Center Women’s Reading Club Collects Books for Toy Drive

Janene Walker, President, holding the certificate for the Grant received from the Texas Federation of Women in the amount of $200November 11, 2015 - The Center Women’s Reading Club met at the lovely home of Fannie Watson on November 5, 2015. President Janene Walker presided. The business portion of the meeting was conducted. The ladies of the Reading Club will be collecting Children’s Books to donate to Gary Rholes for his annual Christmas toy drive.

In keeping with the theme of famous women, and in honor of Veterans Day this month, Mrs. Watson chose the book American Wife by Taya Kyle. The book tells what it meant to be married to Chris Kyle, a loving man, highly lethal sniper and American hero. It is a moving tribute to her husband and captures the power of love and faith.

Taya and Chris met in a bar in San Diego, where Chris was stationed. At first Taya was not interested in him. He flirted and she shot him down. He was nice and unassuming. Soon after they met, Taya realized she had met the nicest man she would ever know. At the time they married, the divorce rate for Navy SEALS was 90-95%. It took two strong remarkable people like Taya and Chris, and their faith in God and each other, to make the marriage work.

Through his first two deployments, during which time he graduated to sniper status, Taya was the good patient wife. But at the third deployment she was not happy. She knew he loved being a SEAL more than anything, but she wanted him home. They had one 2-year old, with another child on the way.

Mrs. Watson holding her bookChris was deployed two more times before he decided it was time to stay home. The stress and pressure of his job was starting to take a toll on him. But the stress of leaving his life as a SEAL was not easy either. They moved to San Antonio, Texas. The marriage was strained but they were determined to work through it.

Writing “American Sniper” opened old wounds and fame left them exhausted, but their marriage had strengthened. By now Chris had started his own security and training business and found his own healing by reaching out to troubled veterans.

February 2, 2013 started out to be a good day as Chris and a friend and neighbor Chad Littlefield headed out to the gun range with Eddie Routh, a former Marine who was going through a difficult time. Taya and Chad’s wife were together with the children at a birthday party. Taya had text Chris several times before he stopped returning the texts. She knew something was wrong because Chris always returned her texts. Later in the day, her house was filled with family, friends and SEALS as word had gotten out that Chris and Chad had been shot and killed by Eddie.

Chris was buried at the Texas State Cemetery in Austin on February 12, 2013. Thousands of people lined the streets of the funeral motorcade. Over 7,000 people attended a two hour memorial service at Cowboy Stadium.

Their children, her faith, professional help, and the kindness of strangers help bring Taya out of her depression in the months following the shooting. Taya established the Chris Kyle Frog Foundation to work with military families. The skeleton of a frog is the symbol of a fallen SEAL.

Mrs. Watson concluded her program reminding everyone that it is lifelong privilege to honor our active Service Men and Women and our Veterans on Veterans Day, and on everyday of the week.

Delicious refreshments were served and the ladies enjoyed a time of fellowship.