| 14. | Fritts, Clifford was born on 24 Aug 1907 (son of Fritts, James Henry and Fritts, Roxie); died on 14 Feb 1990 in Roane County, Tennessee, USA; was buried in Oak Grove Cemetery. Notes:
Name:
Son of James H. and Roxie Caroline (Fritts 1872) Fritts (1866), b. 24 Aug 1907, Rockwood, TN, where he was raised; d. Wednesday, 14 Feb 1990, age 82y, Bapt. Hospital of Roane Co., TN, bur. Oak Grove Cem.; md. Margaret Earhart and was survived by her one dau., three grandchildren and one great grandchild and three nieces.
He was a member of Rockwood United Meth. Church and was a
retired store manager with the Blue Diamond Coal Co., and the Oak Wood store in Kingsport.
Clifford along with his mother, father and three brothers, Walter, Oscar and Jimmie attend Rockwood Christian Church. He began his career as a clerk in a grocery store, upon completing the first year of high school.
Clifford lived for a short time with Walter and his family at Blue Diamond, KY. Walter returned to Rockwood where he owned and operated the Rockwood Coffee Shop [Cousin Aileen called it the “Fritts Coffee Shop]. After Walter’s death Clifford managed the restaurant.
It was at this time that Clifford met Margaret Earhart, b. 12 Mar 1911, dau. of Thomas Abram and Nancy Porter (Love) Earhart. Margaret d. 6 Mar 1993. Thomas was a carpenter and pattern maker for the Roane Iron Company. Margaret had worked several years as a telephone operator for Southern Bell Telephone Co. before quitting to waitress at the Coffee Shop. They md. 11 Apr 1936, Rockwood Presbyterian Church, with Rev. J.C. Orr officiating. Aileen Fritts, Clifford’s niece was their witness.
ONE DAY
For Clifford
I close this day with much regret,
Timespent was perfect here.
The shading from each shadow ’smask
Veiledsoft then slipped severe.
Lightplayed along the treetops
Urged by even tempered drafts.
Theynow wage theirfade together,
Whileour sequence-smiles calm laughs.
Our grading of the time we spend
Is not the same, of course.
Some mightjudge today as wasted,
While we ’vesmoothed our steady source.
By Iris (Fritts) Jeffers, 1998.
Their only child, Iris Lynn was b. 31 May 1937. Clifford and
Margaret then moved to Blue Diamond, KY. He worked as butcher in the meat department. He continued in this position at Egan, KY and Bonny Blue, VA.
They lived at Bonny Blue during World War H. With meat being
rationed, some of Clifford’s customers accused him of getting all the meat he wanted. So Clifford “just politely” built a small, neat, off-the ground chicken coop and they ate mostly chicken for the duration.
He was promoted to store manager and the family moved to
Westburn, TN. He then managed Blue Diarnond’s stores at Royal
Blue, TN, Chevrolet, KY, and Bonny Blue, VA.
HER SUMMER EVENING
For Margaret
Shefaces south breeze on its way
Into their small stream hollow.
And she knows its gentle cooling stay
From dusk through the night tofollow.
Shefans them still her apron
Using it to wipe herface,
While dampening this day ’swork stains
Each is in its chance-caused place.
Thelast stains camefrom supper
And the dishes washed and done.
She counts thefireflies coming
She ambers against the setting sun.
By Iris (Fritts) Jeffers, 1998
Clifford spent the last twelve of his working years with
Oakwood Markets in Kingsport, TN. It was here that Clifford and Margaret owned their first and only home. Margaret was an immaculate housekeeper and she made a lovely home wherever they lived. She loved flowers and often on the back of
the moving truck, baskets of bulbs and cuttings would be bumping along to their new home. She worked several years as PBX operator for Oakwood. She often read the Bible and dictionary when resting.
They were very close. Through the years they enjoyed after
church picnics at Norris Dam and Big Ridge State Park in TN. And they spent most of their vacations in the Great Smoky Mountains.
After Clifford retired they moved back to Rockwood. They were
faithful members of the Rockwood United Methodist Church.
Upon reaching his eighties, with tears of gratitude Clifford
remarked to his daughter, “Mother and I feel honored to have lived so and Oscar at the Oak Grove Cem. in Rockwood.
Clifford once commented, that as a young boy his father’s arms
seemed to be as broad as they were long-muscled from his years of work as a blacksmith. On the back of a picture postcard James (1866) had written in a very nice script:
Hello: I am fine how are you. Read your card and was glad
to hear from you. Being you sent me one of my pictures I will
return one in the place of it, hoping you all a happy Easter.
From J.H. Fritts.
The card was sent to Mrs. Ed. Fritts, Wind Rock, Tenn. Etta was the widow of Ed, Roxie’s brother. She was the stepmother of Ella Mae (Fritts) Seward. Ella Mac was always close to her Aunt Roxie and Uncle James.
The picture on the postcard was of James, a helper, and several others in front of his shop. James was shoeing a large white horse. The card was dated Rockwood—Apr. 12, 1911.
Clifford married Earhart, Margaret [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]
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