Mama Thelma's Final Sunset

A week ago today we buried my mama Thelma. The day was a different type of day for me. I have strong feelings of fear when it comes to death and viewing dead bodies. However, I had no trouble viewing my mama Thelma. She looked peaceful and happy (i know ironic to say, but true to see). My mom and I were at the funeral home just she and I for about 30 minutes. In that 30 minutes, many people just "popped" in to say their last goodbyes. I took this as a touching time. People didn't have to stop and they didn't know that we would be there, they stopped because Mama Thelma meant so much to them.

Mama Thelma as I suspected had touched many people's lives in her 99 years. She was called, Thelma, Mama Thelma, Mrs. Thelma, and Mrs. Sandridge. Everyone who came to the viewing/funeral had so many positive words to say. What I took was a sense of empowerment that I think Mama Thelma left me.

Mama Thelma had women's rights before women knew they were worth more than just housework and raising babies. Mama Thelma knew you had to save money to make money and that you helped out children and mothers. Mama Thelma was forward thinking to say the least. Each one of her daughters is so privilege to have had such a leader in their mother. I was blessed to have a strong grandmother.

On the way to the grave site. One thing stuck out to me. We as a family were following Mama Thelma. Mama Thelma was short in height but strong in personality and life. She could put fear in you all while loving you in the same sentence. She lead her family down the right path and counseled many others. The people at that spoke said the same thing. Ms. Thelma was always there to listen to anyone at anytime. Never judging, just listening. If we all can have this same attitude our lives will be enhance and surrounded by people who love us.

I will miss my Mama Thelma, but I know that she has left her mark on me. She shall never be forgotten, only remembered with happy stories. She is now resting next to her husband, how she would want to be.....under the big tree.

Mama Thelma's final resting place...under the big tree

In memory of my MAMA THELMA

My mama Thelma, was the strongest and smartest person I have ever known. Not because she went to Harvard or was considered to be a millionaire, but because she led the right life with no regrets.

A little background on my mama Thelma, she had six children (five girls and one boy), she had been a widow for the last 46 years. She lived in this little white house...on the hill

I have many wonderful memories of my mama Thelma. She was the one who watched me when I was little and everyday we watched Days of our Lives. I suspect that any of us who were cared for by our grandmothers watched some sort of soap opera. However, my best memory of her is, going deep in the woods and picking blackberries. We would pick a bowl full of them, take them back to her. She would make the freshest blackberry clobber ever. The left over berries, we would get to dip them in sugar and eat them. This is how our summers were spent. Together at Mama Thelma's with family.

My mama Thelma listened to everyone, she was my grandmother, and a lot of other people's too. She was the person that when the world didn't think you had any worth, Mama Thelma found the good in you and made you feel whole again. She loved with her actions and her words.

She was only 5 foot tall on a good day, but her strength made her feel like she was 6'5. She believed in discipline and explained why. No timeouts or counting to 3, she told you once and you better do it the first time cause you would get a switch to the bottom. No SRS, this was love to help you become a better person, and that it did.

I feel very special that my mama Thelma got to see meet my husband Robby, hold my daughter Eleanor and see me graduate high school and college. 



You save more than you spend, you should always help out children, and be sweet to everyone. These were a few of Mama Thelma's great sayings.

We are now down to just 3 generations, but my mama Thelma is watching over the family she left here on earth. I feel a little sense of peace knowing that my mama Thelma is with my big brother Greg. They had a special bond that now is back together. She gets to see her two children and her husband. She is at peace and she left her girls, 56 grandchildren and 21 great-grandchildren memories for us to cherish forever.