Mildred Marie LaBiche Martin
June 27, 2011
Nolton Anthony Bailey Sr.
June 29, 2011
Joseph Russ sits in a comfortable living room chair drinking some much needed water. This is probably the first break he has taken since he arrived in Houma at his uncle’s house four days prior.
The motivation as to why Russ, a contractor by trade, has been continuously busy he made a promise to his uncle, who is dying of cancer, that he would fix up the home’s kitchen before his beloved relative passed away. The reason for the promise so that his aunt, Ernie Britton’s wife, Gayle, will have a safe, functional and beautiful home. So she has one less thing to worry about.
‘I can tell you that Uncle Junior has expressed to me that he knows that he doesn’t have a lot of time left, Russ said. ‘He loves my Aunt Gayle to no end, and she is his main concern. While he knows he is going to see the Lord, he just hates to leave her. And he didn’t want to leave the house not up to par. It needed some work and he’s been sick and hasn’t been able to do it. I promised him that I’d help him.
Russ, of Bastrop, La., arrived on scene with his son, Nick, who is the general manager of his company, Mike King, his superintendent, and a full cargo of material to take on the kitchen remodel.
The crew’s arrival in Houma came as a shock to Mrs. Britton.
‘They said they were coming to paint the cabinets and when they drove up, they had all of this and they had the cabinets all done, exclaimed Mrs. Britton with tears in her eyes. ‘I just thought they were going to paint the cabinets and paint the kitchen I walked out to the trailer and they had new cabinets all done.
The men tackled the kitchen by replacing the flooring, cabinets, countertops, backsplash, sink and faucets. They also added a fresh coat of paint to the walls, but didn’t stop there.
‘Essentially, I came in with a kitchen and we ended up deciding to do a bunch of other stuff, too, said the nephew, proud of the work he’s doing for his loved one. ‘We can’t leave something that needs to be done undone.
The floors were replaced throughout the entire house with a beautiful wood laminate. New shelving was added in several rooms to help with organization. The bathroom received a complete overhaul, while walls were painted and new molding was installed in several rooms. And the list goes on to equate to what would’ve been a $20,000 renovation, according to Russ.
The three workers were not the only ones to partake in this five-day, home makeover. The entire house bustled with family members and friends, who assisted with cleaning, dusting, organizing and repairing some even bought light fixtures and extra paint.
Nieces, nephews, children, grandchildren, Mr. Britton’s three sisters and everyone in between were there to help. Several members from the Britton’s church, Grand Caillou Baptist, also came out to provide a hand and their loving support.
‘I’m amazed at the church here, said Russ. ‘The preacher’s been out helping us with some plumbing and people drop by every day checking on Ernie, and that’s something you don’t see a lot anymore. It brings hope back into the world again a little bit.
With every nail hammered, every floorboard installed and even every tiny dust bunny captured, it all means one thing to Mrs. Britton love.
‘It’s a feeling of love, she said. ‘I mean this is all material, but it’s showing love through God’s grace.
And while many people prefer peace and quiet upon their last days of life, the sounds of hammering and drilling don’t seem to bother Mr. Britton much. He knows his wife will have a good, strong house and she won’t have to worry about a light switch sparking, or a sink leaking, or the hot water heater failing. This is Mr. Britton’s very own version of peace and quiet.
‘I’m just so glad for Gayle, he said.
Joseph Russ and his aunt, Gayle Britton, stand in Britton’s newly-remodeled kitchen. Russ, friends and family chipped in to help renovate Gayle’s home so her husband, Ernie, who is in poor health, can die knowing that his wife has a safe, sturdy home to live in. MIKE NIXON
