Goodbyes, Shared Memories and Pictures From Long Ago.

Last week my Great Aunt Frances passed away at the age of  95. She was my grandmother's oldest sister. There was eleven years between them but they were very close, in later years anyway. Frances lived in Texas and like I've written before, Mammy lived here in Arkansas. Mammy would make frequent trips to Texas to visit and there were occasional long distance phone calls that lasted forever (at least in the mind of a young girl who was instructed to be quiet while she was talking). I accompanied Mammy on a few of those trips back home to Texas. I remember very little, but I do remember Aunt Frances' house. There was mint in her back garden that Uncle John B took the time to show me. And the walls in the hallway of their home were lined with old photos.

Two of Aunt Frances' granddaughters reached out to me to share a few pictures they had come across while going through her things. I am beyond grateful that they would think of me in their time of sorrow.  Lisa sent me pictures of myself from the few trips I made down there. A few were from a trip to the nursing home where I along with Aunt Frances' grandchildren visited with Grandma Jones (attached below).  The others were from the trip my Nall family made in 1994 for Grandma Jones' funeral. I attached it to my blog post In Remembrance -- Myrtle Rutherford And there was even one of my Bampy and his air plane! I've attached it to my blog post The Big Move.

I'm in the bottom right corner. Mammy made my dress.

Today Elaina sent me pictures I have never seen before from my Mammy's younger (single digits) years. And of her Daddy, John Arthur Jones, who passed away when Mammy was only 4. I had never seen pictures of him until a few years ago and even then, I it was only one photo. 

I wanted to return the favor by sharing these pictures here so that others may have access to them for years to come.

I remember my Mammy talking about this "house on wheels." She wanted to move it up here to Arkansas so badly. I even remember her having us drive by where it was located on one of our last trips down to Texas. She never got that blue house, but I believe she did get a little trunk that had been stored inside it and it had lots of old flour sacks in it. I think. The memory can be a funny thing some times.






To those who read this, I hope you will enjoy the memories these pictures stir up. That you will cherish your loved ones while you can. And that you will always share any family memories, pictures, and memorabilia. This is how we can assure our loved ones stay alive in memories for generations to come.

Much love to you all.

Until next time,
Becky

The Sound of Her Voice

Growing up, I had a special relationship with my paternal grandmother, who we called Mammy. My parents divorced before I was a year old and my daddy got me every other weekend and a few long spells during the summer. The only "problem" with that was that he worked every Saturday at the Washington County Sale Barn, so he needed someone to watch me. That job fell into the hands of his parents, my Mammy and Bampy. It's funny how when I think back on my childhood it's the memories associated with that time that seem to stand out. I don't know why exactly, but I always assume it was because those moments were where I got the most attention or one-on-one time. It may have been doing chores or flat out working but I didn't have to share that with any other kids very often.

Anyway, when my Mammy passed, I was asked if there was anything I wanted. I didn't answer truthfully because honestly, I wanted ALL. THE. THINGS. But that wasn't realistic or fair. So I asked for her tapes. Every time the church we attended held a service, they recorded it, beginning to end. And my Mammy purchased every single tape, I bet. There were several boxes full. Through the years I have sifted through them and tucked in with those tapes was the best surprise ever; a few tapes that Mammy had recorded of herself singing (either making up songs or singing along with the radio), a few tapes where she sang specials at church (New Sulphur Free Will Baptist Church) and two other very special tapes...

Before the age of computers and cell phones people wrote letters and because my Mammy had left her home of Texas, where her mother and all of her siblings lived in the early 1960's the only other way to keep in touch was with a phone call. Back then, before cell phones, there were long distance charges to call outside of your local area and they were pricey. Towards the later part of my Mammy's mother's life, Grandma Jones couldn't read or write very well so my Mammy and her would exchange  recorded cassette tapes of conversations with one another. Hence the two other very special tapes. One of Grandma Jones that is labeled 'Mother's Last Tape' and one that my Mammy recorded to send Grandma Jones. I don't know if she never sent it, or if she somehow got it back after Grandma Jones passed away. But either way these two tapes were tucked inside with all those other tapes. They are some of my most treasured items.

I have shared these on Facebook, before, but I think I would like to share them here in my genealogy post.

I hope you enjoy hearing her voice again. Honestly, I tear up every time I listen. But sometimes the soul needs a good purge.

Until next time,
Becky

Mammy Original:

Grandma Jones' last tape from the nursing home in Knox City, TX:

And last but not least My Mammy singing Far Side Banks of Jordan with Brother Glen Faulkner April 2001: