Bob Blevins, John Blevins, and Leigh Ann Joyce

00:05 My name is John Blevins. I'm 44 years old today is Saturday March 3rd 2012. We're here in Atlanta, Georgia, and I'm here with my sister and my father.

00:20 My name is Leann Blevins Joyce. I'm 50 today's dates March 3rd in Atlanta with my dad and my brother.

00:29 And I'm Bob Blevins at my age is 80 just turned 80 day. It is March 3rd 19 in 2012. I'm in Atlanta and I'm with my two great kids Leanna John.

00:47 So Dad, we're here to talk to you about your life and to hear you. Tell us about your life. This is one of your presents for your 80th birthday. You can thank me later. And we thought of some various questions for you here. The one that intrigued me is I was looking at questions was your first memories of us when we were babies and what you remember about us when we were born.

01:16 Well, I guess of course Leon reborn first and I remember seeing that I had a black tire and it was so long that they put a ribbon in it, and I thought she was cutest thing and still do

01:33 So and you that was several years later several several and I'm Emily and saying Daddy, I want a little brother and you I'm alone and you just as beautiful as she was and I'm proud of both of you.

01:52 Thank you. So tell us about where you were born and your family that you were born into well. I was born in Forsyth County and 1932 and I was born that the what the cause old Kate Reynolds Hospital.

02:12 And I will live down south side of Winston and we lived our tell where we live in West until we move to Wells County take care of grandparents. And that was I was 10 year old and we moved why not called to the mountain?

02:34 Which was one of the better Moves In Our Lives, I guess cause I Met Your Mother there in high school.

02:43 And I but we went take care of grandmother and Grandpa and that was right during the war.

02:55 We had a poor life. We didn't have very much.

03:01 But it was a good life, We all loved each other so much and

03:09 Things were much different than they are now. We had very little we had no car.

03:17 And I went to the three room Schoolhouse and

03:23 Actually, my dad taught me in the sixth grade and he had a 7th grade education. But Daddy was was well-educated to for 7th grade education, read all the time, and I didn't take after him as far as that goes.

03:44 But the

03:46 We just had a life on the farm and

03:51 Got up milk in the morning fed. The cows fed to Hogs and got ready for school and

03:59 And then at the after the seventh grade, I went to want to call Mountain View High School, and we went to school there until I'm finished in 1950.

04:13 That's where I met your mother. So she should have known better. She didn't have to marry me cuz she knew it away.

04:25 Dad was a minister so

04:29 Has your mother said she members first time. She ever saw me call Dad and I had walked from the mountains down to where he was passed in Oak Ridge, which was I guess by Tanner left my house. So we walk down there first to service and we went to a fence family for

04:56 Spend the night and he said preacher Blevins said they are running Revival down it Bethel and that was another 6 Mi and say would you like to go down there tonight? That's yeah. We'll go.

05:13 So we started walking again.

05:17 Anna

05:20 We had to walk by where your mother lived and she said she looked out the window.

05:27 And sane Dad she knew dad, but she didn't know me.

05:33 But I've always said that she said I'm going to marry that guy.

05:40 But she did really that's what you're telling us. That was just your part of the Smash Mouth but growing up back up in the when I was growing up at Halloween. Y'all want me to tell you this story on Holloway we got into

05:59 Not only miss cheapest up some kind of bad stuff. So is it just you and your brothers or were there other people usually some more in the community we went to this guy's house and he had a wagon sitting that close to his barn. So we took it apart took it up on the barn and put it back together.

06:23 And pretty close to the time we got it back together. He came out with a shotgun and started shooting but course not. Just got hit.

06:35 And then

06:37 I don't know if I've ever told you but at Christmastime really after we moved to the mountain, I never remember but one present I got it Christmas at my Uncle brought me a cap pistol.

06:53 But anyway at the Christmas time we dress up like people at Halloween and are poor. Nobody recognized. You can go Santa Claus. It would come would go to the door knock on the doors and say Santa and a come out and if I didn't recognize you they give me an apple or something. So we got very few apples are candy or anything, but that's mostly my life up until you came along.

07:31 I never heard about Santa Claus and heard Santa Claus. But I do remember a story you told me once about your brothers putting you in a car or pay model Ford and

07:47 I'm two brothers older brother put me in the email Clyde. They put me in the car and knocked the car out of gear and it was kind of on the hill. So it took scotches out from underneath. Of course, it started rolling down the hill and it was rolled into a real high.

08:07 Godly deep garlic and it was crazy that was leaning over The Godly and I don't Way Mall here that creature centered and went up on it slipped back down and I don't remember much about that. But anyway they do and they tell me about it.

08:33 You've mentioned some people in your life out of all of the people you think about in your 80 years of living who would you say off the top of your head is the most important and what would you how would you describe that person?

08:47 Now you're going to make me yo going to make me do right now, but I had too much respect for Dad.

09:01 He live life to the fullest.

09:09 But Dad was somebody that loved everybody.

09:17 But it's been so many people that been in my life.

09:25 YouTube

09:28 Your Mother

09:33 I really had a good life.

09:41 Y'all knew this would happen.

09:49 Are green your grandkids and obviously your great-great grandkids aren't going to know much about your parents. So can you talk to us about your mom and your dad and tell us about those some of things you'd want them to know about him, you know, I never did so you dead mad really mad.

10:09 And his lifetime

10:12 Now mother she did paddling.

10:15 And mother did get after a butt.

10:22 Both are most wonderful people.

10:26 And I like I said I had respect for both.

10:31 And

10:33 Acting winning service. I went in service. 1951 Air Force.

10:40 And I went to

10:44 San Antonio, Texas to Lackland Air Force Base none left there to go to school and how much school for the medic and I went all the way across town of San Antonio to Fort Sam Houston going to stay there till I got out of school and they sent me to Amarillo, Texas.

11:05 In believe it or not and stay there till I got out service which was

11:11 4 years 1 month and two days I don't care but who's counting by twos County? But I know my brother it mail. He was right home and said, where's Bobby? He said? It's always the same thing. He's in Amarillo, Texas for Sailors in the Korean at that time, but

11:41 Man, your mother got married the last year that I was in Amarillo and Woodley Ave. Off base had a little three-room house little brick house with a brick fence around it.

11:56 And I really want my parents for marriage as far as money-wise, I hadn't saved up any in.

12:08 She had more money than I did, but we got by but the math 2 week for my first paycheck. It was tough on this gold way to run out of money and I had men to the

12:25 Bass and bought groceries and I bought 5 lb of potatoes in 5 lb of pinto beans. So the last 2 weeks for payday. We lived on pinto beans every male really know she got a call and they said you have a call from school board. So she went went to the phone and they asked her if she had to file for an application teach and a hamster.

13:05 Would she still want to date? She said of course, so she got the job teaching in Amarillo for that year and we play a pound hog after but then we came home.

13:30 And Leanne came along a few years later and

13:37 Wouldn't have known Jordan Drive and

13:43 Leanne

13:47 Was just a blessing to us here now jumped up and Dad.

13:54 When the commercials come on on TV, she be playing the commercial come on and she quit whatever she doing and start jumping up and down and then John came along with by that time we moved into another house.

14:11 And Houma diver Road and John was a blessing and I do love both of you.

14:22 Love you, too.

14:26 One of the things I think about when I think about you dad is

14:32 When I think of granddaddy I think of his on

14:36 Just kind of gentleness a spirit but also his laughter and I think both of those with you.

14:43 So when I am doing that I think about with my own kids.

14:51 Trying to demonstrate that too. So I wonder if you might have any advice for me as a parent or for Leanna's a parent for what we shouldn't steal and tell our children are important.

15:07 As we raise them.

15:10 Well, thank both of you doing a great job.

15:14 I think the most important thing.

15:21 Is our faith in Jesus Christ.

15:31 Time here on Earth. They just short compared to body turn kids.

15:39 Tell Vivian still that on your done a good job.

15:45 I think some of my favorite memories growing up worth of our camping trips.

15:49 So, do you have any favorite memories that come to mind of of all the times that we can't together?

15:56 Well, I'm memory especially when first starting out and didn't have a camper with a bathroom John run me back and forth the bathroom constantly would get back to the campground. He's a day. I need to go to the bathroom. So we didn't do that very long. We bought another camper and camping has been a huge part of our Lives. We have a boy just enjoyed it and not only seeing the creation but the fellowship we pay it.

16:31 And I were first two years of camping. We went to the beach.

16:36 Just about ever

16:39 Never Summer on vacation

16:42 Then mother sided that that wasn't the best thing to said we start going other places and we did.

16:50 And your mother not wish they'll Camp a lot still enjoy. It is hopefully doing several more years, but

17:02 I would recommend that for any family.

17:09 So you've been a lot of places camping and other I mean, I'll leave the United States Canada, Alaska. What's what some of your favorite places you've been to?

17:21 Well, though the best crip we ever made was in Austria last year.

17:28 And that was with you too.

17:32 Tell that person has surprised and it and that was a first time we've been together as a family like that since y'all left on so happen but in Canton.

17:49 We've had our camper in 49 states and most of them two and three times.

17:55 But I think the most beautiful place I've ever been is Glacier Park in Montana. It is Miss Gorgeous. What what about it if you had to describe it, how would you describe it?

18:13 Well, I'm thank you. Could you

18:16 I know I'm not papers really describing. It is just awesome is just great. It's just

18:24 Mountainous

18:27 Beautiful

18:29 But

18:31 Every play I'm never been a place that I didn't enjoy.

18:36 A lot more different but I

18:41 I just enjoyed it out.

18:45 I think most of you.

18:48 The most unique Place we've ever been was new Furlan.

18:54 And friendliest people

18:57 I know on that particular trip. We had to go from Nova Scotia by ferry.

19:05 And then we pull into this big parking lot map to about 12 at night always going to leave at 2 in the morning.

19:15 Huge parking lot and I asked the lady. If I saw all these vehicles doing here, she said they going over on the ferry and I said, would you mind telling me how many at that first?

19:29 She said where we used to care about 25 tractor and trailers and 250 automobiles. So you can imagine how huge it was and we're going on the water for about 6 hours going over.

19:45 And coming back. It was about 11 hours on the ferry coming back. I will win all Waycross new for money and got on fur at a different location.

19:57 But came back in on at the same port so

20:02 Camping been a big part of our lives and we've enjoyed every minute of it and I hope you all can do that.

20:11 And the grandkids do

20:15 So that's a very long way from gamble Creek and John and I've heard stories all our lives about Campbell Creek or you grow up. So where when I was growing up we had no electricity. We hadn't

20:31 Only person that had a radio and the community was up on Campbell Creek. So every Saturday night all the young people that go up on Gamble Creek.

20:44 For the girls were in or the music was in with less than Grand Ole Opry the Nellis before we go any further for our great-great grandkids are here this gamble Creek. It's more like gamble ditch.

21:01 Never had a trickle of water running through a smaller. It was a little bit bigger than this. Now. I told your mother of the day she's talked about how small Campbell Creek wasn't I said when we've been out west and we see big Rivers bed sets right up. I better water. So Grandma Creek has dried up, so hang out on Saturday night. So

21:37 I was just part of it.

21:41 So you would all gather around the radio and listen to dance.

21:50 No, it was we wouldn't last laugh when I was growing up.

21:56 I see.

22:01 So Daddy when I think about you your faith in God, that's what always a tribute to you.

22:08 Is there something that you think about that you want to say to God when you meet him?

22:27 I would probably say oh, I don't know how baby.

22:39 All my life the dead and I hadn't been that good.

22:49 But I am thankful that he's a forgiving God.

23:03 I bet not many interviews had this much of Christ letting this get interviewed.

23:11 I think part of what I would say we'll say is to Express gratitude to God for lots of things but one of them.

23:20 Is

23:22 When I think about Grace there lots of things where I know Grace in the world and one of them is through you.

23:31 So I know that you talked a lot about the gods of forgiving God, but you've also been an instrument for God and I just want you to know that.

23:45 And I'm grateful.

23:48 I hope I die.

23:56 I do try to live.

23:59 A decent life

24:04 But I'm a virgin.

24:07 I've always had a tender heart. Don't that.

24:13 You're not always said that my tear ducts was tied directly to my kidney.

24:25 Lil Jon so much better with words than I am, but I agree with him.

24:29 You have been blessing.

24:32 And always remember when I got my paddling's and you said this hurts me worse than it hurts you I never believed it, but it probably does. This is the mutant. I was John and I

24:47 Ask for meat forgiveness. I'm not sure about that. I did expect a lot out of you and I it paid off.

25:01 I said I want you to be perfect. I did miss it much. So so what about us drive you crazy when we were kids.

25:12 Things that we did or said or I can think of a few of his John's things that drive me crazy.

25:26 Think back on it. Don't see where y'all Mewtwo or

25:31 Panic trouble at all. I really don't.

25:36 I think probably mother did more racing you than I did.

25:47 She is a good person.

25:50 You chose well.

25:54 And

25:57 I know she would really appreciate what YouTube done.

26:02 Not do as well.

26:06 Anything we've done is just a reflection or response to what we've already been given so.

26:15 I hope some of it rubbed off.

26:20 Used to tell us lots of stories when we were growing up thinking back to all the Daniel Boone stories and the

26:29 Do you want to come in on the things like that fits you the campfires camping and

26:36 I know they I've always told.

26:40 Well German Morgan they always like for me to tell him stories and Elaine Johnson, you know, he's lying.

26:51 I know she went to school one time. They were studying Daniel Boone.

26:56 And she was in the same school that your mother was saying and that teacher came up to.

27:06 Your mother at the at lunchtime said I heard that your husband knew Daniel Boone and answer. What are you talkin about said? Well, we were spending the day in school today and Elaine that raised up Ryan said, I know Amanda was buddies with ask who it was just Wellness best blenders is husband Bob sew

27:37 At least I convinced her that I knew Daniel Boone.

27:41 And I'm sure run told y'all some ghost tours and

27:46 But German Morgan one that they enjoyed more than any was Batman and Robin.

27:58 Other night when Jeremy

28:01 I don't know if you knew or not, but he called and said Papa bus go out to eat. So we went out to eat and he was talkin about.

28:10 Lowe's Stuart Damon X

28:16 But it's been a Wonderful Life.

28:20 Wouldn't trade it for nothing.

28:23 So I understand Morgan's College in wants to play golf next week. So you also enjoy golf in, Missouri.

28:33 I teach him what I know in 2 or 3 minutes.

28:40 I think I would like to.

28:43 Morgan take some golf lessons and get him into

28:48 I'll let you hit the ball tomorrow.

28:51 And I hope we can go next week and I've been Jordan play with you LeAnn. It's

28:58 You and Keith last fall at ground up in the mountains still think of it.

29:07 It did mean a lot to me. It's a lot of fun.

29:12 Sometimes when folks retire from work, their retirement is pretty they they slow down you and Mom have kept going and done a lot of stuff. What advice would you give me and LeAnn as to how we should live our retirement?

29:32 To the fullest

29:37 If you get your camper.

29:40 And don't set no certain place to go no time limit and just get in it and go till you feel like stopping at day and but make it not a 250 miles card limit in.

29:57 Just going if you would got up in the morning by earlier Lynn.

30:04 Hit on the road and became again benign till we run across something we want to say, so miss you live Campground rental close.

30:15 But the

30:18 Being together to Mind's Eye.

30:24 Been together

30:36 I'm done. I was talkin this time be able to talk to me.

30:43 What do you have a specific question for us?

30:48 Well, I should have time to think about this, but but not really.

30:55 I don't think I'd say I'm proud of both of you had.

31:01 Yao Ming so much.

31:04 Made your mother.

31:08 And I do appreciate you.

31:11 Beyond words

31:15 Well, I'm glad we could all be here this weekend to celebrate your birthday to celebrate you and who you are and I love you more and I could tell you and I thank you for all you've done.

31:26 And I would only Echo that.

31:31 You know, I think about you re started all this by talking about the world you grew up in and how different it is from the world today both the world in general back then in the world today and this the particular parts of your life back then and your life today or our lives today and dad. Sometimes I think you know the life I live and the people who make up my family here in Atlanta and some ways are such a different kind of mix than what you grew up in and

32:07 One of the things I'm there a lot of things I'm grateful for.

32:12 But around

32:14 Around the stuff around my coming out and

32:20 Around

32:23 The the challenges we had as a family at coming to terms with that and Lord knows I gave you a lot to deal with in it, you know, sometimes your kids come out and then sometimes your kids come out and their own National media seeking ordination, and that's a different thing and

32:45 There were a lot of ways in which

32:50 I am I look back over the last 20 years and I think about

32:56 If if I have to think about

32:58 An expression or an example.

33:06 That love is more powerful powerful than division.

33:13 It is in the way that we continue to love each other as a family.

33:19 And I'm really grateful for that and I will always carry that with me.

33:27 I know we don't see eye-to-eye on all things. I don't watch Fox News that but

33:44 I always said that mother and I brought you into this world. So we always be there.

33:53 You know him for me it for a long time. It was we're going to be family in spite of all this and now it feels much more to me. At least that were family in the midst of all this that that's not front-and-center anymore for us.

34:10 For me that's like the trip to Australia last summer was this kind of time of

34:17 I mean, I guess it was this time for going into it. I'm thinking this is going to be fine. But 10 days that's a long time to spend olive oil for cars and and it was fun.

34:43 I'm just very aware of.

34:46 Not how not just how much how grateful I am. But how much I appreciate and enjoy.

34:55 Y'all that's very special.

34:59 We always laugh when we're together and we have a lot of good conversations and a lot of good times.

35:05 And I think that's really important for the kids to see your family. They can come together and be together and can laugh and you know, if you get mad at each other which we don't very often. Thankfully we're all a pretty calm but you're still family and you have a good time together or why did you let me win it more than I am. Well, there's having a good time. But you don't you don't throw of card game. You never throw a card game. Like you always said if I didn't want to win so so broken and Sam, you know in with Linda and Leslie's family Piggly with Leslie's family when they were little anytime they were they were going to play cards or any game all the broken family would let the boys win. They thought they could beat any adult in any game. Did they come to the house?

36:05 I do know last night.

36:09 I've always played hard and it gave way I've had fun.

36:20 And I do appreciate an essay again. I appreciate both of you so much.

36:26 And your family appreciate them?

36:32 Well, happy 80th birthday and wish you many many many more and that you can blame John for this as well. And you might not want to tell Mom because you don't know what he'll do when she turns I didn't realize.

36:52 Happy 80th birthday, Daddy. I love you. I love you, too. I appreciate so much of all of the different things. You've shown us and we're gathered here in Atlanta for your birthday rather than me and Randy and the boys going up to Winston. I'm I appreciate you coming here. And I appreciate you letting us hold this weekend for you here in Atlanta in mine and Randy's home and celebrating it here. I am glad you're here and I love you very much.

37:28 I know you do.

37:33 You got a minute or two left. If you want to sharetea parting words of wisdom. Your great-great grandkids can go to the Library of Congress and listen to you anything. You want him to know. Well, I just bought them know that they got good parents, and I know that you will raise them in the right way and

37:56 I know my time.

37:59 Most not known downhill bass for sure, but

38:04 We just had a great time. I'm just all I can say we just had a great time.

38:12 I won't make you do this until the next date next day T. Okay, we'll come back at 160. Well, maybe I'll quit crying so much. Let me go.

38:29 We love you. Love you. Love you, too.