Berwyn David Smith

By Velma Rose Smith

An auburn haired baby boy weighing about 8 1/2 pounds arrived the evening of July 30, 1942, at Velma and Arnold Smith’s in Whitneyville. He began crying as soon as he arrived, and cried for 3 days, loud and lustily. He grew as an average baby and seemed healthy. At about 2 months he would nurse and threw it up, and he started running a fever. Dr. Neal advised me to put him on a formula, which we did. He began to loose weight so the Dr. advised us to go to a specialist, in Elmira. We began taking him once a week to Dr. Murphy, who examined him, but could find nothing wrong. If only then, they had the knowledge and tests of today they would have found a deficiency, or something, that caused the high fever, and Berwyn wouldn’t have had to suffer the effects, all his life. With care and love and lots of prayers, he lived.

He was a handsome little boy, with his curly hair and fair complexion. Dr Murphy told us that the high fever and passing out, had damaged a portion of the brain, and he would have poor coordination. For such a seriously ill baby, he made a good comeback and he was always willing to do everything he could.

He lost a finger, with Laverne Johnston’s help, hooking machinery onto the tractor. Berwyn had a paper route for years, until he was struck by a car on Rt 6. He and Denny Fisher were on their way to the Diner, where they spent many evenings. He spent many weeks in the Wellsboro Hospital. We were lucky to have Dr. Prevost, who really kept him alive. He was left with a back injury. It was really his acceptance of pain, his will to live, that brought him through the injuries he received. Perhaps that is what kept him alive as a baby, with all our prayers.

As a little boy, he enjoyed playing with Dianne and Laverne Johnston. They went after the cows, rode on the hay and climb the trees. It was a big day when he got his bike and jumped on it and went for a ride. He drove the tractor and had lots of experiences on that. He enjoyed the trips out to Wanda’s and John’s, and going on trips with them. One time he stayed out, and came home by himself, on the train. We met him in Corning, and of course, was late, and he had to wait, not knowing when we would get there, but being Berwyn, he waited right there for us.

He has always been a happy, ambitious boy, and does a lot for everyone.