Bell Gram: August 2011

Saturday, August 27, 2011

Friday, August 19, 2011

Remembering The Loss of Two Grandmothers!

Thinking of Carlton, Veronica, Ursula, Tommie (TT), Alex, Candice, Isaiah, Ismael, Angel, Alijah and Aiden today who also lost their paternal grandmother, great grandmother, great great grandmother, Mrs. Christine Meadows Pitts on August 19, 2005.

In Memory of Mama! (April 30, 1919 - August 19, 1979)

Pearlena Hay Bell was born on April 30, 1919 to Shinet George and Gent (Jentry) Hay, Sr. Pearlena, I'm told was a loving and beautiful child. She was raised by her maternal grandmother, Maggie Williams George along with her aunts and uncles; Roosevelt, Elnora, Wilson and Clotelia. She was a year younger than her Uncle Wilson and a year older than her Aunt Clotelia. They were always like siblings to her. Mama had two half-siblings on her mother's side; Eleze Birch and Pongee Bell. She had half siblings on her father's side: Tessie Lee, Theo, Doris, Ora, Annie and Charlie. Because she had no whole siblings she described herself as "an outside child". She seemed to always have plenty of love and respect from her maternal aunts and uncles who she was raised with and from paternal aunts and uncles and her many cousins on her father's side who never tired of spending time in her light and affectionately called her "Hay".

Her maternal grandfather, Allen George had died in 1916, so Mama didn't get to know him. He had been born in Louisiana in 1879. His parents were also born in Louisiana. I don't have their names, but they may have passed on early because Allen George was living with his grandmother when he was 20 years old. She was Fillis Johnson from Alabama, born in 1835. Her parents had been from Georgia. Allen George was said to be part Choctaw.

Mama's father, Gent Hay was born in Louisiana in 1885. His mother, Flora was born in Louisiana in 1868 and her parents were both born in Georgia.

His father, William was born in Georgia in 1842 and both his parents were born in Georgia.

Mama met Daddy at church one night. She described it as "He chased me round the churchyard". They were married on November 27th, but Mama always described it as the "4th Saturday night in November in 37" :-)

Mama had 14 children: Jean, Mattie, LouVata, Joe, Mary "Billie", James, Wallace, Glenidell, Rikki and Thomas. She had 4 children who died in infancy: Margaret (born between Mattie & Vata), Herman, Ray and Pearlie Ann (born between Wallace & Glen). She has 17 grandchildren; Hank, Rick, Loretta, Rodney, Phil, Reggie, Carlton, Roni, Ursula Shinette, Tommie, James, Kenan, Cecily Pearl, Roderick, Anika, Nicholas & Jackie; 21 great grandchildren Jaivon, Kaiden, Kamasi, Wayne3, Wynton, Laryssa, Aaliyah, Lil Rodney, Ainsley, Alexus, Lil Reggie, Alex, Candice, Isaiah, Ishmael, Angel, Alijah, Dallis, Donovan, Octavion, and Akayla; and 1 great great grandchild, Aiden. She spent many loving and quality moments with her children and grandchildren. She is truly missed, but live on in us. Thanks to God for the "pearl" he gave us.