Photo's by Dad

It all began after a car accident Mom, Dad and all 6 of us kids were involved in 1956-57? Mom told me that they were heading out on 71 highway (I think to Butler) and a drunk driver hit them. Mom and Dad's car was totaled. Riding in the front was Dad, Mom, Me, Galen and Thurman, Mom hit the dash and chipped her front tooth. Mom told me it threw all of us kids in a pile but we were o.k. I remember the Police driving us home. After this they got an Attorney and settled for $10,000. That was a HUGH amount of money back then! They bought a new car (the light blue 1956 Chrysler we had for years) and made a trip to Joplin shopping. At a jewlery store in Joplin Dad bought the Argus camera, a gold watch full of diamonds and a diamond ring for himself. All of us got something, I can only remember being in the jewelry store and watching Dad buy these things. Anyway that is how all the Brittingham collection of family picture taking began.