She was the care-taker, the giver, the worker. Mary was the one who took care of Willis Owen Smith (our cousin) with as much love as if she was his daughter. She was the one that devotedly took care of her husband, Curtis. She would work despite being sick, because that was what Mama emulated for us. She was a trooper.

Her home was where we all gathered when our baby brother came home. She hated … No. I take that back … Mary COULD NOT COOK. She was the only person I ever knew to keep new pots and pans stored in her oven with spider webs on them. LOL And our brother, Sola made sure to put empty pots on the stove and give her a spoon and take pictures of her like she was “slaving away” making these delicious meals. We’d get such a kick out it. I have been informed this weekend that she supposedly made the best iced Tea in town (Who knew?!!!) LOL and that actually, she could boil a pretty mean egg. She could be so amusing and had a great sense of humor and a little jokester streak in her.

Everyone that knew Mary loved her. She was 85 years old and still used her old fashioned Southern Manners. It was always Ma’am? and yes Ma’am, Sir? Or yes, Sir, thank you and please. She worked the fitting room at Wal*Mart and always answered the phones with, “Welcome to Wal*Mart, Mary speaking”. When she retired and was living at home full time, the phone would ring and she would still answer it,” Mary speaking”. She respected everybody, but could be bluntly honest. She was fiercely independent until the end, a role model.

You see, Mary was there with our Mama when I took my first breath. I was there holding her hand when Mary took her last one. Oh, the privileges of sisterhood … Of loving a sibling with no time restraints and with unconditional love.

Rest well, Mary. You are loved by so many.