The only real estate transaction in which I have been a party that produced a friendship was when we purchased our current home. We bought from it Don and Mary. Memaw, Mary’s mom, lived with them. The backdoor neighbors were Uncle Bob and Miss Peggy. Miss Peggy and Memaw are sisters. As a Yankee, the southern term for grandma was strange to me. But, everybody called her Memaw including the local Pastor (the Pastor of her Church).
Our lives and Don and Mary’s lives (mostly Don’s) quickly intertwined. Don is a general contractor, and Steve often worked for him--mostly painting. This last summer, since a general contractor’s work became almost non existent in Florida, Don went to work for the Census Bureau. We were in the same unit working for the same supervisor. We have been to each other’s houses. So, as I mentioned, this real estate transaction produced new friends for us.
Memaw and Miss Peggy were southern belles, born and raised in Georgia, both now living in Florida. They both love the Lord and worship him through their local Southern Baptist Church.
When we bought our home, it had an above ground swimming pool which the ladies thoroughly enjoyed. We had agreed to leave the pool available for the ladies while we were “up north” doing our summer kettle corn circuit.
Recently, Memaw went to be with our Lord. She was in her eighties and had been having lots of physical problems. Don called the night before her funeral and told us of her final moments. I know the loss of a loved one is serious, but Don had me giggling. It seems that Memaw liked her “dip.” She had just put a dip in. (For you Yankee folks, that’s a bit of snuff between the lips). Memaw had a really good sense of humor and laughed a lot. So, she would have appreciated the remarks of the Preacher about her dip and the fact that her daughter had placed a box of her favorite brand in her hands in the casket. If she could, she would have LOL. It seems as though she recently “confessed” to the Preacher that her dip was one of her vices.
It turns out that Memaw had another vice. In her younger days, she won many trophies ballroom dancing. Traditional Southern Baptists often frown upon dancing.
The “sermon/eulogy” used the scripture (Luke 11) of the story of the sisters Martha and Mary….Memaw being more of the Martha type and Miss Peggy more of the Mary type. At one time, Jesus praised Mary for her choice in sitting at his feet while Martha fretted over many things (including the fact that Mary was not helping in the kitchen). Jesus said Mary chose the better.
But, both sisters loved Jesus and both sisters loved him. We cannot forget that it was Martha who ran to meet him when their brother had died and said that she believed when Jesus said that he was the “resurrection and the life…He that believed in me though he were dead, yet shall he live and he that lived and believeth in me shall never die!” so, both sisters loved Jesus and showed it in her own special way.
Now, you might wonder why I mentioned the swimming pool earlier. Well, it seems the Martha-style Memaw and the Mary-style Miss Peggy got in the pool one special day. They had done it hundreds of times. For some reason, the rivets on the pool (which was now five or six years old) decided to give way that day. The Pastor told the story of the two in the pool and the floundering, yelling and screaming that went on as Uncle Bob and probably Don had to come to their rescue. Water was pouring out at the break, causing waves and a very slippery and probably dangerous situation for the ladies. However, by the description, it sounded like a scene from the Three Stooges. Most of the people in the church—knowing Memaw--were laughing heartily as the story continued.
Who knew that my swimming pool would become a part of an eulogy for a wonderful person.!
Don called up north a few days later up and said, “Your pool is dead!!!” Then, he gave us the details. It was funnier this time. It could not be fixed and eventually most of it went to the dump. And, no one was badly hurt (although I know there had to be some interesting bruises).
Her service was, indeed, a celebration of her life.
God has given us a wonderful gift in laughter and a sense of humor. I am sure Memaw is keeping them on their toes in heaven.
You are in our hearts, Memaw!
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