On August 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina came ashore west of Biloxi, MS with devastating force. The ancient live oak tree that sat beside Millie and Jake’s home in Biloxi succumbed to the ferocious winds and fell on their roof. The damage caused by the falling tree and water’s subsequent intrusion made it necessary for our 90-year-old friends to seek refuge on a hospital ship brought into the Gulf of Mexico to provide temporary shelter for victims of the hurricane. It would take several months before Millie and Jake’s home was sufficiently repaired for them to return home.
As “luck” would have it, Jean and I had an opportunity to meet with Millie in the summer of 2008 while she and I were in the Biloxi area assisting with Hurricane Katrina recovery efforts.
From the air, we were both reduced to tears at the sight of the enormous still visible damage that had been caused by the hurricane 3 years later. The trauma associated with the hurricane had sapped some of the enthusiasm out the couple, now in their mid-90’s. Nevertheless, it was nice to have this one last opportunity to sit down with Millie.
Jake passed away in January of 2008 at the age of 95. Millie left us at the age of 97 in October 2010. We will be forever thankful to have been brought together with Millie and Jake through our ownership of their 1950 Willys Overland Jeep station wagon. We are honored to have been given the responsibility of perpetuating their legacy through care and maintenance of the vehicle they purchased in the middle of the previous century.