JOPLIN, Mo. —
Before May 22, 2011, life had been good to 2630 S. Wall Ave.
Homer Miller’s parents were the first to live in the charming, Craftsman-style bungalow built of Carthage stone in 1938 by local contractor Floyd Fryer.
Homer was born a year later. He soon walked the gravel street a few blocks to Irving Elementary School, and later rode his bicycle to South Middle School. His uncle, for whom he was named, lived across the street at 2702 S. Wall Ave.
Homer Miller would move out when he turned 21, but his father and mother would remain in the home until their deaths. Now 73, Homer owns Homer’s Hearing Aids.
Tomie Avant, a Carl Junction attorney, eventually moved into the home in 2002, and took on projects to make it her own: She pulled out carpet to reveal original hardwood floors, painted the kitchen and front bedroom, and sewed cushions for the swing on the long front porch.
Her mother, Eloise Lamoreaux, and stepfather, Gale, moved into the house across the street — the one that had been owned by Homer’s uncle. It was easy to have them close by when they wanted help with a TV remote control or needed a jug of milk to be picked up from the store.
The tornado leveled it all.
Avant relied on her daughters, friends and church family to help salvage what they could, and eventually found another place to live.
“I loved it here,” Avant said last week of life at the corner lot. “Absolutely loved it. I have vivid memories of how it used to be.”
She then gestured to where her home used to sit.
“I couldn’t build here myself,” she said. “I just couldn’t take on all of that, dealing with builders, codes, everything.”
Avant was watching with tears in her eyes as volunteers raised walls on a new home being built on the lot — the Habitat for Humanity home that will belong to Ed and Angela Kunce. Avant is affiliated with the “Justice League,” a group of attorneys, law enforcement officers, court clerks, judges and others who are sponsoring the home’s construction. She chose to donate the lot to the project.
She also left a message of hope for the new owners, written on a 2x4 that has already become part of the front wall of the new home.
“God bless you and your wonderful family. I pray that you have as many happy memories in your home as I did in mine. My love and prayers go to you and your family.” It was dated “10-8-12.”
Avant said she also kept a piece of the original home for herself — Carthage stone salvaged from the rubble.
“I want to use it some day to build a fire pit at my new place,” Avant said. “Or to build something. I just couldn’t let it go.”
Local News
Related Photos
-
Tomie Avant leaves a message for the future owner of the Habitat for Humanity home under construction at 2630 S. Wall Ave. The framing went up last week. Globe | Roger Nomer
Discussion
Former homeowner donates lot, leaves behind message of hope
- Local News
-
-
Jasper County to start enforcing newly adopted nuisance ordinance
Jasper County has received 15 complaints based on a new nuisance ordinance adopted earlier this spring, members of the County Commission said Tuesday. John Bartosh, presiding commissioner, said he and the other commissioners reviewed the complaints during a meeting last week with workers at the Jasper County Health Department.
-
Neosho School Board votes to boost custodians’ salaries
Action taken Monday night by the Neosho Board of Education on salaries was designed partly to retain custodians. The measure approved by the board gives custodians, with a starting salary of $8.77 an hour, a 10 percent raise.
-
Mike Pound: Carthage holding parties for a good cause
When my wife told me that we were going to host a party, I had only one question: Why? My wife might be the party-hosting sort of person, but I am not. She said this party was for a good cause. She also told me that our friends Lana and Bill, Lee Ann and Rob, and Amy and Jimmy were going to help host it.
-
Proposal would reduce 20th Street to two lanes
A design proposal that would convert much of 20th Street into two lanes instead of four from Main Street to Campbell Parkway to make room for streetscape and green features did not draw much public support on Tuesday.
-
Local runners show support for Boston in cross-country relay
After completing the Boston Marathon on April 15, Ashleigh Beyersdorfer made her way through the throngs of runners to retrieve the bag she had checked in and was on her way to meet up with her family when she heard the explosions.
-
MSSU board to complete terms of president’s departure
The Board of Governors of Missouri Southern State University will meet Wednesday to complete the terms of the agreement that terminated President Bruce Speck’s contract, board Chairwoman Sherry Buchanan said.
-
State’s key witness testifies in murder trial
The fate of Dustin Boggs may ultimately depend on the credibility of Arturo Council. If jurors believe Council, then Boggs, 25, could be convicted of first-degree murder in the 2012 stabbing and shooting death of his ex-girlfriend, Danyel Borden, 21, at his trial this week in Ottawa County District Court.
-
Swimmers attempt to set world record
Even before the instructor had finished giving his direction to the class of young swimmers, 4-year-old Alexa DeBerry had dunked herself underwater and had come up giggling.
-
Missouri moves to lift ban on foreign farm owners
Weeks before a Chinese conglomerate agreed to buy Smithfield Foods Inc. in the largest such takeover of a U.S. business, Missouri lawmakers quietly approved legislation removing a ban on foreign ownership of agricultural land.
-
Neosho Board of Education approves 10 percent raise in effort to keep custodians
School custodians are receiving the biggest percentage raise among salaries approved Monday by the Neosho Board of Education.
- More Local News Headlines
-
Jasper County to start enforcing newly adopted nuisance ordinance
