Estelle

Hometown:

Laurel Hill

Statement:

OUR HERITAGE is a Pioneering Tapestry of Life by Estelle Howell Rogers 2007

Real life stories that cannot be made up...genealogy details and historic trivia. Trials by fire that will encourage you as you may have to deal with marriages and births, remodeling, remarriage, and overcome cancer and death someday.

Background:

• Mother of three children...born seven years apart.

• Grandmother of seven...the first one arrived seven years after her last child.

• Great-grandmother of seven...with near visible halos floating above thier heads!

Estelle Howell Rogers is . . . an oil painter on canvas, lovingly wielding words much like the brush on canvas. The battles of life have led her home to the small community where she lived the first seventeen years of her life. Her strength continues to come from her Lord Jesus Christ. Her life revolves around her church and a quiet home life in Laurel Hill, Florida...three streets from where she lived as a child until the age of eleven.

 

Pioneering Tapestry of Life by Estelle Howell Rogers

Estelle is the only daughter and first born of Arthur B. and Madie Howell. The first born grandchild of
George W. and Vercie Strickland, and is sister to two brothers, Arthur B. Howell, Jr., and Ray Howell. Her children are a mix of English, Irish and Seminole Indian blood flowing through thier veins...all are from pioneering stock!

Through out a tapestry of life experiences and circumstances, God has been her true refugee and strength.

Since 1995, the cancer year, she has had a total hip replacement caused by radiation damage; two knee surgeries followed by a shower of blood clots in both lungs and near death; two total knee replacements and laser surgery on both eyes for Glaucoma.

 

Other:

SAMPLES of CONTENT:

Healing Designs page 28...

The Lord gave me the name for my card making, "Healing Designs". I continue to design cards for friends and family. A note or card in the mail lifts our feelings and encourages our heart, whether it is a short term or serious illness. I send cards several times a week to someone undergoing cancer treatments. I have been on the receiving end and know the blessing and need for contact with friends during a bad time.

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page 86...

In 1999 our home required a major face lift. John and Linda took the job with helpers, son Kyle, brother David and nephew, Jeremy. They worked all summer putting in flooring, rewiring, bathroom repairs and a new kitchen.

In the midst of all this work Sherri Beth gave her mother three weeks notice to prepare for her wedding to Brandon. Linda and I went to Jonesboro, Georgia and managed to pull a beautiful wedding off on schedule.

Artistic Linda, in her spare time, entered a contest for the logo to be used in Crestview's millennium celebration. She won with her curled up numbers, 1999, that looked like ocean waves. Bill boards carried the logo, shirts, pins and all printed material, including the time capsules from each city in Okaloosa County. the newspapers carried her story of winning. We were so proud of her! Linda was rewarded with several gifts and a plaque during the festivities before the big parade.

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page 89 "Gallery & Antique Shop opened in Laurel Hill."

The old brick buildings that had once held our doctor's office, the Post Office and a general store, sat decaying for years until a couple with vision moved to Laurel Hill. George and Hope Wittmer bought several buildings for restoration. The brick buildings were beautifully restored to the original finish of the bricks. Linda got involved in the designing of the interior for the antique store while she was visiting with me during two knee replacements. Actually, our town fell in love with the idea of renting spaces to sell our antiques.

Before the second knee surgery I went for pre-op before visiting with Linda in Georgia. We shopped for antiques for my "Magnolias and Lace" space in the 1905 Gallery. We returned home with the car packed full of boxes just in time for my surgery date. Within days after the surgery we went to two early morning estate sales! Walking with a cane, followed by Linda, I would point and she would purchase, until the car was loaded!

My space at the Gallery was named Magnolias & Lace and filled with Victorian, antiques, paintings and glass. Doug called his space "Antiques and Uniques", filled with tools and antiques from his home workshop. We had fun buying, selling and working a few hours a week in the store with a pool of local ladies, headed by Devona Willis. She had a beautiful space, "The Shepherd's Daughter" floral and gift shop.

The Wittmers sold the Gallery to Laurel Hill newcomers and it still does a good business. We will always appreciate George and Hope Wittmer for restoring life to our town.


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page 83........
My brother told me I was going to love living in Laurel Hill and he was so right. We are close to the gulf and beaches, close to a mall, great restaurants, good hospital and doctors. Land is cheaper than most places but these days it is going for higher prices. We have land being developed for housing and shops in 2007. Imagine, a country club and golf course being built in Laurel Hill!

Our one caution light will someday be replaced with traffic lights, change and growth are presently being dealt with by the mayor and newly elected city council.

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page 44 "A garden without grass?"

Linda remembers walking from grandma Howell's house to "town" with her granddaddy. He would buy her an ice cream cone before going into the stores. She remembers going with him to the school house (across the street) where he worked and riding on his tool cart, afterwards being rewarded with her choice of ice cream in the cafeteria. He allowed her to draw on the blackboard in class rooms.

Linda remembers the cartons of coke stored in the garage and helping granddaddy replenish the kitchen supply. He taught her a valuable lesson when she wanted to touch his roll-your-own cigarette papers. "Don't ever smoke", he told her in private and she believed him. Daddy stopped smoking late in life when coughing caused him to have severe coughing spells.

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page 90 under gallery pictures and before "Several years ago..."

The Red Hat Society is only nine years old but is known world wide. Four years ago I started a chapter in Laurel Hill with cousin Cassie Rogers as the Vice Queen. Ladies over 50 wear purple dresses and red hats, under 50 ladies wear pink hats and lavender dresses. We wear outrageously fancy dresses, feathers, fans, gloves, watches and pins to suit our fancy! No rules and regulations, just a fun lunch time, Tea Parlors, annual Christmas slumber parties and fellowship. I watch my friends blossom under the spell of wearing purple and a red hat, catching the warm loving spirit of like minded sisters!

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page 51 end of 2nd paragraph
Michigan's cold winters were endured for ten years. We moved to Pontiac, Michigan because the work was good after WWII. Brothers Jimmy and Aaron also moved there to work at the General Motors company. Strikes in the factories were also a reality, but with careful planning we were often able to visit our parents for a few days during these times.