Ella Vermell (King) McNair

 The following was written in 1990 and sent to me by Ella's daughter, Ova. Ova was my grandmother's sister. I remember the first time I talked to her on the phone, I cried because her voice sounded like Mimi (Ava Ella McNair Jones).

 RECOLLECTIONS FROM A DAUGHTER

                   by Ova Orene (McNair) Kerr

  
     Mama first saw Papa when he came to their house to apply
for a teacher's job.  Mama's father, W. L. King, was on the
school board.  Mama and Aunt Rilla were together in the
field, each saying, "He's mine."  They threw cotton balls at
him.
 
     Mama and Rilla eventually went to school under Papa.
Mama said that when she could she would slip out for school
with her Sunday dress on.
 
     Papa could have made a Red Skelton type of comic.  He
would put on skits at B.Y.P.W. socials and have everyone
convulsed with laughter, me included.  He did "Mary Had a
Little Lamb" laughing and then crying, I remember.
 
     Papa was a good preacher.  I've never had a pastor that
comes up to him.  He was well-read and studied a lot.  The
librarian at Vernon said he read more than anyone, and I read
most of the books he checked out.
 
     I attended Lockett School from the 5th grade to the 10th
grade.  We walked nearly 2 miles to and from school.  The car
was îÑïÑôÑ used to take us.  Early in the 1930's during January,
there was a family of seven that Papa was taking care of.
Ice covered the ground for nearly the whole month, but every
morning, Papa would take a kettle of hot water, start the
Model A and take fresh butter, milk, oranges, etc., to this
large family.  They lived miles in the country.
 
     He never aspired to be more than a country preacher.
That's what he wanted to be.  He took care of his flock.
 
     One member was having trouble with alcohol.  Papa
learned that the problem stemmed from this man's visits to
town on Saturday nights.  Papa went to town with him for six
weeks.  The man told him, "I think I'm okay."  But Papa
insisted on several more weeks.  The man overcame his
problem.
 
     In his later years, Papa ran into a man in Vernon who
introduced Papa to his friend as the man who saved his life.
The man had been very ill and was dying from an infected
tooth.  The Dr. had told this man that he should call his
minister.  When Papa arrived, he asked for lots of chewing
tobacco and used this with hot water and spent the night
placing hot packs on the man.  The man recovered.
 
     I never saw Papa or Mama sick until they were on their
death beds.  Papa was 90.  Mama was 81.
 
     I still use some of the remedies they used.
 
     Mama was an "angel" as my sister Lillian said to me
before her death.  Mama was the oldest child in a family of
10 girls and 4 boys.  she helped raise at least 10 of them.
No one could claim a better family than hers.
 
     Mama was very strong - physically, emotionally and
spiritually.  I cannot remember a single quarrel between Mama
and Papa.  With us, she was the kindest and most genteel
person one could imagine.  She never exhibited anger towards
me.  She loved everyone and never gossiped or maligned
anyone.
 
     While at Lockett where Papa was Pastor 10 years, she
served as a midwife with the doctor for many church members.
This was true of other pastorates as well.
 
     Mama canned and put up jelly and preserves.  She quilted
and sewed.  She shared with neighbors and us.  I've known her
to take many lovely trays of meals to the sick or shut-ins.
 
     Proverbs 31:10-31 was read at her funeral and described
her perfectly.  I still miss her.