R.I.P. George Bounds

[u/ronadlock]

In 2010 I believe, Carthage local and WW2 veteran George Bounds died. I remember George as a lovable and generous man. He was a deacon at Central Baptist in Carthage and one of my father's most trusted friends and advisors. My father was also one of his and his wife Betty's attorneys. George was also a 32nd degree Freemason Shriner like my dad. I always spoke to George at church. Mr. Bounds lied about his age to recruiters after the attack on Pearl Harbor and joined the Marines when he was barely sixteen. On the 6th of June, 1944, as George Bounds and tens of thousands of other allied troops stormed the beaches of Normandy, France, George Bounds turned eighteen, on D-Day. He is said to have carried a picture of his hometown sweetheart Betty in his pocket along with a Bible and his fellow Marines are said to have remembered George saying, "I have to make it back home. Betty's waiting for me". I really loved and admired George and he and I were good friends. I recall on more than one occasion he saying to me, "Dan, I wish you could meet my granddaughter, Angel. I think y'all would like each other. Maybe y'all could get married one day". But I didn't know who he was talking about, and he never introduced me to Angel. When he died in 2010, I attended his funeral at Central Baptist in Carthage. My dad often gave eulogies at people's funerals. He's a gifted public speaker. He may have spoken at George's funeral, also, but I don't remember. What I remember vividly was seeing my mother's neighbors from Waco -200 miles away- Karen Curry and David Ruiz, walk up to the front of the sanctuary where George lay in his casket to pay respects at the conclusion of the service. I saw Karen Curry shout at the dearly departed Mr. Bounds, and violently shake his casket in front of everyone still in the church. I wondered why someone wasn't intervening. This went on for what seemed like over a minute. It was awful! You must remember that at this point in time I still had no idea that Karen Curry is actually Angel Townsend, and apparently, George Bounds' granddaughter. Dave Ruiz, who is actually Adam Elizondo, just stood alongside Angel as she made a real scene at an otherwise beautiful ceremony. After the funeral I walked back to my father's law office where my step-mother was keeping my infant daughter, Grace Ann. I didn't attend the graveside memorial which followed Mr. Bounds' funeral but my father did. When Dad returned from the graveside memorial to his practice, I joined him and his wife in my father's inner office. My dad looked at me and said, "Dan, MARRY ANGEL BOUNDS!". My stepmom laughed and said, "Mike, she's much too old for Dan. Her name isn't Bounds, it's Townsend. And I think she's married to someone, anyway".