namesake
My mom and her sister, my Aunt Evelyn Hushman were very close. They double dated when my parents were dating, and Aunt Evelyn and her husband, my Uncle George enjoyed going along. The all had a lot in common, and enjoyed similar things. Later, after my mom was married to my dad, they bowled together too. For years, during my childhood, I remember them going bowling together. It wasn’t all about our parents bowling either, our families were together a lot. I have fond memories many times that we got to go out to Aunt Evelyn and Uncle George’s house. We played in the basement, and down at the Mills Elementary School. We even played hide and seek all over the house, and most of us remember hiding in that big front window area of their house. In fact, we all remember just sitting in that area. It was a peaceful, and just a special almost secret place.
Aunt Evelyn was the first child of my grandparents, George and Hattie Byer. Of course, that meant she helped raise the rest of her siblings. I’m sure that wasn’t exactly her favorite thing. I remember my sister, Cheryl Masterson babysitting us and being “the boss” of us when our parents were not at home. We didn’t really like that, and I’m sure she didn’t either. Still, being the oldest meant that Aunt Evelyn could get a job, date, and get married first, essentially letting her off the hook for the responsibility of the younger siblings in the later years of their growing up. Then, other siblings stepped up as the helpers, I suppose. We all pay our dues I suppose, with the exception of the youngest child, but then again, they get to help with the nieces and nephews of the older kids, so it all evens out in the end.
One of the coolest things for someone, as they become grandparents, is the possibility of having a namesake 
come when one of your children or grandchildren has a child. It is a wonderful show of their love for you. That is such a great honor and one that Aunt Evelyn received on September 10, 2020, when little Evelyn Mae Johnson was born to Alicia and Dillon Johnson. Alicia is Aunt Evelyn’s great granddaughter through her grandson, Michael Young. It was such a sweet gift to Aunt Evelyn, and I know that while she wasn’t here to see it, she would be very honored indeed. Today would have been Aunt Evelyn’s 92nd birthday. Happy birthday in Heaven, Aunt Evelyn. We love and miss you very much.
Four years ago, my niece Jessi Hadlock married Jason Sawdon, and they began a blessed life together. Theirs was the last wedding my mom, Jessi’s grandma, Collene Spencer was able to attend. Mom always felt very blessed by Jessi, and then by Jason too. Jessi and Jason were very much in love, but they knew that it was time for their love to grow, with the addition of a child. It had been a long wait for all of us who knew about the pregnancy, because unlike most couples these days, Jessi and Jason decided not to find out the gender of the baby. They wanted this whole experience to be filled with excitement and mystery. Lots of people asked them over and over again if they were going to find out what the baby was, but they stood their ground. The chosen names for girl or boy were kept secret too.
Finally, six days after her due date, Jessi gave birth to a beautiful baby girl named Adelaide Ione. She was born on August 25, 2016 at 3:18pm. She weighed 7 pounds 14 ounces and she was 20 inches long. She is a mix of her parents, and some see Jessi, while others see Jason, but there were tears all around when Jason introduced little Adelaide Ione to my sister Allyn Hadlock and her husband, Chris Hadlock, because her name was extra special. Adelaide came from Jessi’s grandpa Hadlock’s mom…Dorothy Adelaide Hadlock, and Ione came from Jessi’s grandmother…my mom, Collene Ione Spencer. I know that both grandmothers would have been very pleased. It was such a sweet name choice, and one that was felt deeply by the whole family. I know that my mom would have loved having a little namesake, and I’m sure Jessi’s dad’s grandma would have too. There are few things that are more of an honor to a person than that.
Little Adelaide Ione came home with her parents, and got to meet another member of the family, who was very curious about this new addition. Jessi and Jason have a sweet Boxer dog named Daisy, and Daisy thinks that little Adelaide Ione is pretty much the coolest thing ever. Daisy suddenly feels like she has a job to do…watch 
over this precious little person who has joined their family. Dogs are sometimes so motherly, and it is such a sweet gesture. Of course, little does Daisy know that before long that little person will be able to run and play with her. Daisy will soon have a playmate, and that will really be awesome. Adelaide Ione came home to find herself a part of a family who is totally in love with her, and that is a great way to start life. Congratulations to Jessi, Jason, Adelaide Ione, and of course, Daisy too. We are so happy for all of you.
There is something about naming a child after yourself, or your parent, that appeals to a lot of people. My dad was named after his dad, and my Uncle Bill Spencer was named after his grandfather. Sometimes it’s the first name that came from the parent, sometimes it’s the middle name, or sometimes it’s both. For my Uncle George Hushman, who didn’t know his own family until much later in life, life presented him with a perfect plan for a namesake. When Uncle George married my Aunt Evelyn Byer, he became the second George in the family, because his father-in-law, my Grandpa George Byer was the first George. Since Uncle George didn’t know his family at the time he married my Aunt Evelyn, he pretty much adopted her family as his family.
I don’t know if their first son, George was named after Uncle George or Grandpa George, or if it was both, but I kind of think it might have been both. Then, when he had a son, my cousin George, named his son George. Suddenly there were four Georges in the family. Of course, with the four Georges came the need for nicknames to distinguish between the three and then the four of them. My cousin George became Bub, and his son, my cousin once removed, George became Hush. It seems like anytime a child is named after a parent, nicknames are inevitable, but the parent truly still has a namesake. I’m sure that my grandfather felt honored to have so many named after him, even if he shared that with Uncle George, and I think they both liked the whole thing enough to want a picture of the four Georges as a keepsake. And now, there is a fifth George, with the addition of Tuff.
My husband, Bob was named after his grandfather, Bob Knox, and so my Bob became Bobby to his family…but that was not allowed by his wife, mind you. I can’t say as I blame him, really, I mean it is a little juvenile when you think about it. My nephew, Rob was also named after his dad, and we all called him Robbie, but his wife, Dustie was not allow to use that either…again, too juvenile. Naming a child after someone else can be a little problematic for the one being named, when they grow up and the name seems far too young for them.
For my Uncle Bill, being named after his grandfather was the greatest honor that could have been bestowed on him. He wore the name with pride…often mentioning the connection in the family history along with his signature, as a way of honoring his grandfather. I think that is what having or being a namesake is all about. It is a show of love for the person who had the name first, as well as for the child named after someone very dear to their parents. Maybe it began as a tradition, but even then, it is a show of honor, love, and great respect, and it is a cool thing to do.
