Friday, December 27, 2019
Dear Mrs. Force and family,
Jeri Mann Vines informed me of the passing of Mr. Force.
You probably don’t remember me, but my maiden name was Janice Penter. My siblings are David, Brenda, Kenneth and Ronnie. Our dad, Nathaniel (Nat) Penter, was stationed in Fort Hancock with the Border Patrol in the late 50's and again in the early 60’s. When we moved to Fort Hancock for the second time, (in 1963), your family was the first to greet us when we moved into Ms. Annie's rental house. Ricky kissed me on the cheek my first day in town!
Around 1964, when I was in 3rd grade, my mother, Lois Penter, contracted encephalitis from a mosquito bite and our family was suddenly in crisis. Mom was in the hospital for several months and dad was trying to hold it together with 5 young kids at home. Family lived in Arkansas and all had busy lives of their own with small children, jobs and farms to run. Eventually, a couple of them were able to come stay and help for a week or two between babysitters/housekeepers so that dad could work.
I was too young to appreciate it then, but what you and the people of Fort Hancock did for us during that stressful time would be a huge life lesson for me that I have surely fallen short of paying forward in kind. You brought us meals, picked us up for school and church and washed our clothes. I distinctly remember playing with Force kids and sitting at your table for meals, and Mr. Force offering the blessing. You took turns keeping us kids for a few days at a time. Someone in town would take the boys and someone would take us girls. In my little mind, it was a fun slumber party as I did not understand the dire situation you adults were so aware of. You all were so loving, kind and fun that we Penter kids didn’t know we had a problem.
Mom survived, we moved a year later, and life went on. As I began to look back on that awful period in our lives through adult eyes and how it affected our family, I realized what wonderful people surrounded us then. I have been able to find some of these people throughout the years and personally thank them for their selflessness before it was too late. Now I find myself thanking their children and grandchildren more and more often. I wish I could have thanked Mr. Force personally.
Please know that after almost 55 years, your kindness is still on my mind and in my heart for eternity.
Blessings,
Jan Penter Canamore
