1968 – January 14 Death of First Husband, Harold Lee Thomas

In November 1967, Harold had taken a complete physical for a $5,000.00 life insurance policy; and except for arthritis and back problems he was perfectly healthy.

Then January 14, 1968, he sank over the steering wheel and died of a heart attack. He was 42; I was 40. All I owned outright was a trunk, my antique rocking chair, clothes, dishes, no furniture, and no major appliances. The insurance company was giving me trouble over that $5,000 life insurance policy Harold had just taken out in November. They finally paid out, but not until they had investigated to their satisfaction. I had used the money for a down payment on a house on Cherrywood Drive in Elizabethtown, KY. On the day that Jean was to graduate, I signed the paperwork to sell that house. I hadn’t really wanted to take the time to negotiate because I was doing so much about Jean’s graduation, but the realtor brought me an offer I couldn’t refuse.