Michael Witherspoon:  

Life I grew up in Lake Forest area, We moved to Holmsdale in 1949 from Rocky Mount NC, my Dad was transferred with ACL to work at the shops out on Mc Duff, he was a steam pipe fitter, He actually worked on some of their old steam locomotives. I remember the Michaelis family who lived nearby, as the Interstate moved in, our house overlooking deadmans curve was bought by the state for the right of way for the Lem Turner Rd overpass. We then moved to 634 Iva Place. My family moved throughout Jacksonville during my Jr. and Sr. High period. I attended Lake Forest elementary through the fourth grade, I was there for the big polio scare. My first grade teacher came down with polio, She lived on Bunkerhill Rd. I think! I visited her a few times at her home while she was in an iron lung. I remember Rusty Collins, his sister Cheree, Jimmy Carr and his sister ,can't recall her name. Tommy and Billy Pugh, Roger Strickland and his sister "Baby sis". Also, the Ziemba family, he was a Navy Officer. The Whites who lived kinda on the hill on Edgewood Ave. Oh, and of course, "old man Anders" at the end of the road. For those who will remember, I was runover in 1953 at 5 points, (right down Edgewood from the Elementary School). I lived on Marion St when the Baptist Church burned. I was friends with the Walkers, Doug and Melanie, Kenny and Nancy Ynclan, Jeanette Newsom, her brothers Royal and Doyle. I attended Ribault Jr. High when it was brand new. We live on Winton Drive then. About two long blocks from the school. I won 1st prize in a yo-yo contest held at the little store across the street from the elementary school, behind the 7-11. I hung out at the Sinclair station with the cops who ran it, one was Mr. Hobbs, can't recall the other. There I knew Robby Huddleston, his sister Judy, Butch McNiel, Gene McCloud, David Johnston, Bobby and his brother that lived on the corner. A girl named Wanda Jackson and Pam Wolf. Used to go to the skating rink over across the bridge, Riverview I think. I lived in Ortega where I met Michael Brandon (Brannon) and Mike Thornberg, went to one year, 5th grade at Ortega Elem. ...Expand for more