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By Pat Bramlett of Albemarle

Christmas 1944 was especially memorable for Pat and Gene Starnes. Their baby sister, Judy, was born that year on Dec. 14.
At the time, Gene was 3 years old, and Pat was 4. They thought Judy was a baby doll sent to them as a special Christmas gift.

Ruth and Francis Starnes played along with the idea that the new baby was a doll and allowed the children to make a safe bed for Judy in a cradle under the Christmas tree, where the two older children could touch and kiss their new baby sister.