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RETURN TO NEW STUFF PAGE OR TO NELLIE/WM OR TO HOME PAGE ISABELLE Nellie/Wm>Isabelle Pearl Isabelle Pearl Burdett
Born May 12, 1910,
in Marseilles, Ohio, and married Rodolphus Bird Smith (8/29/05
– 3/17/79). Isabelle died July 7, 1993
I
must share with all of you! Frank Sinatra's New York! Wow what
a song! New York is such a Grand Place! No wonder so many are
envious of HER! Some even FEAR Her! I have found that if one Embraces
her, oh what returns she offers up to all! I first got my taste
for her through long conversations with a really special Grand
Mother ( Isabelle Pearl Smith). What a Lady that was! Another
life so worth celebrating, flaws and all! Like New York she could
also kick your butt! (lol) So I am told! I never received less
then beauty from her, myself. She has been gone since June of
1993; yet she lives on! How great is that? I see her daily. She's
in the eyes of many that I know and love. She is in the tea pot
that she once gave me. She is in my HEART! I have been so blessed
to know so many Grand Human Beings! I mean that with all that
I am! God Bless all that is Good with Humanity and God Bless the
not so good parts too. We learn from it all! (lol) I am up for
learning more of the Good! I really do have so many special People
in this life of mine! Thank you all for being YOU! Love
always and then some, Connie
(Nellie/Wm>Isabelle>Lois>Connie)
... FIVE GENERATIONS "I
want to thank you Billy for your professional presentation. We
all felt love and caring in your words." AN OPEN LETTER TO FAMILY & FRIENDS FROM ERCELLE SMITH Dear
Neighbors, Friends , and especially Family A
GOOD FRIEND PASSES
I
recently lost two brothers who meant the world to me.
Ronnie
met Gayla at Franklin Jr. High school. They took Band together.
Ronnie played the French horn. He hated it, but the Band Leader
insisted. Gayla played the Bassoon. They became good friends,
and a couple of years later at 14 years old they would date sometimes,
mostly on the weekends.
About a year later, Gayla had a baby boy she named Leigh. A couple
of years later she got pregnant again. Meanwhile her and her husband
started having problems, and she went back home to her parents
in Tampa. Ronnie found out and made every excuse to see Gayla
imaginable. He even went to the hospital with her when she gave
birth to Dennis. Later on she got a divorce. PART TWO Ronnie and Gayla tried to take care of Wesley's (Nellie/Wm>Isabelle>Wesley) boys after he had a heart attack and died. Wesley Jr. was the only that really stayed with them until he was grown. Ronnie worked for G E, and then he and Wesley went into the car air conditioning business . He and Curtis started racing stock cars. But Curtis quit after a couple of years due to high blood pressure. Ronnie started racing Sprint cars. When Robbie was about 17, Ronnie taught him to race Sprint cars. Ronnie could do many things beside work on cars. He could build things, usually what ever he wanted to do. Ronnie was a good father, and he loved playing with his grandchildren, who I'm sure will really miss him. He was a family man and loved all his family. Ronnie
and Gayla were married 40 years. I'm sure her life will never
be the same.
Isabelle Burdett
Smith Family
MY
BROTHERS I
recently lost two brothers who meant the world to me. I was 12 years old when Ronnie was born, Oct,20,1942. I thought he was so cute. I swore if Mama had any more boys I would not have any thing to do with it, but when I saw Ronnie my heart melted. Mama named him Ronald Burdett Smith, she wanted one of her children to be Burdett and also have the same initials as Daddy . Mama
had so many things to do , I took care of him most of the time.
When he learned to walk, he was never still, he was always running
around getting in to things. The funniest thing he did was when
he was about 2 years old. Daddy smoked cigars and he was working
2nd shift. He would lay his cigar in the ashtray while he bathed
and dressed. Ronnie would slip in the bedroom and get daddy's
cigar. They usually were not burning. One day Daddy lit a new
cigar, and laid it in the ashtray, it was still burning. Ronnie
grabbed it when Daddy wasn't looking and went out to the back
yard. Mama was in the kitchen and she saw Ronnie dizzy like, she
asked him if he was alright and he said yes. She noticed he had
something in his hand behind him. All of a sudden he walked to
the pump shelf and laid his head on his arm. Mama called him from
the front yard, and he was so dizzy from smoking the cigar he
couldn't walk, he fell with every step. We all laughed at him
and it took him a while to get straightened out. It was so funny.
Ronnie never did try to smoke another cigar. I think he tried
smoking a few cigarettes when he was in High School but he didn't
like it and never took up the habit
. Rodolphus
Bird Smith "My Dear Sweet Daddy"
The best daddy a girl could ask for. I was 5 years old when mama
and daddy were married on January 31, 1936. Daddy was so good
to me and I just remember the little things he did for me. He
gave me the prettiest puppy, it was white with little black spots.
I was so proud of it. He was so good to me, I thought he was better
to me than the other children. (Probably mind over matter)! When
mama would punish me, he would grab me up and give me the biggest
hug. He very seldom punished me. I remember him giving me one
spanking. He said, (after I was grown) "Mama spanked us enough,
so he couldn't see spanking us too"!
Daddy's mother got sick when he was nine years old, and she never
really got well after that. There were 4 boys and 4 girls. Daddy
was the oldest and had to quit school in the 3rd grade and go
to work to help feed the other 7 children and his mother. All
the girls got the flu and died before his mother did when he was
seventeen. When his mother died, Uncle Ed was working, and Uncle
Curtis and Uncle Ondry went to their Aunt Ethels to live. Daddy's
father was an alcoholic and drank up all the money he made. He
worked at the Hav-A-Tampa cigar factory for a season, but didn't
help Daddy take care of the children.
Daddy worked very hard, (usually two jobs plus overtime), and
farmed also. Sometimes things would get rough financially, but
he always made sure we had something to eat. Daddy always had
a lot of concern for someone in need and always knew ways to make
extra money, so he could help them out. Our home was always open
for someone needing a place to stay or something to eat. When
Aunt Viola and Uncle Charlie came down from Ohio, Grandma had
a empty lot and Daddy, Uncles Frank, Ed, Paul and Charlie built
them a house and helped supply it. This was the kind of family
the Burdett's and spouses were. I could go on and on about the
people Daddy helped, but it would fill a book. Daddy tried to
teach my brothers, and Alta and Everett Johns' boys how to work
and make money. I don't think there is a lazy one in the bunch.
After Mama and Daddy had three boys, I wanted a little sister
so bad. When I was 15 years old, Mama went to the hospital and
Daddy came home with the biggest grin on his face. He asked me:
"Guess what Mama had?" I said: "Another boy I guess".
He laughed and said: "How about two girls"! He was so
proud! Daddy worked mostly on a dredge. Some places such as Davis
Island and the Courtney Campbell Causeway. He also worked on the
dry dock for the Tampa shipyard. He went to the Bahamas for a
short time, but came back because he missed Mama so much. Daddy
then went to work on the Stewart dredge. They widened Six Mile
Creek and did some work for Tampa Electric. Then the went on to
work in Pinellas County building new bridges and expanding Honeymoon
Island to Sunset Beach. He then went to Fort Myers and ran the
river to the Okeechobee. Jim Johns worked with Daddy until he
retired.
Left Photo -Curtis Smith 1956 Right Photo -L to R Mindi & Ray Smith, Curtis Smith, Ray Fuerst 1992 I
am very sorry more of the family did not receive word of Curtis'
death. He died suddenly at home. The children did not know everyone's
phone numbers, and thought other family members would reach their
own families. I appreciate your thoughts and prayers. by Lois
Smith Miller The service was conducted by Billy York. He gave a very touching eulogy. Other who spoke included: Bill Johns, Raymond Smith, Lois Smith Miller, and friends of Curtis. Services were arranged by Kelly Funeral Home Zephyrhills, Florida. "Curtis was a very hard worker and was always a help for those in need. He loved to sing karaoke and was very good. He had been sick for 7 years. He had a bypass operation in 1995. In the most recent years, he had heart trouble, high blood pressure and diabetes but never gave up. After going out of the truck repair business, he started driving a tractor-trailer. He drove daily until two weeks before he died. Curtis sustained a severe heart attack. I
am going to miss him very much. I know that his love and memories
will last forever. I love you Curtis. On
Thursday September 5th, Curtis James Smith, (son of Isabelle Burdett
Smith), passed away from a sudden heart attack. He was born on
Nov. 6th 1936. The funeral will take place at 4pm Saturday, Sept.
7th @
Today the doctors sent Curtis home. He has been in a private room for a few days. They have him on twelve different medications. They are trying to dissolve the clogged-up stuff in his arteries. This Thursday (8/29/2002) he is to go back to see the doctor. They will decide then what they are going to do with him, if they are going to do surgery or if he will be okay with just the medication. He wants to go back to work as he is much improved. I will give you any news on his condition. Lois 8/27/02 Urgent
prayer request for Curtis Smith This
past Wednesday, Curtis sustained a severe heart attack. He was
transported by helicopter to Tampa General Hospital. He is in
the Critical Care Unit and is listed serious conditions. Due to
past heart operations, and his weak state, doctors are reluctant
to operate again. More tests are scheduled for Monday. They family
is in need of your prayers. I will update everyone as his condition
changes. Thanks
for your prayers,
Here's a link to a web page that the funeral home set up for the family. It has a guest book that people can sign and leave a note to the family. I thought you might want to put it on the Burdette website--Kevin Johns http://www.blountcurryandroel.com Click on "Sign and View Family Guest Books"; then Click on the letter "S" to go to link for Ronnie's page. You may need to copy & paste the address in the address field of your browser or type it in, but although it doesn't seem to work as a hyperlink, it will work as an address. Left: Ronnie & Sprint Car R: T-Shirt given to Barb Burdett S by Ronnie
Middle: Ronny as a boy at Thonotosassa Elementary School, Florida IN MEMORIAM
Ronny with sister Lois & cousin Cheryl Albury P 2001 Family Reunion Lowery Park, Tampa Florida RONALD BURDETT SMITH, SON OF ISABELLE BURDETT & DOLPHUS SMITH DOB OCTOBER 20, 1942. DETAILS WILL FOLLOW. SISTER LOIS SMITH MILLER OFFERS TO GIVE INFORMATION. PHONE NUMBER IS IN THE FAMILY ROSTER Family viewing 3-5PM Sunday, June23. Blount Funeral Home, Bearss Ave., Tampa, Florida. Monday 6-8PM Viewing
opened to friends & acquaintances. Notes: EULOGY TO A GENTLEMAN delivered June 24, 2002 1– Hello. My name is Bill Johns. I’m Ronnie’s cousin from his mother’s side of the family. The reason for using notes rather than speaking off-the-cuff has to do with the family curse....we talk too darn much. I keep my notes short so that when I come to the end of my notes, I’ll know it’s time for me to sit down and shut up. 2– I heard the news about Ronnie’s passing and my mind rebelled: "No, no, not Ronnie; not one of the good guys. Why not take someone like me, not a good guy like Ronnie." Things like this, and the timing, and all of the reasons--we have to leave it in God’s hands. To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven. 3– I received permission from Lois, Ronnie’s sister, to relate her story about the Tea Party– THE TEA PARTY by Lois Smith Miller reprinted from Bryburcon.com First Edition The boys, my brother Mart Johns and Ronnie’s two older brothers, Curtis and Wesley, went down to the spring near Ronnie’s mom and dad’s house. When they got there they found several bottles of homemade wine cooling in the spring. The boys brought the wine home and Ronnie’s mom, my Aunt Isabelle, put it out on the screened-in porch. Several days later, my mom, Alta came to visit Aunt Isabelle and brought my sister Virginia with her. Mom and Aunt Isabelle sat down and started talking while Ronnie and Virginia were playing. Ronnie and Virginia got quiet but every-now-and-then you could hear them giggling. Finally my mom and Aunt Isabelle realized the kids were much too quiet. They went looking for the kids and found Ronnie with two glasses. He’d poured himself and Virginia some of the wine. When Aunt Isabelle and my mom found them, they were swaying back and forth and just about to go to sleep. Ronnie and Virginia were seven or eight years old at the time. Ronnie told Aunt Isabelle, "But we were just having a tea party." This one simple act followed Ronnie for the rest of his life. Ronnie was always and forever after, the gracious host.
5– Martha Nell, my sister and Ronnie’s first cousin, called from Nevada last night–wanted me to extend her thanks to Ronnie and Gayla for their gracious hospitality toward her the last time she was here. Thank you Gayla. Thank you buddy. 6-- In closing, I don’t recall ever hearing this expressed in any better fashion, so I’ll borrow some of the words and use them here: If I could bring Ronnie back, would I do so? Oh yes, I certainly would! But for purely selfish reasons. You see, I miss him. I wasn’t ready for him to go. But, would I bring Ronnie’s beautiful spirit back & give it that tired old body to live in; that body so prone to illness and ailment and pain and suffering? Would I really take Ronnie away from his rest and his reward? No, I couldn’t do that. I would not do it, even if I could. That won’t stop me from missing him and loving him and caring about him. But it will cause me to try to be more like him in those ways of his that were so special. Thank
you all so much for listening. MEMORIES OF RONNIE by BILL JOHNS Favorite
memory of Ronnie involved several people other than myself. Ronnie,
being a few years younger than the Four Musketeers, Curtis, Mart,
Jim and myself, Bill, always seemed to me a bit less rowdy than
we four. Perhaps not. But he, being a bit younger, may have moved
in a different circle just as rowdy as we four were. May have
been his age difference that caused Ronnie to appear to me as
always being a bit more gentlemanly than we four older boys. THE TEA PARTY by Lois Smith Miller reprinted from Bryburcon.com First Edition Mart Johns, Curtis and
Wesley Smith went down to the spring near Isabelle’s and
Dolphus’ house at Thonotosassa (Florida) to go swimming.
When they got there they found several bottles of homemade wine
that someone had put in the spring to keep cool. The boys brought
the wine home, and Isabelle put it out on the screen porch. Several
days later Alta (Alta Burdett Johns) came to visit Isabelle and
brought Virginia with her. She and Isabelle sat down and started
talking while Ronnie and Virginia were playing. Ronnie and Virginia
got quiet, and every now and then you could hear them giggle.
Finally Alta and Isabelle realized the kids were awful quiet.
They went looking for them and found them. Ronnie had gotten two
glasses and poured him and Virginia some of the wine. When Isabelle
and Alta found them they were swaying back and forth about to
go to sleep. They were seven or eight years old. Ronnie told Isabelle,
"But we were just having a tea party." It was a pretty
cute incident and funny. Reatha
Johns Albury 6-20-02 Cousin
Ronny and the Elementary School Years
By Virginia Ronny and I sat in the same classrooms grades 2-6 at Thonotosassa Elementary School. They lived within walking distance of us. After that we "moved on" to junior high school in Tampa, and then Aunt Isabelle and Uncle Dolphus moved their family to St. Petersburg. I was nauseatingly law abiding, but Ronny…no-o-o. He sometimes seemed to be a loose cannon, a handsome little boy with an unbridled drive to explore, defy authority, talk whenever he needed to and fight enemies on the school grounds - rolling in the dirt and giving it all he had. One time he and I attended the same outing at Hillsborough River State Park. A year or so before that I had done the one and only dive of my entire life (which I finished with a belly flop). At the State Park there was a platform over the river, which was a good distance below. Why the image stuck (out of thousands over a lifetime which did not) of Ronny on that platform I don't know. But there it is, fresh as the day it entered my memory. He would run full speed across the platform, jump off it with a scream and (arms held stiffly backward along his body) shoot headfirst down into the water. He and I seemed to reach a mutual respect - I law abiding and he screaming off the platform head first into life. We were born a mere two months apart, and we went through life as some sort of half siblings - not brother and sister, but not extended family either. Never did we try to defeat each other or quarrel. Another memory I have of Ronny is of his attending my mother's funeral - his Aunt Alta. Again, why the memory stuck I can't say, but out of that large gathering his face is the one I most clearly recall being crushed and stricken and wet with tears. Another
piece of the world falls away. Goodbye, Cousin.
"Uncle" Curtis Smith, brother of Dolphus Smith. He was the last of Dolphus' siblings. He leaves Aunt Gertrude, his wife of sixty-five years. Uncle Curtis was eighty-eight years old.
Ellen Parish, Isabelle Pearl holding infant son Curtis & Curtis Smith (brother of Dolphus) |
Marilyn
Smith Mobley Reunion 2002 (Nellie/Wm>Isabelle>Marilyn)
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ANGIE'S SEARCH I was born Angela Christina Vaughn on December 9,1974 to my mother, Lynn Vaughn. I was adopted by my grandmother, Ruth Evans in 1976. She had 10 children of her own prior to adopting me. I had very little contact with my birth mother. In fact, I remember each of the 6 times I physically saw her. As I grew older I began to ask questions regarding my father. I had always wondered why all of my friends had a father and I didn't. When I reached the age of 15, I asked my mother for my father's name. She gave me the name "Ronald", and that was all she could remember at that time. So, about a year later I drove to her house and sat her down and asked her where he lived at the time of my conception. She had told me the last place she knew of him living was Clair-Mel city in Florida. I then asked her for his last name. She then told me that his last name was "Johns". At the age of 16, I received a copy of the adoption consent form which was sent to Mr. Floyd Johns' house for my father to sign. That document contained an address of Mr. Floyd Johns. I drove to Clair-Mel city in search of this residence, but had no luck at the door. No one was home. I then put my search on hold for a couple of years. I was beginning to feel burnt out by all of the dead ends. When I reached the age of 18 I asked my mother if she could remember if my father had any brothers or sisters. She said she believed he had a sister named "Shawnda". She didn't have a last name for Shawnda, just that she was close to my age. I began to search on the internet for any criminal records that he could have possibly had. With those records, I could possibly obtain a last known address. And that I did, but he no longer lived in any of the addresses given to me. I made a trip to the local police station to obtain a mug shot photo of a man named "Ronald Eugene Johns". I took the photo from the hand of the clerk, took one look and began to cry. I knew I had been searching for the right man!! I looked so much like him. We had the same facial features, eyes, cheekbones, and hair color. I took that photo and carried it around to a few places in Brandon, Florida. (where I believed he would most likely be) I showed some people, and they seemed to have known him pretty well. The men I spoke with told me that "Ronnie" had moved to Ohio. So, again I put my search on hold for another year. I then moved to New York in December of 2000. I contacted a friend of mine in Holiday, Florida, who could do my physical searching for me as I was unable to do so from NY. I asked him to go to the DMV in Tampa to obtain a copy of "Ronald Johns'" driving record. On the driving record was his social security number which my friend gave to his Private Investigator friend to do some professional searching for me. Two days later, she (the PI) sent a 13 page report of all people associated with that SS#. The name Shawnda was present on the report. My friend then called her phone at around 10pm and asked her if she was Ronalds' sister, she said yes, she was. So, she called him (Ronald) and told him that his daughter was looking for him. I then get a phone call about 20 minutes later, and it was from my friend. He stated that he had my father on the line as well. My knees began to shake as well as the rest of my body. Then I heard him say "hello", and we started talking about how I found him and basically verifying that he in fact was my father. We spoke on the phone on numerous occasions after the initial call. We had agreed that he would come to New York for one week to meet me and to stay in my apartment. I and my husbands' cousin, Joey, picked him up from the airport on February 16, 2002. I turned to look for him, and he was already standing there. It was like looking at a mirror walking towards me. We gave each other a big hug, and he said to me (which I will NEVER forget) "It took me 27 years, but now I'm finally here." We drove back to my apartment on Long Island, and there we stayed and got to know each other for that week. We took pictures, but I do not have a scanner, so I will mail them to you if you could please send me your address. That's my story, and if there is ANYTHING else you wish to know, please feel free to e-mail me or write to me, or call me. RONNIE’S DAUGHTER by Lois Smith Miller
Unaware of Angela being born and being his, Ronnie left Tampa and went out to Idaho where Connie (his adopted sister) was living. He met a girl there and eventually married her. They had a daughter and named her Angelia Marie Johns. A few years later he came to South Carolina with me and expected his wife to follow. She didn’t come, and later on she got a divorce. They did come one time for about a month to visit us. Angelia married about four years ago or better. She has two daughters, Mackaela Marie and Destiny Lynn. Angelia is twenty-one years old. It is so strange that Ronnie’s daughters have such similar names. I’m proud to know that I have another granddaughter, great granddaughter and grandson-in-law. God has blessed me with children, grand children and great-grandchildren. My house is blessed by my husband of twenty-eight years, Robert (Bob Miller). He loves and treats the whole family like they are his. In fact he claims them. That includes the Bryant-Burdett family also.
MY FAMILY by Lois Smith Miller
I read (in the Bryburcon.com book) where Camille and Kim Johns wondered who Gator was and how he fit into the Johns family. Mary Lois Smith Johns Miller (me, Isabelle’s daughter) was married to Floyd W. Johns. They had five boys; Floyd W. Jr., Lamarr Lee, Ronald Eugene, Steven Josef, Kevin Douglas Johns. They adopted a daughter, Connie Jean McKenzie Shalett who has a son, Jeremy Killy. Floyd Jr. goes by the name of Gator. He is married to Kim Radar Johns. They live in Lexington, Ohio. Gator has two daughters, Leann and Kelly Johns. Both have been to several family reunions. Leann lives in Ft. Myers, Florida and has two children, Brittany Blevins (who had a twin who passed away at 18 months) and a son Cody Blevins. Lamarr had two children, Lamarr Lee Jr., and Kimberly Johns; she has a son, Austin. Lamarr Jr. and his wife, Kirine, recently had Lamarr Lee Johns 111. They live in Tampa. Lamarr Senior was killed in Viet Nam 3/30/69. Ronald has two daughters and three grandchildren. Steve has a son named Robert Richard Johns, and a foster daughter named Patricia (Patches). Kevin and Kathy have one daughter, Kimmilee Johns, and a set of twin sons, Jared and Jacob Johns; also a son, Bryan Johns. Ronnie (Ronald), Steven and Kevin live in Simpsonville, S.C. So, Bill Johns’ "Kim Johns", and "Camille", there are TWO Johns Families. They are related through the Burdett family. My mother, Isabelle, was your grandmother Alta’s sister. Note: Counting you, Kim, there are three Kim Johns and one Kimmi Johns. Your dad(s), Bill and Mart Johns, and their brothers and sisters were like my brothers and sisters. Our families were close. You are second cousins to my children. Your First Cousin Once Removed, Lois (First cousin of your dads)
Aunt Isabelle By Cecelia Greene Wofford ("Corky") I had visited Aunt Isabelle with Mama when I was little, and I remember going to her house with all the aunts, uncles and cousins for crab eschallow (don’t know how you spell it, but that’s how it sounded). Uncle Dolphus and his father were catching crabs with crab nets in the ditches that ran near their house when we got there. Much later when dinner was served Janet and I were placed next to each other on a bench at a picnic table. I was probably 4 or 5, and Janet’s head hardly reached the top of the table. Someone (I think Aunt Isabelle) picked the crab meat out for Janet, but I was "big enough" to pick my own. The sauce was delicious, but I was plenty hungry on the way home. Sometimes I feel the same way when the girls take me to one of those all you can eat lobster places. By the time you get the juices and shells all over you and cut your fingers trying to get the meat out of the shells it is hardly worth the effort. I also remember Aunt Isabelle catching somebody’s kid who nearly fell off the back of Aunt Dorothy’s truck; Aunt Isabelle was about 8 months pregnant. I also visited her when she lived off Hwy 301 out near the Seffner-Thonotosassa area, but I never really knew her until I moved back to Tampa when Robert was transferred to Germany. She lived on Whirley Road, and I lived on South Mobley. I didn’t work for about a year, and I would go over and visit her one or two days a month. What I really liked about Aunt Isabelle was she told things like they were, not sugar coating them until they didn’t resemble the truth. Aunt Isabelle could make the best soups and stews out of leftovers. Sometimes we would eat lunch at her house, and sometimes I would take her out to eat ...CONTINUED
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...CONTINUED Aunt Isabelle had plants and flowers all over the front porch and house. In the back yard she had a bed of the most beautiful roses. I still have some plants she gave me, and I always think of her when I water them. She always had some project she was working on; we were a lot alike in this regard. We would see something we couldn’t wait to start, so we never really finished one project before we started another. She had a dresser with drawers full of beautiful things she was making. I’ve got things stashed in plastic bags all over the house. I really missed her when I had to go back to work. She was like a mother to me.
* IN A LETTER TO ISABELLE ON MOTHER’ S DAY 1985, LOIS WRITES: TO THE MOST LOVED MOTHER AND GRANDMOTHER : "THIS IS YOUR LIFE" BORN: MAY 12, 1910 TO BE RAPTURED WITH JESUS YOU WERE BORN THE SAME NIGHT THAT AUTHOR MARK TWAIN DIED, AS HALLEYS COMET PASSED BY, TO WILLIAM AND NELLIE BURDETT. YOU WERE THE SIXTH OF THEIR TWELVE CHILDREN. LATER IN LIFE YOU SET OUT ON AN ADVENTURE OF BIG DREAMS TO THE BIG APPLE, "NEW YORK CITY. YOU MET A YOUNG MAN WHILE THERE AND MARRIED AND CONCEIVED A DAUGHTER, LOIS. WHEN THE ROMANCE SOURED AND DREAMS BEGAN TO BE HEARTACHES, YOU RETURNED HOME HEARTBROKEN. BUT NEVER TO BE BEATEN YOU STARTED OVER AGAIN AND MET ANOTHER MAN WHO WAS LONG TO BE YOUR HUSBAND, RODOLPHUS BIRD SMITH. WITH A LOT OF LEAN YEARS, ONE YEAR AFTER ANOTHER, YOU TRUDGED A LONG, ONE KID AFTER ANOTHER, SIX MORE YET! FOUR BOYS AND TWO GIRLS, THOSE BEING TWINS! CURTIS, WESLEY, RONALD, CAROLYN, MARILYN, AND RAYMOND. BOY, WE SEVEN WERE SOME BRATS! I GUARANTEE WHEN WE WERE ALL GROWN, YOU WERE DEFINITELY A TIRED MOTHER. BEFORE THE OTHER KIDS WERE EVEN HALF GROWN AND NOT EVEN BORN, LOIS GOT MARRIED AND MADE YOU A GRANDMOTHER AT THIRTY-FIVE, AND EVERYONE CAN BELIEVE YOU WERE MAD AS A BEE IN A BEEHIVE. "I’M TOO YOUNG TO BE A GRANDMOTHER", YOU SAID, BUT AT SEVENTY-FIVE THEY NUMBER 27. AND NOW GREAT GRAND CHILDREN FOLLOW ONE AFTER ANOTHER, AND IN THE NEAR FUTURE GREAT GREAT GRANDCHILDREN WILL FOLLOW. LIFE WAS TOUGH FOR YOU AND DADDY FOR MANY A YEAR AND SOMETIMES OUR DADDY GAVE YOU HARD TIMES, BUT YOU MANAGED TO WEATHER THE STORMS’ AND WHEN JESUS CAME IN YOUR LIFE, HIS LOVE SHONE THROUGH YOU AND THE WEATHER CHANGED AND YOUR PERSONALITY MELLOWED LIKE THE WARM SUN AND FRESH AIR. THANK YOU LORD!!! THE RAGING STORM WAS OVER. NOW YOU ARE WARM AND FULL OF WISDOM AND THOUGH ALL WON'T ADMIT IT, WE KNOW THAT YOU PRAY FOR US EVERYDAY, AND HOPE THAT YOU CAN TAKE US ALL TO HEAVEN WITH YOU, BUT WE DON'T WANT TO LEAVE YOU EITHER. FOR DEEP DOWN IN OUR HEARTS, WE WANT TO BE WITH OUR FATHER, BROTHER AND MOTHER. THERE'S ONE THING I'M SURE OF, YOU HAVE SIX LIVING CHILDREN, SIX DAUGHTERS AND SON IN LAWS, 27 GRANDCHILDREN, TEN GREAT GRANDCHILDREN THAT KNOW YOU ARE THE GREATEST MOTHER AND GRANDMOTHER IN THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD AND WE LOVE YOU. HAPPY MOTHERS DAY MAMA AND HAPPY 75TH BIRTHDAY! LOVE, LOIS NOW IT’S THE YEAR 2001. ON JUNE 9TH 1993, YOU WENT HOME TO BE WITH OUR HEAVENLY FATHER, BUT NOT BEFORE YOU GOT TO SEE THE SAME HALLEY’S COMET THAT FLEW OVER THE NIGHT YOU CAME INTO THIS WORLD. OH, HOW WE ALL MISS YOU MAMA! YOU NOW HAVE MANY MANY MORE GREAT AND GREAT, GREAT GRANDCHILDREN WHO WILL NEVER KNOW THE WOMAN THAT BROUGHT US ALL IN THIS WORLD. MAMA, I COUNT THE DAYS UNTIL I SEE YOU AGAIN. HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY, LOIS
I’LL ALWAYS WALK WITH YOU I’ll always walk with you, whatever you go through, I’ll be right by your side, when there’s no place to hide. I’ll always walk with you, whatever you go through. When Mom would tuck me in , these words she’s say to me. "My baby is so sleepy, he can hardly see." She’d cuddle me and snuggle and turn the light down low. And then she’s whisper softly, "There’s something you must know." I’ll always walk with you, whatever you go through, My love will last forever, in every single way, I’ll always walk with you, whatever you to through. As I grew into boyhood, she’d always cheer me on, She’d watch when I played baseball, or say when I was wrong. As I got into high school, she’d be right by my side. Encouraging and loving and always say, "You tried." But if in life I faltered, she’d smile and look away. These words would come back to me, these words that she would say. I’ll always walk with you, whatever you go through, I’ll be right by your side, when there’s no place to hide. My love will last forever, in every single way. I’ll always walk with you, whatever you go through. Now I am into manhood, successful some might say. Without my Mom beside me, there’d be no other way, But sometimes life is bitter, they tell you that’s the way, She touched my life forever...today my Mother passed away. I’ll always walk with you, whatever you go through, I’ll be right by your side, when there’s no place to hide. My love will last forever, in every single way. I’ll always walk with you, whatever you go through. by Ray
ISABELLE & LOIS AT GENERAL'S |
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