortunately, in 1949, Billy was killed in the crash of a domestic military flight shortly before the birth of their third child, Billye Louise.
Inscription
Note: This is not a marker inscription, but Mary Lee always included the following verse in her genealogical work and it's safe to say she'd approve its being here:
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
On Being An Ancestress
(To My Great, Great Grandchildren)
I shall not care for it, I'm sure,
Of being dead you know, my dears,
And hanging primly on the wall
Just looking on for years
No, I'm sure I shall not like
To be imprisoned there in paint
I, who loved being up-to date.
Shall never like just being quaint!
Of course, I'll do the proper thing
And I'll hang serene in my place
Beside your great-great-Grandpa,
A wifely smile upon my face!
And you will all look up to me,
and believe no doubt, I was a saint,
And all my faults, of course, will be
All blotted out by time and paint.
No doubt your honored parents, dears
Will point my portrait out and say:
"Your great-great Granny would be shocked
Things were so different in her day"
And I'll not say a word, nor smile;
I'll look demure, show no surprise;
But dears, if you seek sympathy,
I think you 'll find it in my eyes!
And if you stand and look at me,
And wistful, wonder if I knew
The pain, the passioned stress
Of Life, as they are felt by you.
Come closer, dears, and never tell,
To you a secret I'll entrust,
Your flaming hearts have caught their fire
From your Great-Great Grandmother's dust.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
