Thursday, September 21, 2023
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Some of my most favorite memories of JT, are with my sister (of course), TERRY CONRAD BOTTOM whom he shared 15 adventure-filled, but more important faithful years with before a glioblastoma took her away from us. Their love affair started when JT & I were at a golf dinner party together. He was without a date & just casually asked, “Does anyone know a short girl I could date?” My sister Terry was only 5’2” & JT 5’6.” A perfect match. He called her & after that night, they were inseparable. From Christmases & Thanksgivings in Tallahassee or Anchor to Windward or football parties hosted by The Admiral & Glo when The Admiral was known to ask, “Can I build you a drink?” to swimming parties and Econocom trips to Barbados or the Bitter End Yacht Club, they did it all…together with friends and loved ones!! We were always family & JT called Warren & me his brother & sister. Our children were his nephews. JT taught them to swing on the vines on the trees on Galloway Golf Course (across the street from Terry & JT’s last house in Memphis) while pretending to be on some great adventure. Being his family didn’t end when Terry left us. Sometime after she passed, Julie entered his world & the two of them brought Sophie into our family. What a joy that was. JT was now complete! Warren & I were asked to be Sophie’s godparents which we considered an honor (still do to this day)! JT knew after they left Memphis it would be more difficult to stay close, but he said, “We can do this. We have to. You are my family and I need you to be there for us.” When they had to drive cross country to Oregon, we kept Sophie for 3.5 weeks so they could unpack & ready the house without Sophie interrupting them. Man, was that a blast! When time came to give her back, we sure didn’t want her to leave. We flew to Oregon to be with them when Sophie’s adoption was finalized. She flew back & forth to PA or TN every summer to spend 2-3 weeks with us. I went camping in WA on several occasions. One camping trip was strictly so I (who had not camped in probably 15 yrs) could teach Sophie how to put up her own one-man tent & then the two of us had to sleep in it! That was so much fun & led to many, many laughs between Sophie & me that we did it again just for the fun of it, but I bought Sophie & me a bigger tent! There were ski trips to Mt. Hood, Breckinridge & Park City, and phone calls every TN or Ole Miss football game. To say the least, the Carmichael & Conrad families have been JT’s “family” for 46 years, and are privileged to have been loved by him. JT, my dear brother, I have kept our deal, the pact we made when I “chauffeured” you on your “Just-in-Case tour. As your family for so long, we shall always be Sophie’s family & her family’s family! We will always honor you & the wishes you shared with me. We will miss your bigger-than-life-personality, your Peter Pan ways, your voice & the way you loved your Pal, your daughter Sophie, but we will always KEEP ON SMILING!
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