On June the 11th, the good Lord looked down upon
His child, Georgia Virginia Haggard, heard her cries of pain and gave her rest.
She needed this rest you see because of years and years of giving and doing…of
ministering to those in need…of ignoring her needs so she could provide for
others. I believe He carried her home, welcoming her and proclaiming, “Well done,
my good and faithful servant.”
I want to share with you the kind of strength and love my
Granny displayed by sharing some of the many endeavors she embarked upon. It
was after her death that each piece came together revealing a quilt that truly
covers the realness of Georgia Virginia Haggard.
The quilt began when she married at fourteen and had her
first child at fifteen. She went on to have two more children. One who would be
very ill in her childhood because of rheumatic fever, another that was deployed
to Vietnam. The giving wouldn’t stop with the child raising years for she was
called upon to provide again for her
adult son who suffered such in a vehicle accident that it rendered him
dependent. She provided and cared for him from 1975 to 1994. Even when she
could not care for him full time, she picked him up from the Stewart Home in
Frankfort for holidays and weekend
visits. She would later care for period of time for her adult daughter who was
diagnosed with kidney cancer. And perhaps the most loving giving sacrifice that
truly shows her heart was how she took her own mother into her home for 17
years so her mother would not have to go to a nursing home. Her family was her
joy. Her obligation to her family did not waver. All of her grandchildren,
great grandchildren and great great grandchildren have been touched by her
giving soul, her precious smile, her relationship with God. There is no doubt
she blanketed them in times of trouble disregarding her needs and giving beyond
measure.
Her tenacious spirit was not just with her family. She and
her sister, Juanita Carter would visit the shut- ins and those in nursing homes
where church members were residents every Tuesday. They would take them pumpkin
pie, bananas and goodies. They would send cards and notes. They visited nursing
homes in town and in Lancaster, Harrodsburg, Nicholasville and Georgetown.
Aides at the homes would give them names of residents that did not have
visitors and ask them to take them under their wing. It was on January 21st
of 1990 Wallace York of Ashland Avenue Baptist Church honored them as the
Barnabees—daughters of encouragement for their ministry to the shut-ins and the
nursing homes.
Granny developed friendships with people everywhere she
went… in McDonalds, with Marietta, her hairdresser of 25 years, with Pat, a
housecleaner/yard keeper/genuine friend for 13 years. Her neighbors knew and
loved her. Even the teen children across the street would seek counsel from
Granny.
She had presence… and the people around her respected her.
She worked successfully at FW Woolworths and at a drug store that is no longer
on Maxwell and Limestone. She was a supervisor at Irving Air Chute selling Avon
as a second income. Juanita talks of how the district manager at the Irving Air
Chute factory on inspections would ask Granny if she would jump using one of
her parachutes. And she would reply emphatically, “Yes!” She was that confident
in the work of those she supervised. Not only was she successful in her
supervisory position in the factory but also quite successful in the sales of
Avon. She received many awards and accommodations for her sales. Her sincere love
for people no doubt aided with her success in this role.
Now Granny didn’t get her driver’s license until she was 50.
Once she did, there was no stopping her. She drove I believe until she was 88.
And oh, the places they did go. Their first trip was to Virginia to see family.
They made five or six trips to Daytona Beach, to visit family, to Gatlinburg TN
driving in the mountains to country rides as frequently as they could. It was
like a trinity, my Granny, her Sis and the car. They would pack coolers of food
and just couldn’t wait till the time to stop and get into them. When it came
time for Granny to stop driving, I believe a piece of her soul was taken.
I wonder if somewhere on the way to Daytona Beach, in a
little bar and grill if there is still an irregular parachute that the owner on
one of their trips asked Granny to bring…and she did next trip…and on other
trips she would stop in and connect and find her parachute was still being used
as a canopy…
Granny had talents …at making quilts, at painting ceramics,
growing flowers, and bowling…for some of her talents she recieved trophies for
others they became heirlooms.
She rocked all of her children and passed her rocker on down
to my mother who passed it onto Scarlet.
The heritage she passed on is priceless…her heart was gold…her
love for God was strong…
And I learned from her…so much about her and myself these
past months…And I miss her so…
The night Granny passed I went to her sister and made sure she
was okay…and I felt a piece of Granny was still here. The day after Granny’s
last breathe I went again to see her Sis…and again the heart wrenching pain I
felt eased a bit while sitting and listening to Aunt Juanita talk about her
little sister. They were truly bonded…nothing could separate them. Granny
helped Aunt Juanita through so many surgeries. They were the Golden Girls to
me…because they were golden to each other. Granny and Aunt Juanita were a team.
Their travels were together. Their stories include each other. The hearts
melded together. In the final days, Granny’s pain was Aunt Juanita’s pain. And
I watched as Aunt Juanita wanted to take it from Granny. I watched as she
petted on her little sis encouraging her. And I am inspired to make certain my
sisters and I have just a piece of what they had together, for just a piece of
what Granny and Aunt Juanita had would create a wave of care that could cover
us till the end of our lives.
Aunt Juanita loved her sister very much…the closeness they
shared closed each day. And every night as her sister lays her head down to
rest, I’m certain, Granny’s nightly conversation with her will replay in her
mind:
“I’m going to bed now, Sis.”
“Goodnight.”
“I love you.”
“God Bless you!”
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