Harold Dean Satterwhite
is my favorite uncle. Even though he was the youngest
of the siblings, he was the heart of the Satterwhite family.
When his mother, my grandmother, became ill with Leukemia he and
his wonderful wife, my Aunt Ida Mae, became her caregivers. A few
years later when his dad, my grandfather, needed care they were
also his caregivers. I don't know if they have been told how grateful
we, as a family, are for all their love and kindness. I for one am
very thankful and very proud to be a part of this family.
Uncle Harold Dean organized the first Satterwhite family reunion back
in the 1980's, and has continued to organize them while fighting the
battle of his life. The reunions once a year have kept us all in touch,
and the food is always the best.
If you ever get to Conway, Arkansas, you might ask anyone you see if
they know Harold Dean Satterwhite. Chances are they will, and you
can believe that they will have only good things to say about my
favorite uncle whom I love very much.
November 21, 2001 Uncle Harold Dean lost his battle with cancer.
The Chemo had damaged his heart so badly that he couldn't fight
any longer. This most loved man will be greatly missed.
Below is a paper written in 2000 by one of
Harold Dean's grandaughters-in-law. The writing is superb and it
reveals the life of this wonderful man.
Seventy-five-year-old Harold Dean
Satterwhite was born in Centerville (located in Faulkner County) just
east of Greenbrier, Arkansas. He was born in his home on July 31,
1924 and had a normal childhood development. He grew up about a half
mile from what is now Lake Bennett by Wooley Hollow. His home was a
six-room house that had two bedrooms. However, they also used the
living room as a bedroom in order to accommodate the size of their
family. Their house had what they called a dogtrot. This was a new
word to me. It was described as an open pathway separating the bedrooms
from the rest of the house.
Harold was the youngest of eleven children; he had five brothers and
five sisters. His oldest sibling was twenty-nine years older than
he was but died during infancy. Because of the age difference between
the children, they never all lived at home at the same time. Harold
described it as "having two families". By the time he was born, his
oldest brothers and sisters had all married and moved out of the house.
Thus, there were only five children living at home when Harold was growing up.
He remembers his nieces and nephews coming to visit that were older than he was.
Despite the number of siblings in the home, Harold said that they all got
along pretty well. Of course they had their arguments. He said that it
was not unusual to see one of them chasing another with a stick. Sibling
rivalry never changes, does it? Yet, the children all were very appreciative
and respectful of their parents. Unfortunately, this has changed with kids today.
Harold said that his mother did not hesitate to discipline the children, and they
knew that she would. Therefore, they acted right when they were expected to.
The Great Depression of the 1930's caught Harold in his younger days. He was
only six years old when it began, but as he got older, he remembers very well
what it was like in those days. He said that his dad was either operating or
owned a sawmill through these years, and that is where they would grind their
corn and so forth. Because of his father's job, his mother was the "farmer"
of the family. She was faithful in keeping the farm running for the benefit
of the family. In the way of food, they killed their own beef and hogs, and
they also had milk cows for obtaining milk and butter.
Harold's mother also did much canning. She canned fruits and vegetables. He
remembers that their storm cellar was stocked full of canned fruits on shelves
from floor to ceiling. When they had to go down in the cellar for a tornado,
the kids would always want to eat some fruit. So, in order to do this, they
would pull on the rubber seal to make the jar spew and then tell their mom that
it needed to be eaten. Of course their mother knew what they were doing, but she
always willingly let them have a jar of fruit to eat anyway.
Although the depression was a trying time for
many people, Harold said that his family was never in need of anything. He never
had to go hungry because they always had plenty of food. And they had plenty of
clothes and money as well. Back then, if you had all of those things, you were
very well off. His family even had a car. Harold also remembers chopping cotton
during the Depression for thirty-five cents a day. When I was in grade
school, my sister and I chopped cotton for $3.50 an hour. How times have changed!
Harold was reminiscing of how, although they had a car, his family still walked most
places. They frequently walked to church, which was a mile away. His father lived
to be ninety-seven years old, and Harold laughingly contributed this to his father's
insistence to walk everywhere.
His father drove into town (Conway) only two or three times a year to buy supplies such as
flour, sugar, lard, and coffee. He bought not only for themselves but for the rest of the
family also, those members who had already married and started families of their own. Harold
stated that his father often did not get paid for the supplies he gave out, but that was just
his way of helping out because times were hard. There was a store nearby where they lived;
this is where they got supplies throughout the year. But major trips to town were few and
far between.
There were three people that Harold said had a significant impact on his life.
His mother and father and his older brother, Sam. Harold described his father
as being well respected in the community-a good man. He taught Harold how to
hunt and fish, and influenced his life a great deal. Harold described his
mother as being a "good Christian woman". He said that she always guided her
children and wanted them to do right. His parents were a good influence
on his life.
His brother Sam, who was twelve years older than Harold was of great influence
in his life. When Harold came back from World War II, he lived with Sam and his
family. Sam guided Harold, gave him advice, and was not afraid to speak up if
he thought Harold was going in the wrong direction. Sam encouraged Harold to
start working after he came back from the war and go on in life.
One of Harold's major life events included his service in World War II. He
and his brother, Jack. Both served in the army. Harold's service in the war
lasted twenty-seven months. His brother had volunteered his services for the
war but told Harold to wait until he was drafted, so he did. Unfortunately,
Harold's brother was killed while serving his country, and Harold had a very
interesting story pertaining to his brother's death. While Harold and his
brother were in the war, their mother had a service flag with two stars on it.
The stars represented her two sons that were in the war. The day that she got
news of her son's death, one of the stars just peeled off. Harold still has
this flag.
Harold served in the Pacific; he went to the Philippines, Japan, and New Guinea.
He was of the first troops to enter the Philippines and liberate them. What
an experience! While there in the Philippines, they got cut off while they
were up on a hill. They were surrounded by Japanese troops, and they could
not get in or out. They also were not able to get supplies, including food.
He said that their C-47 planes would fly over and drop supplies down to them,
but they just went everywhere and the Japanese ended up getting more of the
supplies than the Americans did.
After their rations had expired, they were
forced to live on the land for seventeen days. Harold and his troops ate
green coconuts in order to survive. They obtained their water from that
which was standing in big caribou tracks. Before drinking the water, they
would dissolve a tablet in the water to purify it. Harold said there were
times that he thought he was going to die, but he made it. As a result of
their entrapment, many of the troops, including Harold, suffered from malaria,
dysentery, and jungle rot.
After their work in the Philippines was finished, they were prepared to go
invade Japan. However, this was when the atomic bomb was dropped, and Japan
surrendered. Thus, they went on to Japan as occupational forces, but they did
not have to go and fight.
A special thing happened to Harold while he was away at war. He accepted the
Lord Jesus Christ as his Savior. He said that he was attending an open church
service in the jungle, and he was saved sitting on a coconut log. He heard the
sermon and was ready and willing to receive Jesus. What a blessing to know that
the Lord God saves anyone who calls on His name no matter where you are!
In January of 1946, Harold came back to the United States on the ship Phoenix
to Tacoma, Washington. He then went to Fort Smith to get his discharge. At
the time of his discharge, he was a Platoon Sergeant. Of all the trials he
faced during the war, the one thing that Harold worried about the most was his
parents dying before he got back home to them. His parents were older, and he
said that he worried about this more than getting killed himself. However, the
Lord blessed him, and he was able to see both of his parents upon his return home.
About a year after his return home from the war,
Harold met his wife, Ida. They met in October of 1947 at church and were married
three months later. When you know, you know! They are now going on fifty-three
years of marriage and are more in love now than ever. Harold and Ida have four
children, thirteen grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren.
Harold reached seventy years of age; he developed lymphoma stomach cancer, which
he battled for three years. He had seventy percent of his stomach removed but is
free of the cancer today. Praise the Lord!! However shortly after his bout with
lymphoma, he developed breast cancer. He had this cancer for awhile before it was
ever diagnosed, probably because breast cancer is so rare in men. However, he just
finished his last radiation treatment TODAY and is doing great! The Lord has been
so good!
Overall, Harold feels that he has aged very successfully. He and his wife have
accomplished in life what they wanted and have had a good family life. Yet, when
asked what he would change if he could, Harold replied that he would have better
prepared for retirement. He never anticipated getting sick. He said that he had
always thought he would work 'till he died. But in summary, Harold stated, "I'm
satisfied with what the Lord has given me."
Harold Satterwhite is a wonderful, Godly man whom I feel has led a very full and
healthy life. The Lord has blessed him in so many ways, and Harold is always
thankful for that. It was a blessing to me to be able to visit with Harold and
Ida this afternoon. There is always much to learn from those who have gone
before us, and I feel that because of the conversation we had today, I am a
little wiser.
The following poem
was read by my cousin, Rev. James Walter at my Uncle Harold Dean's funeral
on Saturday November 24, 2001. This poem truly describes the kind of person
my uncle was.
DRINKING FROM MY SAUCER
I've never made a fortune and it's probably too late now.
But I don't worry about that much, I'm happy anyhow.
And as I go along life's way, I'm reaping better than I sowed.
I'm drinking from my saucer, 'Cause my cup has overflowed.
Haven't got a lot of riches, and sometimes the going's tough.
But I've got loving ones around me, and that makes me rich enough.
I thank God for his blessings, and the mercies He's bestowed.
I'm drinking from my saucer, 'Cause my cup has overflowed.
O, Remember times when things went wrong, My faith wore somewhat thin.
But all at once the dark clouds broke, and sun peeped through again.
So Lord, help me not to gripe about the tough rows that I've hoed.
I'm drinking from my saucer, 'Cause my cup has overflowed.
If God gives me strength and courage, when the way grows steep and rough.
I'll not ask for other blessings, I'm already blessed enough.
And may I never be too busy, to help others bear their loads.
Then I'll keep drinking from my saucer, 'Cause my cup has overflowed.
~ John Paul Moore ~
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