TO MOMMA…WITH LOVE…A LIVING TRIBUTE FROM ALL HER CHILDREN When you have the best mother in the world, it behooves you to express your love and gratitude while she is living…and to send her “flowers of appreciation” while she can still enjoy them. This is no eulogy – it is a living testament to the contribution our Momma has made to our lives and the lives of others. The essence of our mother’s being is “unconditional love”. She truly loves without conditions even as God loves without limits. Growing up, we children knew that no matter what we did, she would love us still. Rather than taking her love as indulgence, however, we were motivated to please her by doing the right thing. As a child, Momma was taken to church and came to know God. However, she always felt that something was missing in her life, and she sought to know God in a more intimate and personal way. In marrying our father, she was introduced to Pentecostalism and the “full gospel” by Mammy (our grandmother). It was in the dynamic Pentecostal experience that she would find God in a real and meaningful way. Many times when Momma was praying over us, she would break into her prayer language…speaking in tongues we did not understand. But although we did not understand the words, we felt the power and the love that went with them. Now those words, both in a known and an unknown tongue, echo in our memories as we hear our mother’s soft, sweet voice, calling our names in prayer. These are memories sweeter than any tongue can tell. Her prayers have protected us from harm and danger, and her instruction guides our thoughts and actions to this day. Our mother grew up on the childrearing philosophy, “spare the rod and spoil the child”, but she used the rod sparingly on us. Now my sister says that Momma used the switch on her more than all us boys put together, but I don’t think any of us got all the whippings we deserved. Her primary method of guiding us in the right direction was not the rod but the Bible expressed in love. As children, we feared her disappointment in us much more than the rod of correction. She saw to our spiritual instruction with a diligence that is unequaled. She prayed with us in the mornings before beginning our day, and she had Bible readings and prayer before going to bed. After we went to bed, she would come to each of us children and have us recite Bible verses she had taught us. One verse she always wanted us to remember was: “Thy word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against thee.” Her loving kindness extends beyond her immediate family, and many call her “Momma” who are not “blood kin”. Our mother has always embodied the traits of a “virtuous woman” as described by Solomon, the writer of the Proverbs. Solomon says: Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies…Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her. WE LOVE YOU MOMMA, MORE THAN ANY TONGUE CAN TELL Vernon, Carol, Doug, Phil, the Grands, Great Grands, and all your adopted, spiritual children

Barbara was one of the Godliest women I ever met. She left an everlasting legacy of faith, love, and selflessness, and these qualities are very rarely found in this life.

Although I have been out of the family for a number of years, I have still remained Barbara's "daughter-in-law". That has never changed. When I remarried, my husband, Pete, made a special effort to let her know that she would always be my children's grandmother. Any time we were at her house, she always made us both feel welcome and special. She often introduced us to friends and acquaintances as her "daughter-in-law and son-in-law". Some people are still scratching their heads, I am sure, wondering how this was possible. She always saw the best in people. If she heard the worst about someone, she would find something nice to say about them---"well, he does have a nice head of hair"! Her humor was outstanding and when grandchildren came for a visit, and later great-grandchildren; you could hear her playing "duck,duck,goose, goose" with them. The nicest thing I know about her was that she was a true Christian and now she is with the Lord and is happy.