He was a big old man-standin well over 6 feet. Hands as big as hams and a smile just as big. He never met a stranger, I dont suppose. When he wasn't "poundin steel" he would enjoy visitin with friends that just happened to drop by his blacksmith shop. Little kids loved him because he took the time to talk to'm and treat'm like they were as important as "big men". We'd walk over to grandpa's house sometimes in the summertime, and would hear Bert "klink klink klink'n" the steel with his big 4 pound blacksmith hammer for probably a half mile before we ever got there. We always loved turnin the forge blower with the big hand crank. He'd just grin and let us do it when [I now know slowed'm down]I'm sure he could've done it much quicker. As we got older he was purty well crippled up with arthritis but still had time to help us with our petty projects. When it came time to settle up most of the time he wouldn't take anything at all. He enjoyed talkin to people and we were people! Even when he'd sharpen plow shares for farmers the price was usually half dollar per share! A WW 2 vet that had seen those things that man should never see-he was not bitter or withdrawn. He'd been divorced by his young wife and stayed livin at her folks house. He also raised their adopted son while livin at his ex-inlaws. Even when she would come visitin her folks with her new husband old Bert was still enjoyable to be around. After her folks died [my grandpa and grandma] Bert moved to town with the adopted son. He built a little blacksmith shop there and tried tinkerin a little bit longer. He died a couple years after movin to town. I helped dig his grave in about 1960, in Decker cemetary. Back in those days friends, neighbors and family helped dig the graves. He was a well liked man and was really missed after his death. Farmers had no place to take their farm equipment for blacksmith work after he died. We not only lost a fine blacksmith we also lost a good friend! Rest in peace Bert! Matt. 24:44

-- hoot (hoot@pcinetwork.com), November 28, 2000

Answers

Hoot, I went to the funeral home to see Bert and I think he is the only person I have seen in death with a smile.

-- ruth in s.e.Illinois (bobtravous@email.com), November 29, 2000.

On my birth certificate my father's occupation is twice listed as "Blaksmith". He was far more of a mechanic and made forage chopper boxes. However, the shop still had the forge and occasionally he would fire it up to do something. One of my earliest memories is watching him poke around in the fire then bring out the hot iron to shape.

There is a renewed interest in blacksmithing today as a hobby or full-time occupation. Perhaps part of the appeal is you get to do things your mother use to scold you about: playing with fire, getting dirty, making a lot of noise.

Actually one of my cats is a blacksmith also. When I was worked he came and laid down on the other side of the anvil. I dropped a piece of hot steel on his tail and he made a bolt for the door.

-- Ken S. in WC TN (scharabo@aol.com), November 29, 2000.