Rutherford Weekly - Shelby NC
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Page 14 - Rutherford Weekly 828-248-1408 www.rutherfordweekly.com Thursday, February 9-February 15, 2023 "He was my assistant," she said pointing to Thomas. He was the offi cial bus and van driver taking the scouts to camp. "We needed each other" and are a good fi t," Carolyn continued. Carolyn read from Genesis in the Bible where God made man and then made him a helper. From the Book of Proverbs 31, she read, "She will do him good, not evil" The couple has had a successful marriage based on their faith in God. Once while stringing green beans at her mother's house, Carolyn said her mother told Thomas, "You gotta keep her, don't bring her back." "She was always full of surprises," Thomas said. Everyone who knows the couple knows Carolyn is the talker in the family. "Sometime I can't get a word in edgewise," he said. The couple worked together at Rutherford Hospital until they retired and they always worked the same shift, usually 3:30pm to11:30pm. Carolyn had 49 1/2 years at the hospital and Thomas, 45 years. Since retirement they've enjoyed traveling as much as possible. They've done mission trips, including one to Jamaica, and several others. They enjoy traveling with Toney Tours and even during they years they worked they took time for vacations. The couple can be found at the Rutherford County Senior Center where they have lunch every day. Thomas cooks breakfast at home for Carolyn and after a big lunch at the senior center, they have a snack supper. When there were fusses during the years, Thomas said the couple always worked them out because of their commitment and their faith in God. One of the themes of their marriage comes from an Amish proverb, "A house is made of walls and beams; a home is made of love and dreams." Their parents were Hamlet and Mildred Harmon and Thomas' parents were Charlie and Nancy Bailey. While James was working long hours away from home, Tinnie also worked full-time and took care of the family and home. James gives June the credit for raising their children to be good people. "I tried to raise them to keep their mind on positive things," she said. She was also the one who took them to all extra curricular activities, Girl Scouts and sports. "I would be grading papers while sitting in the car at a ballgame," she said. When James wasn't working, there was always family togetherness in the evenings and on Sundays. They attend New Bethel Independent Church in Forest City. While the children were home the family took vacations, either camping or staying in motels. "We've been a lot of places and seen a lot of things," James said. They are also close to their fi ve grandchildren and see them as often as possible. "There is a lot of togetherness," James said, especially since retirement. Two weeks ago James started going to the Senior Center and fell in love with the place and people. He enjoys having lunch there and getting to know people and making new friends. Tinnie works out at Lifestyles gym and is considering going with James to the Center. "We've got a good foundation. You can build a house, but without a belief in God and His love you can only go so far," James said. "You have to have faith and you have to know when it is time to marry," he said. "There's a lot more things to marriage than you think," he added. Although the couple lived in big cities, James asked Tinnie when they married where she wanted to live. She told her husband she would go wherever "he wanted to call home." After leaving Philadelphia, they moved back to North Carolina and made Rutherford County their home. For Valentine's they plan to go to dinner at Texas Roadhouse in Spartanburg. "If they couldn't go, we didn't go," Ricky said. Ricky did admit, he is not a shopper and has never gone with June and the girls on their annual Black Friday shopping days. For Easter the families go to the beach where one of their daughters organizes and directs an Easter sunrise service on the beach for the whole family. "Christmas Eve and Christmas Day we are all together," June said. It was also a Halloween tradition when the girls were still at home before going trick-or- treating to have spaghetti. That is still a tradition. "He is my rock" June said of her husband. "If I'm down, we're there together. He is my everything," she said. Ricky battled prostate cancer a few years ago and at times he wanted to stop treatments but June was there to encourage him to go on. Today he is cancer free. They also credit the Rutherford County Senior Center for uplifting them in a dark time in their marriage when June was depressed due to the unexpected death of her brother and fi ve months later the death of her mother. Ricky was concerned about June's mental state and he suggested they go to the Rutherford County Senior Center. "Do you know what she said? " Ricky asked. "I'm not going there with the old people," June responded. They went to the center in January 2017 and their lives changed. "It was a good day," June said. " S p e n d i n g time together with these people helps," Ricky said. "This is our life." They became involved in the lives of people there, made a lot of new friends and became regular volunteers. Both help serve the meals every day and participant in the Senior Games. They are Ambassadors for the Senior Games. "We sit here and listen to one another and to each other's problems," Ricky said of their friends. COVID-19 put a damper on them being together at the center but they took the opportunity to come by the drive-thru line to pick up lunch. They still enjoy vacationing with their family, often camping as they did when the girls were young, After the children were born the couple began a tradition of taking them to Disney World every other year. They enjoy camping, hiking and walking. Last year, Ricky registered 500 miles and June walked 300 miles. For their 50th anniversary the Greens traveled 8,000 miles across the country, visiting a lot of places along the 30 day trip that also included a stop at Disneyland. They thank God for sustaining them all these years and say God is the reason they are still together with their family. They are members of Concord Baptist Church and are active there. They will attend the annual Valentine's Day dinner but if looking for them at lunch time, they'll be at the Rutherford County Senior Center - home away from home. Thomas and Carolyn Bailey on their wedding day. Continued from front page. Thomas and Carolyn Bailey. THOMAS & CAROLYN BAILEY... JAMES & TINNIE DAWKINS... RICKY & JUNE GREEN... James and Tinnie Dawkins on their wedding day. James and Tinnie Dawkins. Ricky and June Green on their wedding day. Ricky and June Green. Local Advertising for Local Businesses When it comes to marketing your business to local consumers, nobody does it better than Rutherford Weekly! • Print Ads • • Digital Advertising • • Special Sections • • Websites • 157 West Main St., Forest City 157 West Main St., Forest City 828-248-1408 828-248-1408 rutherfordweekly.com rutherfordweekly.com WEEKLY RUTHERFORD We Help Your Business Thrive