TRIBUTE TO AUNT WILLODEAN
November 7, 2016
By Olivene Godfrey
Last week, my Aunt Willodean Cook of historic Missionary Ridge passed away. Her daughter, Lillian Ann, called and Barry answered the phone. (I can no longer talk on the phone due to my impaired hearing.) He was shocked to hear that Willodean had died.
I had always been told that she was ten years older than me. (I'll be 89 on December 10th.) A few days ago, I asked my caregiver, Tam, to wire a flower arrangement to Lillian's home. Today, I received a thank you note and she said the arrangement was beautiful. I felt better about not being able to go to the funeral home or to her funeral.
My earliest memory of Willodean was a summer day when she was a young girl and I was a small child. We both were in shorts. Willodean was living with her parents, which were my maternal grandparents that we grandkids called Big Mama and Big Daddy. He was a retired Methodist preacher and Attorney. They lived in McMinnville, Tennessee. The day I remember, we walked on the sidewalk to the drugstore where we sat at the round table and drank nickle soda fountain cokes.
Then tragedy struck! Big Daddy was absent minded and was working on a court case and walked in front of a car. His hip was broken. At that time, there wasn't much that could be done medically. He was taken to my Aunt Helen's home to be cared for. Big Mama had high blood pressure and had no medicine. They were very devoted to each other and always said they wanted to "pass together", and there wish was granted as Big Mama died and her devoted mate shortly after.
Everyone in the family was devastated, especially young Willodean. She lived with Aunt Helen until she married a nice, young Methodist preacher's son, Millard Cook. My Mother, Pauline Brashear, cooked the young couple's wedding supper. I remember Mother used her special dinnerware. Willodean wore a pretty green dress and looked beautiful.
My next memory was when her daughter, Lillian Ann was born. I remember when Mother took me and my twin sisters, Joan and Jeanette, to Willodean and Millard's small house so Mother could help care for the new baby.
Soon Lillian Ann was in school and Willowdean was working in the lunch room and soon advanced to lunch room manager, a position she held until she retired. When they both retired they continued visiting sick family and friends. Willodean told me once that Millard enjoyed shopping for clothes. She often praised him and summed up her emotions thusly, you couldn't not love Millard.
See you next time. Comments welcome. (Edited and typed by Tam.)
By Olivene Godfrey
Last week, my Aunt Willodean Cook of historic Missionary Ridge passed away. Her daughter, Lillian Ann, called and Barry answered the phone. (I can no longer talk on the phone due to my impaired hearing.) He was shocked to hear that Willodean had died.
I had always been told that she was ten years older than me. (I'll be 89 on December 10th.) A few days ago, I asked my caregiver, Tam, to wire a flower arrangement to Lillian's home. Today, I received a thank you note and she said the arrangement was beautiful. I felt better about not being able to go to the funeral home or to her funeral.
My earliest memory of Willodean was a summer day when she was a young girl and I was a small child. We both were in shorts. Willodean was living with her parents, which were my maternal grandparents that we grandkids called Big Mama and Big Daddy. He was a retired Methodist preacher and Attorney. They lived in McMinnville, Tennessee. The day I remember, we walked on the sidewalk to the drugstore where we sat at the round table and drank nickle soda fountain cokes.
Then tragedy struck! Big Daddy was absent minded and was working on a court case and walked in front of a car. His hip was broken. At that time, there wasn't much that could be done medically. He was taken to my Aunt Helen's home to be cared for. Big Mama had high blood pressure and had no medicine. They were very devoted to each other and always said they wanted to "pass together", and there wish was granted as Big Mama died and her devoted mate shortly after.
Everyone in the family was devastated, especially young Willodean. She lived with Aunt Helen until she married a nice, young Methodist preacher's son, Millard Cook. My Mother, Pauline Brashear, cooked the young couple's wedding supper. I remember Mother used her special dinnerware. Willodean wore a pretty green dress and looked beautiful.
My next memory was when her daughter, Lillian Ann was born. I remember when Mother took me and my twin sisters, Joan and Jeanette, to Willodean and Millard's small house so Mother could help care for the new baby.
Soon Lillian Ann was in school and Willowdean was working in the lunch room and soon advanced to lunch room manager, a position she held until she retired. When they both retired they continued visiting sick family and friends. Willodean told me once that Millard enjoyed shopping for clothes. She often praised him and summed up her emotions thusly, you couldn't not love Millard.
See you next time. Comments welcome. (Edited and typed by Tam.)
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