Super Sister and I met in Stephenville to visit Aunt Lois. It was a day I will always remember!
On the occasion of Aunt Lois’ 101 birthday, there was a half page article about her in the Lifestyles section of The Stephenville Empire-Tribune. Aunt Lois sat back and shared her memories with Joyce Whitis a local reporter. This is what Joyce had to say about Aunt Lois.
“Lois is an old friend. I can say my “oldest” friend, and before she went to live at Good Tree Retirement Home in 2007, used to call me often, usually about something I had written or a little dog I needed to see about. It has been several years since those phone calls so when I stopped by this week I asked if she still remembered my phone number. She took my hand, gave it a squeeze and repeated correctly my number that she hasn’t dialed in at least six years.”
Be still my heart! I do not know about you, but in this day and age of cell phones and stored numbers, I remember very few numbers, and at one hundred and one years old, Aunt Lois can remember a number she hasn’t dialed in over six years. Wow! I told you she was amazing.
Old phone numbers are not the only things she can remember. Aunt Lois remembers the stories of her life. She wanted me to read the article to her again. As I did, she enjoyed having hearing her memories that were printed in the newspaper. Of course, there was always more to the story, and listening to her remembrances was one of the most enjoyable days I have spent in a long time.
She told the story of her daddy’s death.
“Anyway, it was February 12, 1912 and a cloud came up that afternoon. Daddy and a hired hand were working to get the wheat in the ground and although there was lightning, Daddy wanted to keep on working. The hired hand told hm that they might get struck by lightning and Daddy said, ‘Well, I’m as ready to go now as I ever will be’ and began to sing ‘Asleep in Jesus.’
The lightning strike killed Daddy and the team pulling the equipment. It knocked out the hired hand and burned one side of his body, but he lived. That left my mother with two little ones and another on the way – me.”
After Aunt Lois was born in August of that year, her brother died of a respiratory infection – “no antibiotics back then.” In less than a year, my Grandmother’s husband died, she had a baby, and then suffered the loss of a child. Times were hard.
She remembered her school days – her good grades and perfect attendance. “I still have my report cards to prove it.”
After Aunt Lois married Uncle Raymon, “they found out they could not have children of their own. Raymond and Lois decided to adopt. They heard about a woman with five children that couldn’t make enough money as a waitress to take care of them. ….Lois described a pitiful scene… The mother was there and they asked her which child was for adoption. Her reply was ‘Take any of ’em you want!’ Lois and Raymon took George who was 7 and Aileen, 6.” … Aunt Lois added, “Aileen was 6 years old and only weighed 34 pounds.”
You hear these stories in the news, but …. Gives me chills to think about it. As adults, George was in the Air Force, and Aileen became a teacher. As she talked, you could tell she was proud of them.
There was much much more shared in the article, but perhaps my favorite quote was, “I do love to sing gospel songs for the Lord. I’ve been a member of the (Stephenville First) Baptist Church for 30 years, and I do love the Lord. I talk to Him many times a day. I believe in a life of prayer. Amen, Aunt Lois
Aunt Lois has been a blessing to many (including yours truly) during her 101 years on this earth. Hearing her stories blesses me, and I can not wait to hear more.
Blessings to you and yours,
Aunt Lois had been to the beauty shop that morning. Doesn’t her hair look pretty?