The property where I grew up is in a town called Garner, North Carolina. Garner sits three miles southeast of Raleigh, which is North Carolina's state capital.
The property was first owned by my Grandfather. Upon the death of my Grandfather Willie Whitaker, the property went to his wife, my Grandmother Sallie Whitaker, for whom the Subdivision is named.
The Sallie Whitaker Subdivision consists of seven lots that were to be transferred to each of my grandparents seven children. LO6 was transferred to their daughter Verna Mae Whitaker who became my mother.
Through marriage LO6 became the property of my mother and father Louis Shepard. Like her mother, my mother had seven children. Even with seven children, my mother constantly dreamed of one day having her own home built on her lot as opposed to having to rent from someone else. With only a third grade education, my father granted my mother her wish by taking his God-given, self-taught engineering talent and built the family home on Lot LO6.
With seven siblings in the family, it was important for the family to discuss what would happen to the property upon the passing of our parents. As time passed on, these discussions proved to be invaluable.
Following the death of our mother, the property went to our father. After our father's death, the home on LO6 was transferred to our baby brother, Anthony Wayne Shepard. The transfer is officially reflected in the Wake County Real Estate record. The transfer of LO6 to the baby in my family followed the same transfer process my grandmother used when LO1 was transferred to the baby in her family, my Uncle Bobby Whitaker.
The property transfer described in this post reveals the legacy of three generations spanning a total of 119 years. Is it really 119 years? Yes. My Grandmother Sallie was born in 1899. From 1899 to 2018 is a total of 119 years.
This is a legacy to remember, to cherish, and to be proud of.