Paw Paw’s Song is the true story of my last conversation with my Paw Paw, the man who taught me to be a man. He taught me many lessons, some were practical life skills like building, fishing, farming. He loved the Bible. Some of my fondest memories were listening to his baritone voice read the bible each evening. He wasn’t a singer but loved to sing old hymns. I fondly remember him singing while doing chores and tasks around his farm. Those early memories created a love of the old hymns that I still carry to this day.
He started life poor and grew up in the Alabama Dirt. Paw Paw’s family were sharecroppers in rural Alabama. Paw Paw father died when he was 12 years old, leaving him to run the family farm and help provide for him and his mother. His older brothers were off fighting in World War II. Due to these circumstances Paw Paw was forced to drop out of school with only an eighth grade education. Paw Paw would go on to serve in the Korean War in the battle of Pusan Perimeter. He finished a masters degree and started teaching. Paw Paw became an ordained minister and preached for many years. His life was an inspiration to many people.