 |
| Pearlena Hay Bell April 30, 1919 - August 19, 1979 |
.jpg)
Mama's parents: Shinet George and Gent Hay, Sr.
Below are pics of Mama and previous Bell Gram comments:
 |
| Mama with her sister, Eleze (L) and niece, Vata (R) |
 |
| Mama & Billie |
 |
| Mama & her cousin, Odell |
Happy birthday, Mama. I remember you always taking me to church. Always taking me to revivals. The bible says if you grow a child in church he may stray but always come back home. Thanxs for instilling church in me!!!!! love Carl
I have this story written somewhere, but I can't seem to find it so I will write it again. It's about a night that stands out in my mind. One night I wanted to go to a basketball game with my friends. It was a special game and I wanted to go bad. I asked Mama to ask Daddy and he said "No". She knew how bad I wanted to go so she campaigned a bit harder for me. Finally he said I could go if she went and took me. He didn't think she would because she always said the gym was too crowded and too noisy for her. She really couldn't stand the noise. Because I wanted to go so bad she took me. However, she didn't go in. She sit in the car the entire time. I had a really good time and after the game as my friends and I left the gym I looked in the parking lot and saw her sitting there. I could tell she was straining her neck to try to pick me out of the crowd. Then she spotted me and I saw it, the patience and the love that seemed to have no end. It's a blessing to be a child in this world and know in your heart that your mother loves you so much. I believe it's an even bigger blessing to be a child who had been separated from your mother as a baby and to know in your heart that your mother loves you so much. Rikki
Wish I would have had an opportunity to really get to know her. Knowing what I do from her family, she was one really, really special woman, mother and friend. It would be nice if everyone could make one memorial statement each about her.. All her children felt equally loved..her favorites - food, flowers, drink, sayings, color, stories etc...
Ms. Pearlina- you must be keeping God rolling with your jokes!!!
Your daughter in law,
Charisse
 |
| Mama, Mattie and Daddy |
"My mom, my best friend. I miss confiding in you about my deepest secrets. I will always love you." Your second daughter, Mattie
 |
| Rikki & Mama |
 |
| Charisse & Mama |
Wish I would have had an opportunity to really get to know her. Knowing what I do from her family, she was one really, really special woman, mother and friend. It would be nice if everyone could make one memorial statement each about her.. All her children felt equally loved..her favorites - food, flowers, drink, sayings, color, stories etc...
Ms. Pearlina- you must be keeping God rolling with your jokes!!!
Your daughter in law,
Charisse
 |
| Mama with Jean, Uncle George and Aunt Willie |
"Mama, My life has never been the same since you left us. Your love was one of a kind and I still miss you." - Jean
So many memories but one stands out showcasing the different ways she'd show love. Once my family and I were visiting and she was talking about my, then, husband like you would not believe. She told him he looked like a salamander :-) that she had never seen anything like the 'squaw weed' that was on his head he called hair -- that he had two strands where everyone else had one, etc., etc. And this 6'-2", 260# defensive tackle football player who was referred to as 'Night Train' on the football field, was giggling like a 2-year old. Why?.......'cause she was lovingly washing his hair.
Glen
"Happy birthday grandma. I remember me and momma was riding in the galaxy down the that road that went past Aunt Vada's house. When we got to the end we made a left on that road was one hill after another as we turned some lady came flying over that hill at us momma road right into the ditch. Those ditches were deep. I crawled out ran down the street for help. The other car didn't stop kept going. love you grand ma"
Rodney
Rodney
Wish I had more time to get to know you, however you did leave some long lasting memories.
Love U.
T.T.
So many memories but one stands out showcasing the different ways she'd show love. Once my family and I were visiting and she was talking about my, then, husband like you would not believe. She told him he looked like a salamander :-) that she had never seen anything like the 'squaw weed' that was on his head he called hair -- that he had two strands where everyone else had one, etc., etc. And this 6'-2", 260# defensive tackle football player who was referred to as 'Night Train' on the football field, was giggling like a 2-year old. Why?.......'cause she was lovingly washing his hair.
Glen
.jpeg) |
| Dad, Mom, Glen & Wallace |
SPECIAL TRIBUTE FROM URSULA
THE OTHER THING I MISS AND WISH THEY COULD HAVE SEEN WAS THE HOUSE. I WISH IT NEVER BURNED AND OUR FAMILY STILL OWNED THE LAND. I WISH THE KIDS COULD HAVE SEEN THE WALLS AND THE WALLPAPER. THE OLD STOVE IN THE BACK ROOM. THE SIDE PORCH WHERE WE USE TO TAKE A BATH. THE PICS ON THE WALL BY THE FRONT DOOR OF DADDY'S DADDY, AND REMEMBER THE COUCH ON THE LEFT WHEN U WALKED IN A PICTURE OF KARL AS A MAIL MAN. THEN THE FIRST ROOM TO THE LEFT WHERE THERE WERE SUITCASES FULL OF OLD CLOTHES UNDER THE BEDS. THE BEDS WITH THE NOISY PLASTIC UNDER THEM. THE OLD CHAIRS IN THE KITCHEN THAT WERE MADE OF SOME KIND OF ANIMAL HIDE. REMEMBER THE OLD WOOD BURNING STOVE IN THE BACK BY THOMAS' ROOM. HE LET ME DRIVE THE TRUCK BACK THERE WHEN I WAS LIKE 8 OR 9. I SMASHED SOME WATERMELONS IN THE GARDEN. I LOVED IT. I REMEMBER TAKING A BATH ON THE SIDE PORCH IN A BIG TIN PAN. THERE WAS A SHEET OR CURTAIN HUNG ON THE BACK PORCH TO COVER US. I REMEMBER GETTING WATER FROM THE WELL WHEN I WAS REALLY SMALL. I REMEMBER THE TREE IN THE FRONT THAT WE SAT UNDER WITH MAMA IN HER HOSPITAL BED SINGING NEXT TO THE RED CAR AND RIKKI'S FAST WHITE CAR. I REMEMBER EVERYONE WHO DROVE BY WAVED. SOME STOPPED BY WHEN THEY SAW US OUT-OF-STATERS. I REMEMBER MAMA ASKED ME TO CHEW A PIECE OF GUM FOR HER THEN GIVE IT TO HER. SHE WANTED ME TO GET ALL THE SUGAR OUT OF IT. SOMEONE CAUGHT ME AND I GOT IN TROUBLE BAD. I THINK IT WAS WALLACE. I DIDN'T CARE THOUGH CAUSE SHE WAS HAPPY I GAVE HER THE GUM. AS LONG AS SHE WAS HAPPY AND I HELPED MAKE HER SMILE I WAS FINE. NO AMOUNT OF TROUBLE WOULD HAVE MADE ME REGRET HELPING HER OUT. WE SAT IN THE YARD DOING NOTHING AND WERE HAPPY TO DO IT. I REMEMBER I USE TO WALK FROM MY OTHER GRANDPARENTS HOUSE DOWN TO THE HOUSE. I WANTED TO SEE HER SO BAD. THERE WERE SO MANY KIDS AT THE PITTS THEY PROBABLY DIDN'T REALIZE I LEFT. MAMA WOULD GIVE ME SODA WATER AND A STAGE PLANK. ONCE SHE GAVE ME A FOOD STAMP TO GO BUY A CINNAMON BUN AT MOON'S OR JR. PALMER'S. THE BIG ONES AND A SODA WATER. I WAS IN HEAVEN. I AM SO SO THANKFUL I WAS ABLE TO MEET AND KNOW HER. I AM THANKFUL THAT SHE LOVED ME LIKE SHE DID AND ALWAYS MADE ME FEEL HAPPY TO BE NEAR HER. SHE WAS A GREAT, LOVING SWEET GRANDMA. SHE WAS TRULY SWEET IN EVERY WAY AND I NEVER SAW HER MAD, OR ANGRY. WELL I DID SEE HER UPSET ONCE WHEN RIKKI WAS UP AND DOWN THE ROAD IN THAT HOT NEW CAR SPEEDING IN FRONT OF THE HOUSE. SHE LOOKS SO MUCH LIKE HER. I JUST REALIZED THAT. I AM A BLESSED GRANDCHILD. I AM BLESSED BECAUSE I KNEW HER, LOVED HER AND KNEW HOW MUCH SHE LOVED ME. THANK GOD I HAD THAT EXPERIENCE IN MY LIFE. I LOVE U MOMMA PEARL.
THE OTHER THING I MISS AND WISH THEY COULD HAVE SEEN WAS THE HOUSE. I WISH IT NEVER BURNED AND OUR FAMILY STILL OWNED THE LAND. I WISH THE KIDS COULD HAVE SEEN THE WALLS AND THE WALLPAPER. THE OLD STOVE IN THE BACK ROOM. THE SIDE PORCH WHERE WE USE TO TAKE A BATH. THE PICS ON THE WALL BY THE FRONT DOOR OF DADDY'S DADDY, AND REMEMBER THE COUCH ON THE LEFT WHEN U WALKED IN A PICTURE OF KARL AS A MAIL MAN. THEN THE FIRST ROOM TO THE LEFT WHERE THERE WERE SUITCASES FULL OF OLD CLOTHES UNDER THE BEDS. THE BEDS WITH THE NOISY PLASTIC UNDER THEM. THE OLD CHAIRS IN THE KITCHEN THAT WERE MADE OF SOME KIND OF ANIMAL HIDE. REMEMBER THE OLD WOOD BURNING STOVE IN THE BACK BY THOMAS' ROOM. HE LET ME DRIVE THE TRUCK BACK THERE WHEN I WAS LIKE 8 OR 9. I SMASHED SOME WATERMELONS IN THE GARDEN. I LOVED IT. I REMEMBER TAKING A BATH ON THE SIDE PORCH IN A BIG TIN PAN. THERE WAS A SHEET OR CURTAIN HUNG ON THE BACK PORCH TO COVER US. I REMEMBER GETTING WATER FROM THE WELL WHEN I WAS REALLY SMALL. I REMEMBER THE TREE IN THE FRONT THAT WE SAT UNDER WITH MAMA IN HER HOSPITAL BED SINGING NEXT TO THE RED CAR AND RIKKI'S FAST WHITE CAR. I REMEMBER EVERYONE WHO DROVE BY WAVED. SOME STOPPED BY WHEN THEY SAW US OUT-OF-STATERS. I REMEMBER MAMA ASKED ME TO CHEW A PIECE OF GUM FOR HER THEN GIVE IT TO HER. SHE WANTED ME TO GET ALL THE SUGAR OUT OF IT. SOMEONE CAUGHT ME AND I GOT IN TROUBLE BAD. I THINK IT WAS WALLACE. I DIDN'T CARE THOUGH CAUSE SHE WAS HAPPY I GAVE HER THE GUM. AS LONG AS SHE WAS HAPPY AND I HELPED MAKE HER SMILE I WAS FINE. NO AMOUNT OF TROUBLE WOULD HAVE MADE ME REGRET HELPING HER OUT. WE SAT IN THE YARD DOING NOTHING AND WERE HAPPY TO DO IT. I REMEMBER I USE TO WALK FROM MY OTHER GRANDPARENTS HOUSE DOWN TO THE HOUSE. I WANTED TO SEE HER SO BAD. THERE WERE SO MANY KIDS AT THE PITTS THEY PROBABLY DIDN'T REALIZE I LEFT. MAMA WOULD GIVE ME SODA WATER AND A STAGE PLANK. ONCE SHE GAVE ME A FOOD STAMP TO GO BUY A CINNAMON BUN AT MOON'S OR JR. PALMER'S. THE BIG ONES AND A SODA WATER. I WAS IN HEAVEN. I AM SO SO THANKFUL I WAS ABLE TO MEET AND KNOW HER. I AM THANKFUL THAT SHE LOVED ME LIKE SHE DID AND ALWAYS MADE ME FEEL HAPPY TO BE NEAR HER. SHE WAS A GREAT, LOVING SWEET GRANDMA. SHE WAS TRULY SWEET IN EVERY WAY AND I NEVER SAW HER MAD, OR ANGRY. WELL I DID SEE HER UPSET ONCE WHEN RIKKI WAS UP AND DOWN THE ROAD IN THAT HOT NEW CAR SPEEDING IN FRONT OF THE HOUSE. SHE LOOKS SO MUCH LIKE HER. I JUST REALIZED THAT. I AM A BLESSED GRANDCHILD. I AM BLESSED BECAUSE I KNEW HER, LOVED HER AND KNEW HOW MUCH SHE LOVED ME. THANK GOD I HAD THAT EXPERIENCE IN MY LIFE. I LOVE U MOMMA PEARL.
It takes a minute to find a special person
an hour to appreciate them
and a day to love them
but it takes an entire lifetime to forget them.
You are immensely missed by your loving family
Jean, Mattie, Vata, Mary, Wallace, Glen & Rikki
& all of your grands
above writing from Mattie
above writing from Mattie
Pearlena Hay 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 (born after Billie) and Pearlie Ann (born between Wallace & Glen). She was a very loving grandmother. Thirty years have passed --
and only by God's grace have
we managed to go on
all this time without you.
But -- without a doubt, your
legacy lives on -- a legacy
of nurturing, humor and
unconditional love. What a
wonderful genuine human being
you were. There's never a time
when your offspring are together that
one of your jokes, expressions or
demeanor does not surface, bringing
us joy. You were and still are -- our
"true North" and profound example of
"living on through others". Because --
as long as we live, you live. You can
NEVER be forgotten. We will
always love and adore you.
we managed to go on
all this time without you.
But -- without a doubt, your
legacy lives on -- a legacy
of nurturing, humor and
unconditional love. What a
wonderful genuine human being
you were. There's never a time
when your offspring are together that
one of your jokes, expressions or
demeanor does not surface, bringing
us joy. You were and still are -- our
"true North" and profound example of
"living on through others". Because --
as long as we live, you live. You can
NEVER be forgotten. We will
always love and adore you.
Written by Glenidell Perry as a way to express how we all feel about our great loss.
No comments:
Post a Comment