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Remembering my grandfather


Twenty-two years ago today my maternal grandfather, Lloyd Pierson Still, passed away. May His Memory Be Eternal.

My grandfather was born on 24 March 1914 to Pierson George and Mary Kilpatrick Still. His mom immigrated from Ireland. His father came from a long line of Chester County farmers and land owners. In fact, I have not yet found my Still immigrant.

His mother died in childbirth when he was just three, leaving his father to raise two boys on his own. A housekeeper was brought in by name of Edith Maltby. I know little else of her. The family lived in East Marlborough, Chester County.

I have no clue how my grandparents actually met. I’ve asked several cousins and am hoping one of them heard a story or recalls something. On 21 October 1939 he married my grandmother, Mary Rose Welsh of Phoenixville. They had three children: Aunt Kitty (Mary Kathleen), my mom (Barbara Lorraine), and my Uncle Tom (Thomas Garrett). 

In 1940, according to the Census, he was a paper hanger and worked for his uncle. At some point he went into business for himself. My grandmother used to always talk about his painting business when they lived in Unionville, somewhere near the cemetery. From 1956 until he retired in 1979, he was a painting foreman at Longwood Gardens, outside Kennett Square.

He died of emphysema at the Chester County Hospital in West Chester, Chester County. He had been in there for some time. His lung had collapsed in February that year (1993). In March, he had a tracheotomy and also pneumonia. By the end of March, he was on a respirator and, according to my journal notes from that time, they were doing 100% of his breathing for him. He was 79 when he passed on this day in 1993.

My grandfather was buried at St. Patrick’s RC Cemetery in Kennett Square on the 7th. The pallbearers were my husband; Tim, Kenny and Kevin (my Uncle Tom’s sons and son in law); John Wheatman (related through Uncle Tom’s wife Neva Wheatman); and Billy Dreisbach (close enough to be family).


© Jeanne Ruczhak-Eckman, 2015
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