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Donna Flood
Finding Heart
Rodney, Baby Picture


Rodney Lee Flood was born April 30, 1934. His mother was good about telling me of her life when he was a baby. Wenona said they lived in a garage apartment when he was small. Because they lived in such a small apartment, she had to continually concentrate on keeping things picked up. During Rod's first years the weather was unseasonably warm. Of course, in those days there was no such thing as air-conditioning. The apartment had a rather large flat roof with a short fence around it. This is where they spent many nights. They were able to sleep more comfortably out side.

Rodney's father, John Wesley Flood was always a hard worker and he worked many double shifts for the oil company, City Service Oil. Shift work caused him to have to sleep during the day. He would do this by keeping a large fan in the bedroom so as to block out day time noise.

For a time he also took a job as caretaker of the Lew Wentz estate. At this address they lived very well, indeed. Lew Wentz was a millionaire oil man at the time and his lands were vast. The gate house provided for them was actually quite elegantly built of stone. Of course, the grounds were available for Rodney to roam at will. There was abundant fishing, golf courses, Olympic size swimming pool available. Mr. Wentz kept deer, buffalo, and other animals behind very high chain link fences which bordered many acres of land. Basically what the Flood family did was to live on those grounds. Mr. Flood had a way about him, he was quite pleasant, but was well able to see after the property.

John Flood later built their own homes and this was where they lived. Between those homes they lived for a time on the farm and John farmed. This is when I met Rodney during one of his furloughs from the Marines. I think I fell in love with the whole family. Mrs. Flood always presented herself in a very beautiful way. She was warm hearted, but a little quiet and reserved. Mr. Flood was kind and considerate in small ways. Rodney and I spent most of our time with his family while he was home. It was the greatest pleasure. We had pleasant meals together. We visited while sitting on the porch swing. Rodney and his little brother John spent time together while we watched as they played. It was summer time and the beauty of the land at the farm house where they lived captured my heart. The family had a fineness about them and they made me feel comfortable. I would remind them of my Indian heritage and it never seemed to bother them, which was a little rare at the time. To be Indian was not always acceptable then especially if a favorite son was interested possibly for marriage. All the time I was dating I was always careful not to get too involved with anyone if I felt it might be a problem. If there was even a tiny possibility or hint of some prejudice very quietly would, I slip out of things. Sometimes, I might have been too careful. Once there was a very wealthy family whose son offered me an engagement ring. Because of their wealth and position in that town, I would not get involved. Years later he still could not understand why. For the life of me, I can't remember what happened. There must have been some little something to turn me away. Rodney's family never once gave me that feeling, not in any way.

Rodney attended Phillips University at Enid for a time taking pre-med. He then went into the Marine Corp and served a four-year hitch, part of it in Korea and some in Japan.

We were married September 6, 1957. I had money saved. This along with the G.I. bill allowed us to both attend Northern Oklahoma College, fall of 1957.


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