I've been away from the blogosphere for a little while. The reason being my grandma (otherwise known as MaMaw to me and many others) went on to Heaven. I miss her terribly, but I know she is in a better place. I know she is up there laughing with her one of a kind laugh and telling stories only the way that she could tell them. She was a special woman to me, my sister, mother, father, and everyone else's life she touched. I wanted to share her story and her life with the world. She touched many lives. Even though she is no longer here, I know that she will continue to touch them.
The Era of Martha
I want to share with you the story of “The Era of Martha”. It began in 1925 in Clarksville, TN with a young girl from the country who grew up as she began loving life with her 4 sisters and 2 brothers. She walked the country roads on adventures, sat in her Daddy’s lap at the end of the day, and spent her summer’s making memories on her Aunt Minnie’s farm. She grew up and left that town for a bigger adventure in Louisville. It was there she met the love of her life, Burlond. From there, they headed to Paducah to live out their dreams.
This is when the Era of Momma began. They built a happy home in that brick house on Mississippi St. And as the years came, so did Mike, Janet, and Doug. The adventures continued as she built a happy family. During this era, Momma raised two teachers and an attorney and even held the honor of Mother of the Year.
Time flew by and soon the Era of MaMaw began. It began with Kellie, followed by Katie, Timothy, Kerry, Erin, Emily, and Kyle. The Era of MaMaw was filled with homemade breakfast, hand written letters, Christmas surprises, and the best homemade fried chicken and biscuits around.
Throughout the entire Era of Martha, she was a firecracker who would never back down and would give you the shirt off her back at the same time. She could light up a room with a story. Telling ones so enriched with details that it could transcend anyone back in time to Clarksville.
The Era may be over. We will never hear the stories about the Smith girls again. No one else’s fried chicken and biscuits will ever taste as good. But the legacy will live forever. It will live on through her son Mike who will carry on her love for music and listening to old songs while going on about the day at home. It will live on through her daughter Janet who took her love for being a homemaker and a true confidant. Her son Doug carries her ability to always to what is honest and just. The legacy will continue on even more through her 7 grandchildren whom she always loved unconditionally. It will live through Kellie, to whom she gave a love of cooking and trying out new recipes. Through Timothy, who takes from her a sense of adventure and doing what he sets his mind to. Kerry will keep her spirit alive by continuing her compassion for taking care of those who are in need. Erin took from her a love for children and watching them learn. There’s Emily who keeps her love for art and creativity alive. And Kyle, who got her will and determination to try new things. And as for me, I think I got her love of a good story and an off color joke.
To many she is Martha, to one she is a lifetime love, to 3 she is Momma, but to me and 6 others she will always be MaMaw. Even when I’m someone’s MaMaw, she will still be my MaMaw.
She always gave me the courage and strength to do whatever I could set my mind to. She was one of the first people who encouraged and fostered my love for writing.
