Laverne Elizabeth Cloud was born on February 23, 1919 to Emma (McBride) & John Franklin Cloud in Tiptonville, Tennessee. She was the 8th and last child. She had 3 brothers and 4 sisters: Bess, Ruth, Claude, William, Mazie, Carl & Maude Lou. She graduated from Tiptonville High School in 1937 in a class of 33 students. She was married that same year, December 31, 1937, to James David McCoy by a Justice of the Peace in Fulton County Kentucky.
The above pictures are her Senior high school picture and the other is Mama and me.
Since her birthdate is this week I thought I'd do a post in Mama's honor.
Things I remember most about mama:
- Drying dishes while she washed – the best time to share the events of our day.
- She loved to read – she told me once we had to go to a different library because she had read everything at our local one.
- Her little ‘sermons’ – you know, “If you can’t say something nice then don’t say anything at all.”, “always look for the good in someone”, and “there is no excuse for being unkind.”
- When she was going out (usually to church)- bright red lipstick and a light spray of Evening in Paris.
- Her flowers – a big peony bush in front of the old garage and the spirea (sp?) bush by the front porch swing.
- Biscuits or cornbread with every dinner.
- Your favorite dessert for your birthday – mine was always banana pudding.
- A basically quiet humble person who could swing a mean paddle or hairbrush if you got out of line.
- Floyd Cramer’s “Last Date” – she always requested that song when Steve would play.
- The letters she would write while I was in college – they sometimes took me a few days to decipher but she wrote every week.
- Hugging her grandkids
As they were leaving she turned to say goodbye and I had a very "strange feeling” hit me that this was a real goodbye and it was indeed the last time I saw her alive. I remember an overwhelming amount of people at the funeral – even with her gentle, quiet, unassuming personality, she was loved by many. Any memories of your own?
9 comments:
I also remember thinking that last day would be the last time I saw her and I went to my room and wrote her a poem for her birthday to tell her how much I loved her, then I remember asking her a bunch of questions about herself so I would remember everything. Unfortunately the only answer I remember is she told me her favorite song was "Somewhere over the Rainbow".
Other memories I have are:
-Hanging out with her and Grandpa on Sunday afternoons and playing in that window seat in their bedroom.
-Sunday night dinners at Grandma and Grandpas with the entire family and watching Hee Haw after we ate dinner. I looked forward to those nights, I remember how much fun they were.
-Iced tea and a cup of chocolate chips with Grandma on the green front porch bench, that was our favorite treat.
-How Grandma always played along with anything I wanted to do and even let me "fix" her hair all the time.
-Her smile and her eyes, they were very unique. Every once in a while I see someone who reminds me of Grandma because they have the same smile or eyes and it takes my breath away, i can't help but stare.
Happy Birthday Grandma, love you.
p.s. I really want a copy of that pix. of Grandma, she was so pretty.
I don't remember as much as Jenny, but I have a few things!
-I remember that white shirt she had with different colored leaves all over it... do you know what I'm talking about? (I didn't say these would be "normal memories" :)
-I remember playing outside at their house, then getting so hot that we would come in and sit on their a/c registers between the dining room and the living room.
-I remember her sitting in that chair in front of the front door and going to give her a big hug everytime we came in.
I wish I could remember more! I think I was 8 when she died. Thanks for sharing all of those things about her though... I remember her being a sweet woman for sure, and that's obviously been passed on to you, mom!
I love you and miss you grandma!
ps... you and Jenny have a wierd 6th sense thing going on... please don't ever tell me if you think it's the last time you're going to see me. Thanks!
I remember a few more things...
-iced tea at their house- I don't know if I ever drank it, but I rememeber it always being there.
-I remember having sandwiches there with the long dill pickle slices.
-I remember drinking out of those cool metal tumblers that got frosty on the outside- love those!
-I, too, remember Grandma's eyes and her smile, and sometimes your smile looks just like hers mom!
OK... that's it for now... I'll let you know if I recall anything else later!
I'm impressed that you guys remember so many things - thanks for reminding me of some I'd forgotten to mention. Becky, thanks for the chuckle - you're so funny - I promise not to tell you if I think it's the last time I'm going to see you. love you guys - mom
I have so many memories of grandma. But what I remember most is her chocolate chip cookies.
She had a cookie jar that was alway full sitting on the counter.(what happened to that cookie jar?)
Going to her house after church on Sunday night...eating pizza or ham sandwiches
sitting with her on the front porch
we also went to the movies a few times.
But what I remeber most is her quiet and gentle ways
When mom died cousin Patsy said she thought mom was so much fun. This reminded me of a story I had heard about her.
when I was about 5 or so Grace and Rachel (they were probably teenagers at this time) came to spend a week with us in Ridgely. Everybody sewed back then and they all made red and white outfits including one for me and we went to town to show off our outfits. I bet we were a sight.
I also remember sitting in the car on Saturday nights on main street in Ridgely,TN waiting for daddy to get off work and mom would make up stories about people that would walk by while we were waiting.
When we moved to St. Louis we immediately found a church of christ and walked there every Sunday. I don't think we ever missed a Sunday.
Ann, you were right about the drying dishes time. That was talking time and I learned many things about life during dish washing time. It was that way also at Grandmother McCoys except we all sang while we did the dishes. Washing dishes was a good time although we all complained about doing it.
I always felt like I was lucky to be the one that knew mom when she was young and as she got older.
As she grew older she had a wonderful knowledge of the Bible. I remember a lady that came to the estate sale we had at the house. She found some of those work books mom had from her Sunday school class. She always had right answers. This lady said she always wanted to know more about the Bible. I gave her the books and was thinking - even after mom died she was still teaching.
She was a wonderful lady but would probably be embarrased if we said that to her. I miss her.
I have lots of memories of mom,the smells of something always baking on Saturday when you wake up, usually the famous chocolate chip cookies.
Walking to the library every week and stoping by the five and dime by Bevo Mill on the way home.
Mom and dad sitting on the front porch drinking ice tea and talking to the neighbors as they passed by.
The old albums she played every Sunday,while she was getting ready for church.
Her smile,and the sparkel in her eyes,but don't forget the stare you could get during church if you misbehaved.
Having a drivers licience but NEVER driving.
The time a vacuum cleaner sales man did a demo trying to make a sale but because moms floors were so clean,his machine didn't pick up any dirt.No sale.
Which also reminds me how she would pull me around the house on the vacuum cleaner as she cleaned.
And many,many more, but the best one is:
MOM LIKED ME BEST
(just kidding)
jimmy
One of the things I remember most about your mom is the fact that she always held her tongue when it came to raising the grandkids. I'm sure she had a million thoughts about the way we all handled our kids but she never intereferred or was judgemental in anyway. Jim and I were so young when we married, but both your mom and pop never gave out unsolicited advise about anything we did. whether it was a smart idea or not so bright. They let us learn on our own.
Yuor mom was the kindest mother-in-law any 19 year old could of had.
I can't think of one time over all those years that she wasn't kind and loving to the woman who was now married to her favorite child! (just kidding too!) She was an amazing example of a christian woman. It makes me terribly sad that Meredith has no memories of her. One of my favorite memories too, were the Sunday nights after church. All the kids toys all over the living room and those great ham sandwiches or Imo pizza!!
Love you all,
Denise
Better late than never but I had to share some memories.
When Terri was about 15 months we all went to Reelfoot Lake.I took Terri swimming and we were continually going down this water slide because Terri kept saying "Do it again Daddy" Your mother was watching and I understand another lady watching said "that man was going to drown that baby" and your mother did not inform her that the baby was her granddaughter.
Holiday meals and her Heavenly Hash
Attending church three times a week
Easy to talk too
Always early for visits
My one regret is she wanted to go to Washington DC and Nancy and I was going to take them. We never made the trip.
Your favorite brother in law!!!!
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