Allen Barber "Doc" Varnell was born June 24th, 1928 to Oscar Bolden and Rosa Annie Webb Varnell.
Doc Varnell was child #11 of 15 children. Oscar was married to Ida Corbett Varnell in 1910, and Ida died after having 9 children, 7 that survived birth. Baby #6 was named Nettie and she died at 6 months. Oscar married Rosa Annie Webb in 1925 and Doc was their 2nd child.
Doc got his nickname as the Doctor who delivered him was Dr. Allen Barber.
I've heard that Papa Oscar Bolden Varnell helped deliver many of his children with both Ida and Rosa. For some reason Dr. Barbour was available to help with Doc. :)
Doc never married, nor had any children that we are aware of. He lived with his parents and took care of them until their deaths. (Oscar 1959) and Rosa (1988).
*I always shared my birthday with Uncle Doc as I was born on June 25th. I know his favorite was coconut cake. As soon as I would wish him a happy birthday, he would ask if I had brought him a coconut cake, his favorite.
Stories as told by his brother Paul.
1) Doc liked to drink (as well as a lot of his brothers). Paul rode on the roller coaster at Norfolk which was known to be dangerous and deadly. This nearly scared the wits out of him.
Several people had died and he struggled to stay in the seat. This was the 1950s and before the safety harnesses. Paul left the ride shaken and didnt care to ride it ever again.
Paul saw Uncle Doc standing there drunk as a 'hootie owl' with his hands in his pockets trying to get together enough coins to buy a ticket to this monster roller coaster. Barely able to stand, swaying to and fro, due to drinking all day.
Paul just looked at him, put his hand on his shoulder and said "No Doc, You don't want to get on this roller coaster".
Thankfully Doc didn't.
2) Doc would pull a drunk back in the day. during the 1970s, He and Grandma lived at Little Easonburg, NC (Hwy 64 between Rocky Mount and Nashville). The small 6 room house they lived in had a living room, and a bedroom to the right, a kitchen off the living room and a 2nd bedroom to the right. and a small porch on the back of the house, with doorways from the kitchen and the hallway to the bathroom and the 3rd bedroom. You could walk from the 1st bedroom thru Bedroom 2, and 3; and then turn left to a small hallway to the only bathroom. If you went straight at the bathroom, you went out the door to the back porch.
Doc had pulled a drunk which would usually last about 2 weeks. My sister and I had walked quietly to the bathroom and tried not to wake him. He did awake. He called out to my sister and she said "what?? He then said "I can't find my left foot", "Do you know where it is?"
I can still smell the cheap wine that he like to drink.
3) My cousin Mark stated that Doc would send him to one of the country stores at the crossroads and Mark would purchase "corn liquor' for him. Mark being all of 9 or so at the time.
4) Doc was a carpenter and a painter by trade. He and Grandma didn't believe in using banks. They saved their money in small metal boxes and lived frugally. Doc was a very good painter. In the 1970s, painters pants became popular for girls to wear. I had a pair. This trend shot the price up and he wasn't pleased.
5) Doc loved to fish. Most of his adult life, he would go down to the river and fish all night. It would be "black as pitch" dark on that river, but that didn't stop him. He loved going to the beach to fish. He bought an old school bus and made his own fishing camper. He made his own furniture. He loved that bus. He kept his boat under the shelter out back but towed the boat behind that bus.
Doc used to come visit me I'm Rocky Mount after fishing all day at the river and then show me his catch. Ie always say, let me know when you're going. I love to fish and would join you. I think he enjoyed fishing alone, as he would day he would but didnt. I was a newlywed so I guess he thought I wouldnt want to go.
) Doc was diagnosed with cancer in 2004. After his treatments, we brought him an air conditioner and put it in the window. It was so hot. He had a stove that had a tiny gas leak and I knew he struggled with the cancer treatments.... He left this wild of his own hand. Dad found him. I received a phone call from my cousin Teresa who liver beside him. She said well "Doc killed himself" I was crying so hard I couldn't talk. Gregg had to take over. When I finally calmed down, I was weird about Dad. Dad was Docs caretaker during his illness. I offered to go be there with Dad but wa told Police not allowing anyone in or anyone out. I always carried my heart in my sleeve with Dad.
I was asked by the preacher to write some memories about Doc as the preacher knew AUnt Nell and her family but not Doc. Teresa also submitted memories. Hers was about how DOc was always there for her and her kids and how they saw him as a grandfather. He was there when they got off the bus and they had a close relationship with him.
Paraphrasing what I wrote.
My memories of Uncle Doc includes visiting with him and Grandma and many other family members on Sundays when I was younger. There was always good conversation and sometimes disagreements but it never got our of hand. Doc was a painter and he painted most of our family homes at one time or another. I remember dolling g hin around at Little Easonburg where he would check out his boat and later the old school bus that he remade with homemade furniture. He would use that bus as his RV and travel to go fishing to the river or Swans Quarter, or the beach. I remembered his favorite cake was coconut and since our burthdaya wee come I'd being him one sometimes when it was his birthday.
My (Charlotte) most recent memory was going to check on him after his cancer treatments and make sure he wasn't dehydrated. I checked and he was good. While we were just chatting he told me something that I will never forget. He said I miss Joe Clyde. He has been gone for so very long and I truly miss him. He said Charlotte I have dreams of him often. I'm at Walmart or a store somewhere out in public and I see him with his back to me. I walk up and touch him and he turns around and it's not Joe. He says I've had the dream many times, always with the same ending. Then he said Recently I had the dream again but I was in a place so beautiful that I cant even describe it. It was nothing like Id ever seen before. Again, I saw Joe Clyde and I walked up to him and said "Joe, Joe I have missed you so much" and he turned to face me and it WAS Joe. Not the sick frail man who died, but the young man in that black and white photo there. (He pointed to the picture on the table). He said we rejoiced and I just hugged him and cried and told him how much I loved and missed him. He continued it was then I knew this beautiful indescribable place I was with him at was Heaven and he was there with Momma and Papa and the others and no more pain and I knew I would see him again someday in Heaven. Ot was Joe's sign to me. I woke up so peaceful and content and happy to have spent time with my brother. (Joe Clyde died at 59 in 1987 and Grandma V died the next year....probably from a broken heart). And I knew that I would be with him someday in that beautiful place, Heaven.
I (Charlotte) know that God wanted Doc to share that story with me, so I could share with you. I know that Doc visited Uncle Joe Clyde in heaven. I know that Uncle Doc was saved and loved God. I know he is in heaven with Joe Clyde, Grandma, Papa and the rest of the family. This gives me great peace and I hope it gives you the same.
***We are a religious family and some were worried that because Doc took his life he wouldn't be in Heaven.
My Uncle RP was at home sick with cancer and couldn't make it to the funeral. My cousin Mark V contacted me later and asked for a copy of the memories. He wanted Uncke RP to read it. I sent him a copy.
I miss all my Aunts and Uncles. I wish I had realized how lucky I was back then to have them closely and be able to visit. On Dads side they are all gone, including Dad. January will be a year since he left. I miss him.
