My Mamma passed away on 24 Nov 2017 in Livingston, Polk Co, TX. She was an amazing woman.
She was born 15 Aug 1920 in Jackson, Clarke Co, AL. Her name was Susan Ann Lewis. She married my Daddy (John Clinton McCrory) on 14 Mar 1943 in Orange, Orange Co, TX. He died 4 Jan 1955 in Jasper, Jasper Co, TX. She married Fred Brown 25 Nov 1959 in Buna, Jasper Co, TX. He died 6 Sep 1974 in Livingston, Polk Co, TX. She married Harry E. Robison 27 May 1975 in Woodville, Tyler Co, TX. He died 15 Feb 1989 in Livingston Polk Co, TX
Excerpt from "I've Seen & Heard of Jesus"
MOM
By:
Frances M. McCrory-Meservy 1943-65
Mom was the biggest influence
in my life. She practiced what she preached and never asked anyone to do
anything she was not willing to do herself. She is a tough yet loving lady. If
she told us she was going to do something, you could count on it. I think I
admire her more than anyone else on this earth.
She taught me how to live, love, cook, clean, sew, iron, cut hair, garden and
how to survive. She made us feel rich when we had little or no money.
I grew up with the attitude that if someone thought I could do something I would
jump right in and try. Ninety nine percent of the time I found that I could do
whatever was asked of me. If I failed in what I tried to do, it was not
considered the end of the world. Mom’s attitude was to either try again or in
some cases "Well, we won’t do that again." I naturally picked up her attitude.
When Dad decided to raise our own beef, Mom went to work with a butcher (for
free) and learned how to cut up meat. We always had tender meat.
Mom was our shinning example. She did not send us to church, she took us. She
didn't tell us to be kind, well mannered or polite. She was kind, well mannered
and polite. .
When we asked her for permission to do something, she would ask us, "What would
Jesus do?" Or "Would Jesus do that?" It always made us think.
Dad had enough insurance to pay for his funeral and pay the house & car off. Mom
signed up for social security for us kids. She got a check each month until we
graduated from High School. We got a free lunch card each month for school. Mom
grew and sold things to augment her income. Some people thought we were rich.
Mom was just good at handling money and we never went without.
After Dad died, she went to work with an electrician and learned how to wire a
house. She wired our house and the electrician signed off on it. Then she went
to work with a plumber and installed water pipes and gas lines. Later she
decided she wanted fancy cabinets in her kitchen. She worked with a cabinetmaker
and then built the cabinets and installed them. They looked great.
Within a year after Dad died, we had running water, an indoor bathroom, gas for
heating and cooking, electric lights, doors between the rooms, and an attic fan.
This taught us that can't never could do anything. It also taught us how to
learn and accomplish things. All you had to do was want to bad enough.
When I was 12, she sat me down and explained about puberty and how my body would
change and what to expect. She explained that sex was a holy union between a
husband and wife and that it was not dirty. Even though there were boys and men
out there that would try to make it dirty, I should not listen to them.
She told me how boys would try to get me to have sex with them and different
tactics they would use to try and smooth talk me into what they wanted. She
taught me not to put myself in a compromising place and how to dress and act.
She taught me how to wear makeup so it looked natural. But most of all, she
showed me I could talk to her about anything and everything. No mater what
happened, she was always there for me.
When I started dating, she asked me to think about where we were going and what
time I thought I should be home. I would figure out where we were going to go
and how long it would take and then give an answer. Most of the time 10 PM was
the time. We discussed everything and we kids were included in the decision
making process. This taught us how to make wise decisions and to think for
ourselves.
Mom trusted us and was merciful to us when we goofed; therefore, we became trust
worthy.
If we needed a spanking, we got one. Most of the time, we were left sitting on
the porch for an hour to think about what we did while she decided what she was
going to do to punish us. Honestly, that time on the porch was worse than any
punishment we ever received. Our imaginations just ran wild.
Mom played board games with us. We have been known to keep a monopoly game going
for weeks. We would come home from school, do our chores, get our homework done,
eat supper, listen to a radio show (before 1955 or watch a show on TV (after we
got a TV in 1955), and play a game till bedtime. We were taught that games were
for fun and losing was not bad.
In the spring we planted and in the fall we harvested. During the summer and
winter, she played baseball with us and when we were in Jr. High she got us a
basketball goal and played basketball with us. She taught us to know the seasons
in life and how to use them.
She inspired me to trust Jesus with everything, taught me to watch for God's
hand in all things, proper manners, how to take care of myself and how to act.
She is the wisest person I know.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Eccl 9:17 The quiet words of the wise
are more to be heeded than the shouts of a ruler of fools.
Phil 4:13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
Prov 10:13 Wisdom is found on the lips of him who has understanding, ...
Eccl 3:1-8 To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under
heaven: A time to be born, And a time to die; A time to plant, And a time to
pluck what is planted; A time to kill, And a time to heal; A time to break down,
And a time to build up; A time to weep, And a time to laugh; A time to mourn,
And a time to dance; A time to cast away stones, And a time to gather stones; A
time to embrace, And a time to refrain from embracing; A time to gain, And a
time to lose; A time to keep, And a time to throw away; A time to tear, And a
time to sew; A time to keep silence, And a time to speak, A time to love, And a
time to hate; A time of war, And a time of peace.
1 Pet 4:8-11 And above all things have fervent love for one another, for "love
will cover a multitude of sins." Be hospitable to one another without grumbling.
As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of
the manifold grace of God. If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of
God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies,
that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the
glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.
Proverbs 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he
will not depart from it..
Background picture of Mom (Susan Ann McCrory) in Beaumont, Texas 1943. Picture taken by one of Mom's friends.
I've Seen & Heard of Jesus by Frances M. McCrory-Meservy
Getting to Know Jesus (Chapter I)