A Rose

A Rose once grew where all could see,
sheltered beside a Garden Wall,
And, has the days passed swiftly by it spread its branches straight and tall.
One day a beam of light shone through a crevice that had opened wide ~
The Rose bent gently toward its warmth then passed beyond the other side.
Now you who deeply-feel its loss be comforted ~
the rose blooms there,
it's beauty ever greater now,
nurtured by God's own loving care.

Dorothes Amelia Busse Kunert~ ~ ~{ 1924 ~ 1992 } ~ ~ ~

Scott asked me to post this for him; this is grandma at their house celebrating Jeremy's High School graduation.

I wanted to post the following from Scott; I thought it was real nice and it brought tears to my eyes.

Goodbye Grandma,I love you and miss you.You were a wonderful person whom I was lucky enough to have as my Grandma. I remember going to church, thinking that people were being drowned on stage(they were really just being baptized) the Dentyne Gum afterwards. The Fliptop trashcan in your kitchen, and of course the ice cream in the freezer. I also remember the ghost that you used to have in your livingroom behind the swivel chair, that would sing.(It was really me)But I think what I remember most was your terrific Sense of Humor. I miss you so much already. I Love You. Say Hi to Mom, and Grandpa.

-Scott

Our Rock of Gibraltar

She had "pretty" writing script. She sang a lot, especially when she was feeling good. She was a happy person in spite of her physical pain felt over many years. She pondered that rock behind her quizzically commenting on its dark streaks and thinking they were getting darker. The rock was a weathered chunk of granite (probably) that had been landscaped around. The fence was built around and over the top of the rock.
Grandma was alert to life and everything around her. And like that rock, she was part of our life, and we molded our lives around her. What a Mom! What a Grandma! What a friend! What a wonderful person!

This has got to be one of my favorite pictures; grandma looks so happy and relaxed! Just think, at the time she earned her wings, she probably looked and felt like this again. We all know that she has gone on to a much better place where she is young again!

Back on July 18, 1998, Grandma was over at my dad's house and she just started talking about some of her memories; so I jotted down some of what she said. I thought you might be interested in reading it. Please feel free to add to them!

Born July 23, 1912, Turkey Ford, Ottawa County, Oklahoma to Ruben Burden Rhodes and Mary Ellen Griffis.

She remembers when someone was visiting the farm and made a comment on how pretty one of her sisters were. No one told her that she was pretty, so she asked, "aren't I pretty too?"

They lived in a 4 room, 2 bedroom home with a fireplace. All her siblings were born in the same house. They would sleep cross-wise in the bed, especially when they had company.

They lived on a small farm. "Dad did sharecropping for "Mr. Guffey", we had corn, wheat, lots of garden stuff; also chickens and cows. We were 2 miles from Cowskin River where we used to have big community fish-fries. We would get so many fish, we would have to give them away. Used to catch perch, catfish and bass."

She started school at Possum College; walked 2 miles to get to the 1 room school. They moved in 1923 to Zincville, near Pitches.

"When farming and plowing, we used to find lots of Indian arrow heads". They had a dog and his name was Rover. Letha remembers her mother having to go away for short time somewhere. She had asked Letha to take care of the chickens. By the time her mother had returned, most of the chickens had died.

Dad was not affectionate, and she doesn't remember him ever kissing any of the kids. The only exception was her brother, Lafayette, when he died. Her father, Ruben and her mother, Mary Ellen, had limited education. They could, however, read and write. She remembers her father saying "I draw an idy", whenever he had an idea.

Turkey Ford, Oklahoma had one general store. Mr. Marlow, the owner, would give Letha small empty gum boxes.

Some of the games they would play around the house were Flying Dutchman, Drop the Handkerchief and Hide and seek. Most of her friends were relatives, including Alma Rhodes.

When they moved from Turkey Ford to Zincville, it was done in a wagon. They then moved to Pichers, and lived on Gladys Street. Ruben, her father, went to work in a Lead and Zinc mine. Times were hard; they even drained and used water from barrels.

Ruben and Mary Ellen bought and ran a 28 room boarding house. The charged $8.00 a week for room and board. There were no bathrooms. Letha remembers only one outhouse.
The boarding house burned almost completely down about 1925. Letha always suspected her mother set fire to the house.
They moved to Pichers after the fire and lived in a small 2 room house there. Mary Ellen would take in washing from people, including families named Frederick and Robert and Mary Boston and kids.

They moved to Miami in 1926 to a house on "G" Street. They moved around a lot! Mary Ellen left for 3 years about 1928 or 1929. She took up with John Jordan while at the boarding house. She got a divorce about 1930/31.

Letha quit school at age 16, during the 10th grade. She was upset because the teacher kept bawling her out for not having school books. She just up and quit. After quitting school, she helped at house cleaning and cooking. She worked for some families as a helper in their homes.
She went steady for 3 years with Buster Steen, whom was Indian. "I was in love with him", Letha remembers. She started dating Lee Roland Williams at about the age of 20.

During the depression years, she went to cooking school and won a basket of goodies.

After reading Erica's posting, it brought back memories of Grandma doing things with handkerchiefs. It has been a long time, but I think she would make a cradle with a baby in it??? Using her two hands wasn't enough, she also needed help from her teeth to pull parts of the hankie down. Does anyone else remember her doing this? I was always quite amazed with her talent!

Jolene

Somebody's Mother

The woman was old and ragged and gray

And bent with the chill of the Winter's day.
The street was wet with a recent snow

And the woman's feet were aged and slow.
She stood at the crossing and waited long,

Alone, uncared for, amid the throng
Of human beings who passed her by

Nor heeded the glance of her anxious eyes.
Down the street, with laughter and shout,

Glad in the freedom of "school let out,"
Came the boys like a flock of sheep,

Hailing the snow piled white and deep.
Past the woman so old and gray

Hastened the children on their way.
Nor offered a helping hand to her -

So meek, so timid, afraid to stir
Lest the carriage wheels or the horses' feet

Should crowd her down in the slippery street.
At last came one of the merry troop,

The gayest laddie of all the group;
He paused beside her and whispered low,

"I'll help you cross, if you wish to go."
Her aged hand on his strong young arm

She placed, and so, without hurt or harm,
He guided the trembling feet along,

Proud that his own were firm and strong.

Then back again to his friends he went,

His young heart happy and well content.
"She's somebody's mother, boys, you know,

For all she's aged and poor and slow,
"And I hope some fellow will lend a hand

To help my mother, you understand,
"If ever she's poor and old and gray,

When her own dear boy is far away."
And "somebody's mother" bowed low her head

In her home that night, and the prayer she said
Was "God be kind to the noble boy,

Who is somebody's son, and pride and joy!"



-Mary Dow Brine

(1816-1913)

A few playful thoughts...

Playing with Grandma when I was young often involved rhymes, finger-plays, and teasing. It looked something like this:

(Grandma touching my forehead) "You live here ..."
(touching my chin) "and I live there..."
(moving finger around my face) "and I go around and around and..."
(finger up the middle of my face, over my nose and to my forehead) "UP TO SEE YOU !"
Much giggling followed.


(pointing to my forehead) "rooster"
(pointing to my nose) "pullet" (I heard pull-it)
(pointing to my chin) "hen"
(back to pointing at nose) "what's this?"
I'd say "pull it" and she would. I did not know that a "pullet" was a kind of chicken until I was in my late teens. I never understood this game as a child, because why would we I tell her to "pull it" when we were talking about chickens!? It was really funny later.


"Did you ever see a turkey peep over a log?"
"No..."
Then she'd grab the hair at the top of your neck and pull up quickly, saying "PEEP!"


(grabbing my ears) "Dictator, dictator..."
(turning my head to left, then to the right...by my ears) "See anybody this way? See anybody that way?"

These are only a few. Please add your own if you have some. There are so many that I've forgotten a lot of them.

Erica

Thoughts from Ron

Mom, Grandma Letha.
Such a wonderful person! My Letha cup is full and runneth over. There is a scramble of words running through my mind. Love, strength, Christian lady, caring, full of song, family, forgiving, amazing, loved her sisters and brothers, loved her children, grandchildren, greatgrandchildren, matriarch, hard working, full of grace, fun, terrific sense of humor, playful and so much more. She was a simple, good, God-fearing, God-loving, old-fashioned, hard-working country woman. She was demanding of herself and of others. She had a strong sense of responsibility and always expected the most from herself. She endured pain throughout her body for many years, but was vocal about it. She hated needles. She was a friend to her dentist and primary-care doctor and was on a first-name basis with both John and Janice. Loved antiques and "antiquing". Had a wonderful collection of antique perfume bottles, cranberry glass, vaseline glass and Hummels. Love to bargain and was always successful. Never had much money but was always generous with what she had. Had dementia and couldn't remember what she had for breakfast, or if she had breakfast!

But she remembered doctor appointments and other scheduled "outing" times. She was always aware of her surroundings and of family and friends. She invariably asked me how my nose surgery scar was doing?

And what I was having for dinner? And what I was doing the rest or the day? And tomorrow? She remembered her siblings and Oklahoma and dad (Lee) who she stilled loved. And, she always asked about Ann and my kids and Ann's kids. She was not formally educated, but she was a reader, did crossword puzzles from an early age, and she was smart. Didn't talk politics much, but said she would vote for Hillary.

And, you are my mother, and I love you. I love you, a bushel and a peck, and a hug around the neck.

All my love forever!

Ronnie

From The Clark Family, Cocoa, Florida

We were so stunned to hear of Letha's passing. This morning while checking my e-mail it popped up in there. I was on the phone with Kent and Sally was making coffee in the kitchen. I read the e-mail to my self and then put Kent on speaker and re-read it out loud. We were all very saddened to read this devasting news. Thinking back at all the many birthdays and Christmas' we shared over the years, it was always a pleasure to be included in her life. She will be missed and treasured forever! Makaylee is the only one of our kids that remembers Letha, I am just sorry that the rest of our children will never have the pleasure of knowing her as we did! Our prayers our with all of you!

Jenny, Kent, Makaylee, Brenden, Shelbee, and Rusten

My Grandma Letha died last night at 9:26 after suffering a heart attack. True to form, she had the decency and fairness to wait until her three children had some time at her bedside until she passed. Letha was the matriarch of our family. She was the glue that brought us all together at least once a year to celebrate her birthday. This July would have marked her 96th. She was born July 23rd, 1912 in Turkey Ford, Oklahoma (later incorporated in Miami, OK...say "my ah ma"). She moved across the country by train with her two young boys in tow and my mom in her belly. She arrived in Tacoma, Washington in 1943 and stayed in the same house until she moved in with her son Ron and his wife Ann, when she was in her late 80's. After breaking her hip when she was near 90, she moved into assisted living and seemed to get a second wind, surprising us all. We have a picture of her wearing beads and dancing with her walker at a Mardi Gras party when she was 93. Letha Williams was a strong, caring, funny woman. She was fair and honest. She told it like it was. She once got out of a traffic ticket by telling the officer who had pulled her over for speeding, "I wish you wouldn't do that". She could get big chain stores like Sears to give her a discount when there was no advertised sale in sight. She could even get them to extend the discount to her relatives. She played a mean game of Boggle. One of my proudest moments as an adult was the first time I beat her at the game. She was dearly loved by her family and friends. There are so many great stories about my Grandma. Our family will be sharing them together at her memorial. We will also, at her request, be singing "She'll be Comin' Round the Mountain". She said she wanted it sung at her funeral because you can't cry while singing that song. I will cry now and sing at the service. Wish me luck. I write this as a step in mourning a beloved woman. I wish everyone could have had the honor of knowing her. I write this also to remind other people in my life that there is much to celebrate. Big things like family and friends. Little things like playing Boggle with someone you love.

Thank you all for reading this-I appreciate you all,
Erica

How about a collection of one liners like these as a start:Letha enjoyed working crossword puzzles, starting as a teenager of 15 or 16,and continuing to work them up to the last week of her life.Letha loved to talk about her growing up days when she lived in Turkeyford,Zincville, and Miami, Ok.She often talked about the depression years when money and food were hard tocome by.She recalled fondly eating rabbit stew, rabbit sausage, fried rabbit.

--Ronnie

From Debbie:

Grandma made the best fudge and divinity and other assorted Christmas candies.She spent a lot of time making candy for our Christmas celebrations. She took me (and Scott too I think) to Sunday School at her belovedChurch of Christ that she attended religiously every Sunday that she was able.We used to chew Dentyne gum after church.It was a Grandma thing.I could count on a bowl of ice cream from her unending supply in her freezer.I seem to recall that Black Walnut was one of her favorites. When I think of Letha Williams, my Grandma, I think of forgiveness.She has forgiven many in her life including me, for not knowing how to show love. Included here I want to touch gently heracceptance and forgiveness of her ex-husband Lee andhis wife, Leota. Letha forgave them both and in the later yearsshe and Leota were part of all our family gatherings. I'm sure more memories will bubble to the surface in the coming days.

Love,Debbie

We lost grandma on March 12, 2008 after spending 95 glorious years on this earth. All those that had the opportunity to know her, were blessed by her presence. When she passed, she took a little part of all of us with her; a piece that we will never be able to reclaim, but thankful that we had the pleasure of knowing and loving her.
Please join me in posting your memories of grandma and together we can relive her life.

-Jolene