The hobo family has been in shock over the deaths of Preacher Steve and Loco Larry.    Both gentlemen contributed so much to the hobo family.  Memories are the one thing that will help us get through the grief of loosing hobo friends.  I wish to share some of my memories of Preacher Steve and Loco Larry.

     This past year at the National Hobo Convention Preacher Steve was active volunteering as he does each year with the Hobo Jungle, buying food for the hobos to have to eat, and taking responsibility at the National Hobo Cemetery helping to bury the ashes of the fallen hobos the past year.

     Preacher Steve was elected the National Hobo King in 1999.  His Queen was Slo Freight Ben.  He was so excited being elected Hobo King.

     In 2003 when I [Mama Jo] was elected National Hobo Queen I was sitting around the campfire till late that evening actually early morning hours.  Preacher Steve stated Mama Jo now that you are a Hobo Queen you can be buried at the National Hobo Cemetery.   I stated I am not a rail-rider but he stated you are a Hobo Queen.    Preacher Steve also gave me a gold spike with Hobo Queen written on it when I was elected Hobo Queen.  It is hanging on my wall and every time I see it I think of Preacher Steve.

     Do you remember when Preacher Steve and Half Track tied a knot as they stated their vows in a traditional hobo wedding?  Do you remember when Preacher Steve was proud to receive his nursing degree?

     In 2004 it was important to Liberty Justice to host a hobo gathering at Baldwin City.  Liberty Justice spent several months in the hospital but asked me to continue with the Hobo Gathering.  I was so excited when I looked up and saw Preacher Steve and Tuck at the hobo gathering.  In 2007 a small town, Pleasant Hill, MO asked Liberty Justice to invite the hobos to their Railroad days.  The two hobos who came were Preacher Steve and the newly elected Hobo King that year Tuck.  Liberty Justice would phone me time after time and tell me how much fun they all had there.  The following week Preacher Steve drove his good friend Tuck to the Riverhead, Long Island, New York Hobo Gathering.

     The past few years the big event at Britt is fundraising for the new museum.  Do you remember when Linda Hughes put out a challenge to match a donation of $500.00 for the new museum?  Preacher Steve was on a quest to do this and he did.  He planned car washes, sold hobo memorabilia, and asked for donations.  He was thrilled when he matched her challenge.

     This past year Preacher Steve said, Mama Jo come over here I have something to show you.   He opened the refrigerator door to show me the meat he had purchased for the "jungle food".  He took out a package wrapped in clear wrap and showed me.  He was smiling with pride showing me his purchase for the food at the hobo jungle.  The next day he showed me his sign telling the rules of the "Frisco Circle" that he posted on a post inside of the jungle shelter.  He was proud of this sign.  I took a picture of him with the sign.

     Preacher Steve contributed countless hours for the hobo family volunteering at the National Hobo Convention doing several projects; going to hobo gatherings, taking care of business at the Box Car Boys Ranch, and being a husband and step father.  Rest in peace Hobo King Preacher Steve.

     Amory, Mississippi has had Rail Road Days for several years.  Dickie Miller who lived in Amory hosted a hobo gathering there for years.  He stepped down from being the host and Loco Larry and MS Charlotte picked up the responsibility.  Loco Larry opened his house each year to many house guests during the Hobo Gathering and through out the years as hobos would stop by to say hi.  He picked up the tab many times taking hobos out to eat.  He hired hobos to work painting his house or other jobs to help them with their expenses.  Loco Larry was on call with his job in the medical field during the Hobo Gathering at Amory each year but he still was thrilled to have everyone be there and he participated when ever he could.  Do you remember him driving his classic antique car?

     Several years I would sit around the camp fire all night at Britt listening to Virginia Slim sing his heart out.  Loco Larry would be there too.  We would have conversations and he invited me to Amory for the Hobo Gathering there.

     He loved the hobo culture and took pride in having a note book for each member of the hobo family, collecting any information he could about each one.   He was dubbed the Great Grand Duke of the Hobo Historians by my Hobo King Spike and me.  He took pride in this title and had a sign made with it in his yard on one side and his moniker of Loco Larry on the other side.  Loco Larry was proud to show each of his hobo memorabilia from several of the hobos over the years.  He was very active during the hobo auction to purchase items for his personal hobo collection.  He and MS Charlotte donated a large sum of money for the new hobo museum.

     He and MS Charlotte also surprised me by attending the Baldwin City Hobo Gathering in honor of Liberty Justice.  I was thrilled to see them there.

     Loco Larry liked visiting with the hobo family.  He would have a "mini" hobo gathering at his house all week during the Amory Mississippi Rail Road Days.  I can see him now at his house at the old player piano putting in different selections of music for us to enjoy.

     In 2006 Loco Larry and MS Charlotte and Hobo Santa and I became a different type of family when they adopted Hobo Joe and we adopted Hobo Joe's sister Beth.  Over the last couple years we would talk about our sweet "hobo road dogs kids".

     Loco Larry told MS Charlotte if she became National Hobo Queen in 2006 he would take her to the Hobo Gathering at Riverhead, Long Island, New York.  She won and he stayed true to his word and took her to the Hobo Gathering in 2006 and also back in 2007.

     Loco Larry battled cancer the past year.  It was his request on his dying bed to have his wife, MS Charlotte and his best friend, Hobo Spike at his bedside.  They were both there when he caught the westbound.