By Dionne Sauers
The Prettiest Girl He Had Ever Seen…
Kenneth and Royann McCaig Farmer met as teenagers in the summer of 1950 at a party in Ennis where they had mutual friends. He then saw her again in September at the First Baptist Church in Ennis playing the piano, and he says that it was love at first sight! He was actually dating another girl that also attended First Baptist, but when he saw Royann again, he knew that she was the one for him. He will tell you that she was the prettiest girl that he had ever seen and the two began dating.
Married in Waxahachie…
The two dated for awhile and then decided to elope after Royann’s father was going to make them break up because Kenneth wanted to give Royann a promise ring. Kenneth decided that they could just go ahead and get married instead! They were married on July 26, 1951 by R.L. Raney, the minister at Farley Street Baptist Church in Waxahachie.
Even though Royann was only 15 years old at the time and felt that Mr. Raney was aware of her age, he did ask if her parents knew…but they actually did not know that she was getting married!
Life as a Couple…
After getting married in Waxahachie, they honeymooned in East Texas for a few days at Kenneth’s Aunt’s home in Grapeland. That decision began a life for the two of them that they could have never imagined. They lived in Bardwell for twelve years while Kenneth worked at Ennis Business Forms in Ennis, but he also farmed the Poff farm with his father right outside of Bardwell early in 1953. His dream was to farm full time, and he got the opportunity in 1963.
They worshiped at the Bardwell church of Christ and when fellow members Mr. and Mrs. Sutton wanted to sell their farm and move to town, Kenneth and Mr. Sutton made a business deal which entailed the Suttons moving to Bardwell into Kenneth and Royann’s newly built brick home, and Kenneth and Royann moving to the farm just west of Bardwell on highway 34. He began farming that land and many surrounding properties for the next thirty-four years until his retirement from farming in 1987. In 1978, they also purchased and operated a cotton gin that was in operation for several years.
Raising a Family…
Royann was a homemaker and was raising their four children throughout the years that Kenneth was farming. She worked a short time at the Bardwell Post Office as a clerk. Her 25-year career with Ennis ISD began when their youngest daughter was in junior high. She also worked as a special education aid at Travis Elementary, set up the library and was librarian at Bowie Elementary, and was the attendance clerk at Ennis High School for twenty one years.
Retirement & Enjoying Life!
Now married 73 years, they both enjoy retirement and spending time with their beautiful family that includes four children, 13 grandchildren, and 24 great grandchildren. They still worship at the Bardwell Church of Christ, and have dedicated their lives to the congregation and being servants to the Lord. They will both tell you that they are some of the most blessed people on this earth.
IT IS BECAUSE OF THE LORD’S BLESSINGS THAT WE FOUND EACH-OTHER & HAVE BEEN ABLE TO SHARE A BEAUTIFUL LIFE TOGETHER!