Dear Grandma,
My earliest memory goes back to the month of May 1953. I was three months shy of being 3 years old. What I remember is being passed from lap to lap every little bit by people who were both sad and quiet. That’s all I can recall from this memory.
Until I was much older, I wondered why Dad was always a little bit sad on Mother’s Day each year. When he told me that you passed away on Mother’s Day, 1953, I was able to put the pieces of my earliest memory together. It was then that I could understand, though not fully, why he was sad until my own mother, your daughter-in-law, passed away in 1995.
Though I didn’t get to receive the blessing of knowing you personally, I did get to know you through the eyes of my dad and mom and other kinfolk. From what they told me about you it is easy for me to see that you were so worthy of their deep love, praise and adoration.
I have a picture of you and Grandpa as you were being married by the preacher. The year was 1911. You were beautiful and Grandpa was tall and handsome, at least two heads taller than you. You were in your early 20s and he was in his mid-50s. You had never been married before and he was a widower who had raised his seven children alone. You married him after his last child got married and was no longer living at home. You saw his children as your own.
I remember stories Dad used to tell us kids about you and Grandpa. How you were always there for him and your family, loving them and making sure everyone’s needs were met. How you sacrificed for everyone else even when it meant you had to do without, yourself.
Grandpa could always count on you to take good care of your three kids, Dad, Uncle B.F. and Aunt Eula, as well as, the home front when he got called out, which was often.
When someone would have an accident or get hurt in some way or became ill, people would come running for Grandpa. He was not only a physician but he was also the pastor of two churches in the area. Sometimes people would just call on him to come and pray with them.
Grandma, you were the perfect helpmate for Grandpa. Because of you, he was able to do the work God had called him to do. Without your love, support, hard work, sacrifice and strength, which you gave God the credit for, he would not have had the freedom to do all he did. You were his backbone and he knew you were constantly praying for him.
You were a strong woman, you were a hard working woman, you were a Godly woman.
You’ve been a role model for me throughout my life and I will be eternally grateful that God chose me to be your granddaughter.
The Bible verse that comes to mind when I think about you is Matthew 20:28. It reads, in part, “… He came to serve not to be served …”
This describes you so well. It is with great fondness of heart, admiration and praise that I honor you this day.
Happy Mother’s Day, Grandma.
Your loving granddaughter,
Nita Jean
Nita Evans of Columbus is owner of Confidential Christian Counseling, focusing her work especially with ministry leaders and their families. She also is a Columbus Police Department chaplain and a national retreat and conference speaker. She can be reached at 812-614-7838 or by visiting specialspeaker.com.
