Ira Roger Flener<\/p>\n\n\n\n
October 28, 1943-March 27, 2021<\/p>\n\n\n\n
(Originally Written on March 30, 2021, by Rebecca Dawn Flener Mudd)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Origins<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n In the days before running water and electricity at the \u201cold place\u201d and without ultrasounds in distant hospitals, nothing could warn of the impending danger of a mother carrying male triplets. A strong, industrious housewife and mother, Arbie took note of the differences in her fourth pregnancy in late October 1943 but still went about all of her various activities without hesitation. Fast, hard labor produced a tiny \u201cblue\u201d baby just as \u201cDr. Kit\u201d arrived at the family home. Unable to save Bobby T., the doctor noted that labor contractions produced another two-pound infant, James Steven, followed by another, Roger, two minutes later. Thus began the \u201ccircus sideshow\u201d of the twins: Stevie with a red yarn around his wrist; Roger, blue. A make-shift wood cook stove incubator and a handwritten formula recipe lay among the few tools employed to save these children, if possible, with winter fast approaching. Arbie and her \u201cMother\u201d\u2014pronounced \u201cMoney\u201d by oldest child Justine\u2014began their tireless shifts. A steady stream of observers could only shake their heads in pity. However, the newborns survived several days, so Arbie\u2019s Uncle (Reverend) Garrett Wayne Burden came to take the twins outside and lift them to the LORD… \u201cArbie, if the LORD has a plan for these two boys, nothing can kill them,\u201d Bro. Garrett pronounced, speaking the first hope anyone had been able to offer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The two thrived, joining their older brothers, Hollis and Dale, and Justine at the fishing hole, Poppa \u201cI.J.\u201d delighting in his houseful of children! Momma had a Kodak Instamatic and took great joy in capturing such moments for all time. When the twins were photographed together, all knew always to place Roger on the viewer\u2019s right and Stevie on the left, the resemblance so striking! Though \u201cMoney\u201d passed on when Roger was only a boy, his well-developed and particularly strong bond with his grandfather (\u201cDad\u201d or, as many called him, \u201cUncle Jim\u201d), who taught all his grandchildren the ways of the woods and taught Roger beekeeping continued to thrive. Like their brothers and classmates at Aberdeen One-Room School, the boys played baseball\u2014Roger, the pitcher; Steve \u201cYield,\u201d the catcher, urging \u201cPopsie\u201d to \u201cRock and shoot, coal train!\u201d Beautiful singing voices\u2014Steve\u2019s range higher than Roger\u2019s\u2014they harmonized on a multitude of mainly shaped-note hymns from the Broadman or Baptist Hymnals or convention books, the family surrounding their mother\u2019s old upright piano whenever they could with whoever joined them. Their uncle, Rev. Raymond Thomas Ward, had the adorable youngsters offer \u201cTake An Old, Cold Tater and Wait\u201d in one of his churches, their big debut! Raymond got the teen twins on the Ryman Auditorium stage where Butler County High School classmate Marilyn Anderson accompanied them on the new gospel hit \u201cHe\u201d. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Their lungs were miraculously in tip-top shape, for the two were incredible swimmers. The Coots cousins, Cami and William, lived nearby and joined them for most of their outdoor escapades, along with other community boys, Gary, Gerald, and Truman Jenkins, to name a few. Little Frances joined forces, determined to do everything Roger and Steve did, and she lived up to the nickname they gave her, \u201cWaxy\u201d! <\/p>\n\n\n\n When he was 8 years old, Mrs. Zora Ethel Wallace let out school for Aberdeen\u2019s day revival. In this service, Roger and many more, including Devon Cannon, Cami Coots, and Steve, to name a few, accepted Jesus Christ as their personal Savior and LORD. Roger followed his LORD in baptism, as he would fondly recall this testimony of justification to Becky and Nurse Maggie just a few days ago before going on to reciting by memory the first chapter of his favorite book, The Gospel According to John. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Roger and Steve felt exceptionally qualified to be Frogmen, now called \u201cNavy Seals,\u201d swimming on one breath underwater through the strong currents of Green River from one bank to the other at the broadest span at Aberdeen. Still, Arbie and I.J. wouldn\u2019t \u201csign\u201d for the 16-year-olds, so their career as Frogmen never had a chance (The family had lost Hollis in a terrible car wreck that nearly took Dale\u2019s life, too, and they weren\u2019t going to have their younger sons in the military before their time.). <\/p>\n\n\n\n When he was only 15 years old, the church asked Roger to direct the Training Union and teach a class (and for 57 years, Roger rarely missed teaching a lesson, a career culminating in a class he\u2014an ordained deacon\u2014and \u201cBarb\u201d founded, the Adult Median Class, which he continued to teach until 2018). <\/p>\n\n\n\n Developing their techniques and recipes for pot roast and pecan pies, the young men enjoyed early employment at the truck stop Eck and Jewel McKinney operated in Aberdeen and spent some of their earnings, of course, on courting. Playing softball for Casey with shortstop Frances was a beautiful brunette first baseman that Frances says nobody who played Casey could get by…Wow! Her brother Bobby called her \u201cSissy.\u201d Soon, \u201cBruth\u201d (as Barbara and Bobby \u201cLucien\u201d Hunt called Roger) was making his way to the \u201choller!\u201d entertaining Goldie and Logan and baby sister Teresa in the most delightful ways. And probably meant by Logan to be chaperones, Frances and Bobby enjoyed double dating with the enraptured duo, especially to Butler County basketball games. <\/p>\n\n\n\n New Beginnings<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n In 1964, Barbara, a 17-year-old cheerleader, and 21-year-old Roger decided to tie the knot on today\u2019s date, March 30. Within a year, Roger and Barbara and their newborn daughter settled into the holler across from Logan and Goldie and never left! The couple had agreed that if a boy, Roger would name him\u201d Patrick Thomas\u201d; Barbara chose \u201cRebecca\u201d (of Sunny Brook Farm) and \u201cDawn\u201d for the rising of the sun of a new day. And Becky Dawn was indeed the sunshine of their lives! Roger had begun singing with the Messengers Quartet, and Barbara and Becky visited with other spouses and children as the members practiced and performed\u2026except for Sunday mornings when Barb and Becky would always be in Sunday School. Working at Emerson Electric, Roger traveled with other Butler County employees on Russellville Road for 11 years, making fast friends with Johnny Meguiar and Roger \u201cGoober\u201d Duncan, to name a few friendships persisting to this day. Friendships were at the forefront of Roger\u2019s life, and he and Barbara decided early on that Becky would never go without company. All through the years, Roger and Barbara helped raised many more children than one daughter, entertaining with water sports, camping, delicious meals, and all kinds of entertainment balanced with wise counsel and encouragement. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Steve\u2019s tenor voice joined Roger\u2019s lead in gospel singing and not too long afterward, Dale\u2019s bass did, too. The three added alto Theresa Kessinger Romans, pianist Dorothy Farmer, lead guitarist Johnny Rose III, bass guitarist Jim Casey, and drummer Johnny (GiGi) Rose IV to cut the Travelers Quartet\u2019s first album, \u201cMeeting in the Air\u201d, and the group enjoyed high demand, barely able to keep the album in stock. The 70s brought changes in the Travelers: Edmonson County\u2019s singing Madison family provided a new baritone, Anthony \u201cTony\u201d (who, as an acclaimed florist, designed the beautiful casket piece you see today); young teen pianist Kevin Embry from Old Welcome near Casey; and in a short time, Kevin\u2019s brother \u201cKenneth C\u201d on the bass. Butler County coal became a hot commodity around this time, too, and Logan just knew his son-in-law had to have inherited his father\u2019s talent with heavy equipment. Soon, Roger was demonstrating his end loader skills for Rudd Equipment reps at North Butler Coal and later for his young friend he\u2019d led to the LORD many years prior, Royce Embry, at Dunbar Coal. He sang the quartet\u2019s songs above the high volume of the mines so that fellow operators could hear every note and word, making the dusty, jarring toil less grueling and more joyful. <\/p>\n\n\n\n After a few years\u2019 respite, nephew Boyce wanted to sing, and the Travelers were back\u2014this time a quintet with Boyce arranging 5-part harmonies for a few numbers and with Roger and Steve swapping out rounds at baritone and Kevin still at the keys! \u201cBound For That City\u201d features Roger\u2019s solo voice on several, but you hear today the one that was Becky\u2019s favorite of her Daddy\u2019s performances: \u201cWhere No One Stands Alone\u201d. Roger\u2019s favorite was \u201cOh, What a Savior\u201d and although he relished backing up Scott when he joined the group later and always bragged on his delivery, he wanted all of you to hear our family\u2019s favorite group. The Statesmen Quartet feature tenor Rosie Roselle perform as loudly as Bro. Alex can get the sound system to pour it out to us. Just a few days ago, tears streamed down Roger\u2019s cheeks as he strained to hear it on Becky\u2019s iPhone. \u201cDoy-Ott\u2019s- near-equal\u201d as the Travelers dubbed him, Larry Mudd of Leitchfield\u2019s Veterans Quartet had a bass-singing son who was getting quite a lot of attention from the group in the Fall of \u201992. During that season, the two groups sang 5 concerts together, an unprecedented treat for both groups. Becky caught Mark\u2019s eye. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The New Dawn<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n From Mark and Rebecca\u2019s March 27, l993 marriage, Janice and Larry and Mark\u2019s sister April and Barbara and Roger grew to love their children\u2019s union and most notably, the cherished grandchild it produced, Jacob Shelburn Mudd, Pastor of Youth and Missions at New Friendship Baptist Church. The \u201capple of their eye\u201d, Jacob was everyone\u2019s buddy! All our family\u2019s voices came to flow from the teenaged Jacob\u2019s voice as the Mark Mudd Family Gospel Music Ministry began their 8-year run, and the grandparents made every concert. Barbara\u2019s, then Larry\u2019s and Papaw Logan\u2019s passing always kept the family group moving on through Jacob\u2019s transition from BCHS cross-country and marching band and all the way through college graduation from WKU, which Roger and Barbara paid for through KAPT. Nothing meant more to Roger and Barbara than Jacob\u2019s singing and two-year staffing for Crossings at Jonathan Creek and after Barbara\u2019s passing, his call to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And for Roger, the great blessing of his last year was that he had lived to enjoy his granddaughter, Morgan Lynna Rogers Mudd. She reminds us all so much of \u201cGranny\u201d Barbara in her quiet, kind, and industrious way. To see the outcome of his prayer for them on their wedding day result in a happy home wth arms open to him gave him a sense of peace he had come to greatly desire. Morgan\u2019s People\u2014Rogerses, Inscos, Scaleses, and Patricks\u2014welcomed Papaw Roger into their families, too; they mourn his passing even more for the brevity of their time well spent together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The same kind of passionate support Roger gave Jacob\u2019s development as a preacher was extended to all faithful preachers he knew, from his brothers-in-law Raymond and the late Rev. William Clyde \u201cHuddleston\u201d to Bros. Collin Coots, Conner Reed, and Lawson Embry. Roger\u2019s desire was for you to experience the preaching and singing of the Gospel today. It was and is our prayer that the celebration of the abundant life of Ira Roger Flener brings you to Jesus Christ as your Savior and LORD and closer to him for those who are His. In Jesus\u2019 name, amen. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Follow Up<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n I did leave full-time living in the \u201choller\u201d with Mark on April 1, 2022, to move into \u201cThe Jordan House\u201d just outside the city limits of Auburn, Kentucky, a five-minute drive from New Friendship Baptist Church and Jacob and Morgan\u2019s home. We began keeping their firstborn son Judah Logan Mudd (born on Dad\u2019s\u2014James Americus Burden\u2019s\u2014birthday 141 years later, July 25, 2022) and later, Anna Grace Mudd (born on June 26, 2024) after renovations were done and we were settled in. Judah and Anna have made several trips to the \u201chodder\u201d (hodderdays, we call them!), where Mark and I stay in Momma and Daddy\u2019s house on Friday nights. Their home serves as a base for my sideline of new home construction for sell, \u201cTreasure Trace\u201d development, and as a showroom and shop for Mark\u2019s Ky Piano Service. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Ira Roger Flener October 28, 1943-March 27, 2021 (Originally Written on March 30, 2021, by Rebecca Dawn Flener Mudd) Origins<\/p>\n