My sister Jocy Faye Nelson-Crockett had a good life. She was one of three children born to my father and his first wife Ruby Reese-Nelson, two girls Johnnie Murl, Jocy Faye, and one boy Woodie Jean Nelson. They are all deceased.
When Jocy Faye and her sibling were young their mom and my father divorced. He would go on to father another daughter born to Clothia Beckworth. Later my father would marry my mom Pearlee Watt-Nelson. To their union nine children were born, four boys, and five girls.
When I was a little girl my sister Jocy Faye (now an adult) would visit us all the time. She'd be dressed up, and looking beautiful. She would say she's going out on the town. She'd be laughing and talking about where she's going, and what she going to be doing. Sometimes she would return to spend the night with us. We loved it!!
Eventually she started working at a café. Our dad would take us to visit her sometimes before they opened. We thought she had a fantastic job. She would ask us what we want to eat or drink. Then she would buy us all cokes. It was so exciting. She worked hard, knew how to have fun, and make people feel good. I really did admire my sister.
Finally, she met Johnny Crockett. He would come in the café just to see her. They were drawn to each other like flies to honey. Although I was very young I still remember how he adored her. He would cater to her, and stare at her in such a loving way. They had lots fun together. The cutest couple you could ever meet. He would bring her over to our house and they would hang out with the family. She'd sit on his lap playing with him and laughing. We'd have the best times. They dated for quite some time, fell in love, got married. They were blessed with five children, one boy, and four girls. After several years of love and irreconcilable differences, they divorced.
Before my sisters death she talked to me about her divorce. I told her how I always hated it. I wondered if she could have done something it prevent a divorce would she? She explained to me when you get to a certain point in your marriage where you don't get along because there is too many secrets, too many lies, leaving for days and think its OK, fussing and fighting all the time, you don't agree about the bills, the children, or even the food.
You get to a point in your marriage and realize you're playing with your life. She said the situation she was in divorce was the only option.
Divorce destroyed everything she ever hoped for, the brick home with cars parked in the garage, money in the bank, raising their children together, sending them to college, and some day traveling together... All her dreams were gone. They lost their dreams somewhere in the streets partying, enjoying life with their friends, and worst of all partying separately.
My sister Jocy Faye Nelson-Crockett ended her conversation by saying "Divorce is the worst thing that can happen to you". She wanted tell everybody "If you are married forget about the streets". "Stay at home and work on your marriage"... She never married again.
Joyce Nelson-Crockett was the only surviving witness to the shooting of John Reese. She spent her life working as a caregiver for Jim Kuykendall’s son, Harold Kuykendall, without knowing of his connection to the shootings and murder. She worked for him in his home until his death in 2009. Ross died in Panola County in east Texas in January 1976. Simpson died in June 1998 in Arizona. Reese’s father, John T. Reese, died June 23, 1986 in East Texas. John Earl was his only child. The elder Mr. Reese never had the satisfaction of public recognition that his son’s death was not just a personal tragedy, but a civil rights travesty.
Lost_Life_a_Miscarriage_of_Justice_The_Death_of_John_Earl_Reese by Kaylie Simon
My final blog for "Life Without Justice".
