All Parishioners Great and Small is a recently published memoir by Rev. Dr. Eddie Brown who ministered at the Tonkawa Bible church for five and one-half years in the early 1980’s. In this book Eddie reflects on the people, incidents and goodness he encountered in his 38 years of ministry. The first twelve chapters of the book’s twenty-two feature Tonkawa! It is truly a local history.Joe and Mabel Marshall who owned the Western Auto store on west Grand introduced the Browns to Tonkawa at Mary’s Café, then took them east on the brick street to tour the Church followed by bed and breakfast at Joe and Mabel’s home. Cushions of cat hair and a “gargantuan” bowl of Malt-O-Meal for breakfast are incidents Eddie humorously recalls. He mentions Don Hiebert rescuing him with the loan of a suitable tie to face the congregation for the test of his first Sunday sermon.Who raced a black Camaro with yellow and orange flames by the Brown’s house? It was a tall young man who greeted customers at the Green Light Auto Store with, “Hi, Handsome! What can I do for you?” Yes, it was Larry and Reta Swords, their neighbors on the corner!One Christmas when trees were $7.00 at Foodworld, Eddie and Wes went searching for a tree alongside the country road. As Eddie was sawing away at their choice, just over the fence, who should come along but a deacon of the Baptist church, suggesting that Eddie was not only trespassing on private property, but also stealing! Humiliated and embarrassed he wrote an apology and a check for $7.00. Several days later Eddie found a paper bag of pecans with his check tucked inside from a delighted Dave Rence.Other stories and Tonkawans recalled: Hugh and Oleita Simmons generously offered the use of their “stawk” trailer.At meetings of the ministerial alliance Reverends Jack Jordan, Paul Mattox, Martin Reid, and others juggled the problem of requests for financial assistance from those who need and those who “know the ropes.”Dennis and Donna Coates and John and Debbie Birch were supporters in their mutual need as new parents and parents of toddlers.Guy Lyall was the reliable insurance agent.Among recent readers Mina Legg recalls Felicia playing with Nathaniel and Anna as she and Wesley Brown visited. Mina remarked that Wes always called her husband Brown Eddie. A reference to that may be in the next book!Judy Robinson loves ...
