Into The World
On April 12th, 1952 in Reynolds, Georgia, Ed and Naia Goddard became the proud parents of a brand new, bouncing, happy, healthy and extremely handsome baby boy. He was named George after his paternal grandfather and uncle. He was also named Clyde after his maternal grandfather who had died as a young man, when little George's mother was about 11 years old. So, little George Clyde Goddard came into the world around 7PM in the operating room at Sams-Whatley hospital in Reynolds.
The doctor in charge of the delivery was Dr. Edwards C. Whatley ( who was also the next-door neighbor of the Goddards). Dr. Whatley would be a second father of little George because being next-door neighbors, little George would grow up in the back yards of the respective houses where all of the Whatley kids and the Goddard kids played together. Dr. Whatley already had a son, Jimmy, who was born a couple of years earlier, so little George, Jimmy and later George's little brother Bruce were destined to spend their childhoods together and would spend equal amounts of time in both houses. As the boys got older, they would often eat lunch at both houses if the menu was suitable or they would only eat at one home if the other's menu consisted of turnips.
Dr. Whatley grabbed little George by the ankles, slapped his butt and then handed him off to Marie Martin, R.N. who worked with Dr. Whatley. It was probably Marie Martin who then handed little George to the new mother, Naia. Naia often talked during her life of what a special moment this was, as George would become her favorite child! She did have deep affection for her other children (Mac, Kikky and Bruce), but NOTHING like the special bond she had with little Chicken George. Marie Martin would often remark to George, as he grew up in Reynolds, that she was honored to have been a part of this union.
So, as fate would have it, Little George (now big George) would meet with both Dr. E. C. Whatley and Marie Martin, R.N. at a funeral some 50 years later. It was a special moment and was forever captured in time by this photograph. Big George quizzed both of these remarkable people about that special day and the events that took place. Dr. Whatley and Mrs. Martin happily shared their memories with George.
Today is Sunday, February 25th, 2007! This week I purchased a copy of the DVD, FLAGS OF OUT FATHERS!
The movie centers around the famous photograph of the flag raising at Iwo Jima during WWII. This picture is certainly to be as famous.
The doctor in charge of the delivery was Dr. Edwards C. Whatley ( who was also the next-door neighbor of the Goddards). Dr. Whatley would be a second father of little George because being next-door neighbors, little George would grow up in the back yards of the respective houses where all of the Whatley kids and the Goddard kids played together. Dr. Whatley already had a son, Jimmy, who was born a couple of years earlier, so little George, Jimmy and later George's little brother Bruce were destined to spend their childhoods together and would spend equal amounts of time in both houses. As the boys got older, they would often eat lunch at both houses if the menu was suitable or they would only eat at one home if the other's menu consisted of turnips.
Dr. Whatley grabbed little George by the ankles, slapped his butt and then handed him off to Marie Martin, R.N. who worked with Dr. Whatley. It was probably Marie Martin who then handed little George to the new mother, Naia. Naia often talked during her life of what a special moment this was, as George would become her favorite child! She did have deep affection for her other children (Mac, Kikky and Bruce), but NOTHING like the special bond she had with little Chicken George. Marie Martin would often remark to George, as he grew up in Reynolds, that she was honored to have been a part of this union.
So, as fate would have it, Little George (now big George) would meet with both Dr. E. C. Whatley and Marie Martin, R.N. at a funeral some 50 years later. It was a special moment and was forever captured in time by this photograph. Big George quizzed both of these remarkable people about that special day and the events that took place. Dr. Whatley and Mrs. Martin happily shared their memories with George.
Today is Sunday, February 25th, 2007! This week I purchased a copy of the DVD, FLAGS OF OUT FATHERS!
The movie centers around the famous photograph of the flag raising at Iwo Jima during WWII. This picture is certainly to be as famous.
posted by George Goddard at
9:25 AM
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