Wallingford/Jarlov Family Trees

Two daughters (Campbell and Allied Families)

5 November 2008

Telephone conversion between Nick Wallingford and Neva Chastain nee Roberson.

Neva was surprised to hear from me, as she had known that Arrel Lee and Jeannie Roberson were researching the Roberson side of the family. When they had told her I would like to phone her, she immediately knew that I was on the Campbell side, so didn't understand how they had heard of me. I told her my genealogy work had a bit on both sides, but I'd not ever known all that much about the Robersons to start with.

She was apologetic, saying she couldn't even say whether Mom was still alive, as the last contact she had had was a family reunion of sorts held up at Mom's place in the county, which would have been nearly 20 years ago. I told her of Mom's death, and she said that it had happened at about the same time her own husband (of 57 years of marriage) and one of her daughters had died. The daughter had died of a pituitary tumor. Her other daughter lives in Colorado - she is involved with the Sports Authority there.

She and her sister Oretha are the only ones still living - Lorena (younger than Oretha), Irma and her younger brother Johnnie Clyde have all died. Johnny only died several years ago in a tragic accident when he drove off Pikes Peak in his car.

I think that each of her daughters have had one daughter of their own. The daughter of one of them, her grand daughter, is 18 years old and chose to move to Fort Collins, Colorado, to go to university.

Neva's older sister Oretha lives in Florida, and is not well. She has had several strokes, and says that she would not be able to really talk to anyone.

Neva is 81. She lives on her own, in north Houston. Though her daughter made her come to stay through the recent hurricane, after the actual day it hit, she stayed in her own house, 13 days without power or water (as she has an electric pump). Two of her big trees came down, and she is still waiting for repairs to her roof, though since it is not actually leaking she counts herself lucky.

She remembers Aunt Sister maybe more than Mom. Margie was closer to her own age; Mom she thought of as more like an older sister (Mom and Oretha being closer to together in age.)

She clearly remembers coming into Houston to stay at Mom's place (Henry Ogg's house) as a child. This would have been after Bessie died. She said that Henry had, she thought, originally hired Dovey Mae to take care of the children, then found it "more convenient" to marry.

She remembers clearly Mom and Addice Campbell coming up to stay with her family for the summers in Waller. I asked her just where they had lived - she said that it just wouldn't be easy for her to say, that it wasn't like they had street signs or real addresses. She said it was just "Route 2, Waller". She had been taken up there in the last few years and was really pleased to see that the old barn was still standing. The house was gone, but she sounded like she had really enjoyed the chance to go up there to see the area again.

Claude and Maggie, her parents, had moved to Houston only 3 months before her graduation from Waller High School. That would have been about 1943 or 1944, by my estimation (she was born in 1927). Neva had refused to move with them, and stayed with a neighboring family until after graduation - she said she had been all the way through the school until that time, and didn't want to leave before graduation.

After moving to Houston, she went to a business school, and then met her husband shortly after that. He was born in Little Rock, Arkansas.

When Mom was growing up in the Heights, Uncle Dorris was living on the next street over. Uncle John lived a few houses away. Aunt Cora was living next door to Henry's house.

Neva has an especially fond memory of Aunt Cora. Cora used to come up to visit them in Waller, and always brought 'special gifts'. At some point when Neva was young, Aunt Cora brought her a baby ring, that had three rubies (her birthstone) in it. She still has the ring...

She talked some about her father's family. I had asked about Robert Hand, and she confirmed he was the son of her father's sister Ora. She said he died in WWII, a "very sad time indeed". She said he was one of the most handsome boys that ever was. She said that "Aunt Nell" (Mary Alice Roberson) and another sister (it would be either "Sue" - Eugenia Ellis Roberson - or Clara Roberson) lived in a house in Hempstead. She mostly remembers going there to visit when she was young because they had an organ, and she used to really enjoy going to visit them so she could play on it.

She didn't ever know much about our family after Mom got married. She remembered only one story, about Joan. She tells it that Mom had milk delivered by a milkman. When Joan was about 3, she opened the door to the milkman and said "Please, can you leave us some chocolate milk tomorrow? It has been years and years since I've had any chocolate milk!". As Joan was so small, she was taken by the story and remembered it all these years.

She said that her own mother, Margaret Lorena (called "Maggie") had a big box of photos. After her mother's death, Neva kept them, until one of the other sisters wanted to look at them for some reason. That sister's husband, who was going a senile, took the whole box and burned them in the backyard. She still remembers one particular family photo what had all the children, including Johnny Clyde as a baby, that she she wishes she still had.

Neva Chastain (1927 - 2014)
Obituary

Neva Leona Chastain of Houston, TX passed away peacefully at home on January 25, 2014 at the age of 86. She was born in Waller, Texas to Margaret and Claude Roberson. She graduated Valedictorian from Waller High School in 1943 then chose to attend Business School. Her career began with an insurance company and she worked until meeting the love of her life, Jeff Chastain Jr. on a blind date! They married on December 6, 1946, and lived in Houston where they soon began raising their daughters, Linda and Gay.

Neva was a wonderful Mother who was energetic and organized, spending most of her time sewing, cooking and raising her daughters to love to play the piano in church. Most of all, Neva loved teaching children in Sunday School classes at Memorial Baptist Church where she and Jeff were members since 1958. Neva later worked for Foley's and was a terrific sales lady! Years later, she became a school Secretary for Stovall Junior High school in Aldine ISD. She was known there as a smart, speedy, organized and kind secretary who knew all the answers!

Being a deeply caring family member, Neva has always been a great hostess of homemade ice-cream gatherings in her home. She cared about everyone! Her granddaughters, Kelly and Blaire, as well as her great-grandchildren, Ellery and Brennan, were all so special to her. Her favorite time of the year was Halloween when she and Jeff made popcorn for all the children at church. Her favorite sport was fishing! Her favorite drink was buttermilk!

She was truly a servant of the Lord and was a faithful follower. Her faith remained strong until the end, which we all know is just the beginning!
Neva is preceded in death by her parents; her husband; her daughter, Linda Chastain Smith; her sisters and brother.

She is survived by her daughter, Gay Chastain (Robert) Brownlee, of Houston; granddaughters, Kelly Smith (George) McMahan of Florida and Blaire Rachelle Brownlee of Houston; great-grandchildren "twins" Ellery and Brennan McMahan; sister-in-law Margaret Allen and husband Bill Allen of Cleveland, Texas; and a host of nieces, nephews and other family members. Family will be present to rNeva Leonaeceive friends on Wednesday, January 29, 2014 at Woodlawn Funeral Home from 5:30 - 7:30 pm. A memorial service celebrating Neva's life will be held at Woodlawn Funeral Home on Thursday, January 30 at 10:00am in the Chapel.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the . The family sincerely appreciates Neva's wonderful caregivers Ronnie Julien, Jeremy Treadwell and Tasha Mims. The love and care that you gave Neva in the hospital and through Hospice will always be remembered. God Bless Neva, as she will be dearly missed by all who knew her. 2 Timothy 4: 6-8.