Parky Latimer and his brother Jenky's Funeral

Parky Latimer, March 2013 at  the Varner Reunion

Parky Latimer's funeral is today. I remember his brother Jenky Latimer's funeral just about a month over 54 years ago. I was a pallbearer. That was the beginning of Summer 1960. Jenky was killed in a drag race. Larry White was in the car with him. Larry suffered injuries and was in the hospital over a week unconscious. Jenky's burial was at Little River Methodist Church near Woodstock, Georgia. Back in 1960 it was out in the country. Now, the road , or highway, is lined with businesses, with Walmart across the road. 

As I said we were teenagers and acted like teenagers. All of the pallbearers were Jenky's friends., and of course, friends with one another. The walk carrying the casket was a good distance and a rolling terrain. I think we had to go down a little slope then up a slope. 

 While we were carrying the casket, we were maybe a good 20 or so feet in front of the walking procession. One of us (not me) let out a loud fart. It was short and loud. Some of us cracked up giggling and trying to hold in our giggling even made it worse. One of us (again, not me) became enraged at the person who farted. But he got over it. It may have been a strange scene, we were distraught over our friends death, which we showed, and giggling at the same time, which we tried to hide.

Years later I ran into Parkie at Chastain Animal Hospital in Smyrna. We had a nice talk. I think the next time I saw him was at the 2013 Varner Reunion . He needed assistance walking and could not talk. I think he was suffering from a stroke. 

I remember in our high school years Parky ran around with Jackie Turner, Bob Stewart, C.W. Conners, and Alex Orr. Some of them openly drunk mixed drinks in shakers and cocktail glasses. I think C.W. had a convertible then. If there was a party in town, they were there. I remember Parkie was jovial and somehow knew how to bring out the ironic substance of a situation or conversation in simple terms. 

 Parky will be buried at Peaceful Meadows Memorial Cemetery. His parents' and brother's graves markers at Little River Methodist Church: