Clifford Quinton “Joe” Clark
My Pap-Pa
When I was a little girl, it seemed like my Pap-pa was almost always working. From the stories I’ve heard all my life, it started when he was just a little boy…
His father, Ike, became sick, and eventually died young. I’ve never been certain what my great-grandfather’s illness was – but I do know that he suffered tremendously for many years. Pap-pa had to drop out of school to work the farm, care for his father, and support the family. He was young – but he was the oldest son. His sister Floy was four years older, but his brothers Woodrow and Dude were younger….so Pap-pa shouldered the responsibility. He grew up early.
He was only able to finish a third grade education at a little one-room school in rural Arkansas – but he had learned how to read and write, and thankfully he had a good mind for arithmetic. Those skills served him very well throughout his life.
I’m sure working the farm was hard enough, but Pap-pa had to carry even more responsibility. I heard stories as a child about how he alone was the one who cared for his father. From stories my grandmother would tell, it was gruesome work. Whatever the malady, Ike had dressings that had to be painfully changed and infections that had to be tended. His son, my Pap-pa, took care of it all. He was responsible for the family. I just can’t imagine.
He married my grandmother when he was only 17 and she was 14. They moved into a little house (more of a shed) behind his parents’ home. His father, almost completely disabled, required constant care – and Pap-pa continued to provide it. Working hard every day to support seven people would be grueling. Even more difficult, I think, was being responsible for so much at such a young age. In my entire life, I never once heard him complain about any of it. In fact, I don’t remember ever hearing him even talk about it. I heard the stories from others.
He got his first calf from a neighbor. He fed it, cared for it, and raised it to sell. That young calf became the first of many. Pap-pa found that he enjoyed tending cattle. He was good at it. For the rest of his life, Pap-pa earned a good living buying, tending, and trading cattle. He built and ran sale barns, he owned packing houses (a southerner’s term for a meat processing plant), and he raised cattle. When I spent time with him as a little girl, it was out in the pastures tagging along when he fed the cows, or hanging out at the sale barn he owned. He was happy to take me and my cousin Amy along when he tended his cattle. We would ride in the back of the truck (usually up on the sideboards) while he drove through the pastures to feed. It was fun – especially when he was out in the bottom land near the river. When he would drive over the levees, we would laugh and giggle – and hang on for dear life! Sometimes, Mother and I would ride with him to a sale. I loved the excitement of that! I would listen and try to understand what the auctioneer was saying……and sometimes Pap-pa might let me bid. It was big fun!
Those are good memories – but the best memories I have of Pap-pa are meals I have eaten at his table. You see, my Pap-pa also loved to cook. He mostly cooked at breakfast time – frying sausage, ham, and bacon. It was wonderful! He was very particular about the meat that he bought. He liked to get sausage from Atkins, Arkansas, because the recipe they used there to mix it is so very good. The ham had to be Petit Jean – because it is simply just the best there is. He bought slab bacon and hand sliced it himself with a sharp butcher knife. Since I grew up watching this, I never thought anything about it……until one day when I was in my 30’s I decided to try it. I bought a slab of bacon and nearly cut my fingers off trying to slice it. I finally admitted defeat – it was just too hard. Who knew???
The only recipe of Pap-pa’s I have today in my recipe box is his “Taco Dinner”. It’s really good! A couple of years ago, I made this recipe for guests at my home. My cousin Betty recognized it – and it thrilled me. She remembered an evening when she and her husband Billy ate supper at Pap-pa’s house many years ago – and he served his Taco Dinner. I love adding that memory to the files in my brain.
Pap-pa would have turned 101 last month. He left us in 1999.
Fairly often, I pull out his recipe and have his simple but delicious Taco Dinner for supper. Every time I prepare it, I think of Pap-pa……and I smile. In case you’re interested, I thought I would share the recipe with you. It’s a good one. I really hope you enjoy.
What a story! Your grandfather must have been quite a fellow! I can’t imagine how a young boy would deal with all that…
Thank you, Kay. It makes me proud of him. I think it was such an accomplishment.
Sounds like a great man. I love that he was positive even when times were extraordinarily tough on him, especially being the oldest. Your memories are good ones. Love that you’re writing them down.
Thank you, Mitzi.
I truly can’t imagine how hard it must have been for him at such a young age.
Thanks for the recipe!
You’re welcome, Gail! I really hope you enjoy it!
Lisa, I sincerely enjoyed reading this; I have many memories of your Pap-pa, but I never knew that he, as a young boy, was responsible for his whole family’s support, and was his Dad’s caregiver until his Dad’s death. I did know that he was a hard worker as well as a self-made man who did not have the opportunity of an education when he was growing up. I also knew that he prospered in the cattle business, and I thought of him as a very smart person who was extremely skilled in his chosen career.
I remember Uncle Clifford as a man of God who was the head of the household as he made sure his family went to church and taught them the principles of Christianity. While I remember him as a devout Christian, I fondly remember that he was not afraid to speak his mind, and I say this with much love, that he did not hesitate to direct others in the way that he thought things should be done, sometimes in a very serious manner, but oftentimes with a keen sense of humor that would cause everyone to laugh. Uncle Clifford was highly respected in the community and in our family, and I can honestly say he was one of a kind. You were truly blessed to have him as your Pap-pa, and we could definitely use more people like Uncle Clifford in today’s world!
Dot, THANK YOU for your comments!!! I love it – and I smiled the entire time I was reading them. You described Pap-pa perfectly. 🙂
So special. Your writing immediately brings vivid imagery in my head as I read. I can just picture you and Amy riding in that truck.
Thank you, Susan. I so appreciate your comments and support. Those are such great memories – and they always make me smile.
Lisa, that’s a beautiful tribute to your grandfather. Sounds like he was quite a man. I will be making his recipe. Thank you.
Thank you, Aunt Shar! Thank you for trying it – and for letting me know. I really hope you enjoy it! It’s a keeper!
Great tribute to a great man
Thank you, Terry. He and your dad – both men worth knowing. We were blessed.
I too remember riding in the back of that big truck and standing behing the cab and our hair blowing in the wind, and also chasing cows in the pasture. He always laughed at me because he knew I was afraid of them. I remember his cooking. Breakfast was his speciality. He cooked fried eggs to perfection. I still cook his taco dinner and remember he served cherry pie as well. Great memories!
We are blessed with great memories! You are right about his fried eggs. They were the best! I’m so thankful for our family!
Great story Lisa! Such a blessing to have such cherished memories! So many people, myself included, come from broken homes. No lifetime bonds and wonderful upstanding roll models. Thank you for sharing! You are a gifted story teller.
Thank you for reading my blog, Nikki – and thank you for reminding me of the blessings. It means a lot to me!
I love good stories about grandparents. I had four I loved so much! I miss them still. Lovely tribute to your Pap-pa.
Thank you! They are always in our hearts, aren’t they? Grandparents are special!
The pictures in my mind as I was reading is a tribute to your writing. Thank you for taking me to a simple time of living, of hard work and strong principles that’s hard to find in today’s world.
Niki, your words are a huge encouragement to me as I try out my wings on this new endeavor. Please accept my heartfelt gratitude. You are right about the principles of yesterday being difficult to find in today’s world. So true!