In Loving Memory Caroline McKenzie York Hutton - 5th October 1922 - 30th May 2012
My mother and father, Iredell Sidney Hutton, first started dating in high school in High Point, NC during the late 30’s and soon fell in love. They enjoyed times together at the school ball games where my mother was a cheerleader and times away from school at movies where my father had a job as an usher.
After a while their love grew to a point where they decided to secretly get married in August 1941. Just months before the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor they escaped to South Carolina and eloped. However, upon returning to High Point they continued to live at home with their families and did not tell their parents of their drastic actions until January of 1943 when my father was already serving in the Army and going to Signal Corp school in Florida. It was there at that time that my mother visited my father and both wrote to
notify their parents of their marriage.
My father soon sought higher pay and a greater challenge than what was offered in the Signal Corps. He volunteered and joined the U.S. Army Air Corps to become an Aerial Gunner and fly in B17 and B24 heavy bombers. Upon completing Gunnery School in Charleston, SC he joined the 8th Air Force and shipped out to Great Britain. Arriving on D-Day, June 6, 1944 he and his crew headed for RAF Oulton as part of the 803rd Bomb Squadron (Heavy) Provisional to fly night missions, performing radar counter measures with RAF 100 Group supporting heavy bomberraids over Europe. The 803rd was later to become the 36th Bomb Squadron (Heavy), and he continued to fly with RAF 100 Group from Station 113 Cheddington until January 1945. After Cheddington was attacked by the Germans in February 1945, the 36th moved to Station 102 Alconbury.
Throughout his time in England my father kept a diary – of course thoroughly unauthorized and against regulations. All of what he wrote was directed to my mother and how he loved and missed her. He also addressed his time with his crew and their air operations, meeting the British locals and even sharing a few experiences with his two brothers also serving in England.
In March 1945 my father returned home to mother and they began a new life together. Mother had been working in the Government Records Department and after my father left the military that year he returned to manage movie theaters. Mother graduated from college, started teaching elementary school and as God would have it, they started their family. My sister Susan was soon born in February of 1946, my brother John was to follow in 1948, me in 1950, and finally Henry surprised us all in 1960.
Naturally, there were times of trial with the Civil Rights Movement in the ‘60s and my father left the theater business, did an assortment of jobs before heading a local community action program helping poor people get jobs. This led to a state position as an Occupational Program Consultant aiding industry establish alcohol and drug abuse programs to help affected employees. He was constantly getting calls from troubled people for help he freely gave. My mother helped in her special way as well. She continued and taught school for 28 years to educate, direct and shape young minds in the best of ways of learning and living life. Both would serve on the local Mental Health board and were instrumental in establishing a thrift store to aid funding a residential treatment service
to assist those plagued by alcohol and drug abuse. My father would go on to be recognized by North Carolina’s Governor as one of our State’s most outstanding volunteers.
Both parents were active in raising us children - seeing that we did our school work and house work. They instilled in us an appreciation for music. Susan and Henry played the piano, John the drums, and me the trombone. My parents had many friends and played bridge with many of them. They loved big band music, danced and visited friends and had parties. My father was one of the largest collectors of big band music in the Southeast U.S. In church activities they saw to it that us kids attended on Sundays and holidays. They later worked and proudly established a local Unity Church.
Every summer growing up we all vacationed in Hutton beach houses on the NC coast where we enjoyed the water, the sun and the seafood. This tradition was later expanded when my mother would take just the grandkids for them to be together at the beach and relieve us parents.
In life my mother and father loved to travel to places like Niagara Falls and New Orleans, but most especially to Great Britain to hear the big band music of the Syd Lawrence Orchestra. My mother loved Great Britain dearly, its history, the beauty of its people and the countryside. She especially enjoyed the Museums and treasured her times at Pontins at Pakefield. My father and mother as well as Pam and I were close friends with Syd Lawrence and his orchestra for many years. They also went to the island of Jersey to see the band there. In 1989 it was just me and my father who travelled together as Syd Lawrence big band roadies.
These two wonderful people were married 63 years. Stephen Iredell Sidney Hutton, my father, passed away in 2005. They both gave great love and time to family, community and country. We four children, seven grandkids, and nine great grandkids have been most truly blessed to have shared so many fine times, places and memorable experiences with them.
Stephen Hutton
This article is from the Autumn 2012 issue of Confound and Destroy
