Wednesday, February 24, 2021
So sorry to hear about the passing of Alston, my condolences and prayers to Charlotte and the rest of the family.
I always enjoyed talking with Alston when I saw him at the Bemis & Glady reunion or some other location when we got together.. He and Charlotte always sent me a fruit cake for Christmas which I always looked forward to receiving. He was born next to where my father was living near Bemis in a very remote area along the Shavers Fork of Cheat River. When he and my dad got together, there was always plenty of things to discuss because of this connection.
Alston graciously provided numerous pictures for publication in the books I had written and had one of the Bemis coal tipple that nobody else seems to have a copy of, I was elated to get a copy of it.
There was a common bond that I shared with Alston and the fact that we grew up in a similar location with families that shared a common background. It is with sadness that I write this because now I will not be able to talk with him again. Prayers for the family and Charlotte. Sincerely, Steve Bodkins
