Fond memories of you fill my head and heart today and will forever. Last week my dad Norman Shreves passed. He was born(1938) and raised in Sistersville graduating in 1956. He was always proud of being from Sistersville and West Virginia. He told me many times “I was born and raised a West Virginia boy and I will always be one till I die.” I remember the stories of Sistersville when he was growing up full of hunting, fishing, caddying at the country club and how busy the town was then.

While I was not born or raised there it will always be a place that I feel at home. My memories are different but just as strong and heart warming as his were. We always went up anytime we could when I was young. From football games at the old high school to family reunions, days spent running with cousins, visiting family, or just driving the backroads it was always a joy and a treat for me. We even traveled to Charleston for championship football games in the 80’s.

After growing up I moved to Columbus OH. for a couple of yearswhich found me just a couple of hours away. I spent many weekends in town visiting family in the area. I remember one game Sistersville played against River in Ohio. My cousin Bo (James) and I were standing at the fence when a bunch of kids started running onto the field so we just got inline behind them. They had us stand in two lines across the field for the River football team to run between. My aunt Shirley and uncle June (Bert) spotted us and gave us the business for going over to the otherside. Just a moment in time but lots of fun and a life long memory.

After marrying and having children of my own, life got busy and trips got fewer and farther between. But we still made it up about once a year and I was happy to introduce them to the town I grew to love growing up. Now that they are all grown themselves sometimes they tell me their stories of the fun they had. From fishing to fireworks over the river, running with their cousins to taking the ferry over to Fly.

Two generations of memories from non natives could only come from a wonderful town such as Sistersville.

To the young people of Sistersville, cherish the time you spend there.You don’t think much about it now but in a few years after your grown and perhaps move away, you will find memories drifting back home to Sistersville and the good times you had there. In this day and time there is a lot of good to be said of growing up in a small town. To all the wonderful and friendly residents of Sistersville, like Bob Hope used to sing, “Thanks for the memories.” Whenever I think of my dad I will think of you and whenever I think of Sistersville I will think of my dad, two big influences in my life.

Steven Shreves, Chester,Va