Willie Mae Austin

Long ago now, my mother asked me, "Why do you have a photo of
your Great-grandmother on your blog?".

Well, as many of us do - we have boxes of photos given to us by various
family members and many, if not most, are not labeled so we have NO idea
WHO the people in the photos might be. I had found this photo long ago and
loved it. I knew she had to be related to me (why else would I have her photo)
but had no idea who she was. I simply thought she looked very elegant and
stylish.

Then my mother told me her name. Yes, we ARE from the Deep South. Only in
the Deep South does one name a girl child "Willie Mae". (this name does NOT go
with the photo well imo). Her daughter was my grandmother Mary Lou - known
by all the grandchildren as Lucy because that is what *I* (the oldest grandchild)
called her. It wasn't until her funeral that some of my cousins discovered that her
name wasn't Lucy. I felt a bit bad about that. I loved my grandmother (so her
mother must have given her an elegant upbringing. I can still imagine!). She wanted
to be buried (according to my Aunt Janice) with a fork - because the best is yet to come.
(Everyone in the South knows to keep your fork - because dessert is coming!).
I wish I had known Willie Mae. I can't wait to meet her!
Pax

PS My other dear beloved grandmother's name was Daisy Myrtle. She used to
threaten me if I named a daughter after her. Old names are making a comeback so
who knows! Maybe a great-great granddaughter will yet come..