wellborn my hometown

The writing says

Hello
I am Louise. I have had a good life.
I am the mother of eight children, six alive, seventeen grandchildren and thirty great grandchildren.
i can say I have had a good life; never spent a sick day in the hospital, never been sick and down in bed.
I still go to work every day. I do not drive and I have always hitch-hiked thru life.
I never missed any days of work.
I hav e so much to be greatful for during my life.
I never had many monetary things in my life but I had planty of love and loving friends to help me.
We always had enoughto share our blessing with others as I am still doi9ng today.
This is just a brief of my eighty years of living.
With love,
Phillip (Buddy), Ire3ne, Patricaia, Thomasw (Timmy) Alphonso and Alonzo

Louise Perry knew her six surviving children were planning a birthday surprise of some sort . There was a dinner in her honor at the Dixie Grill . It was a decoy and it worked well. Thanksgiving Louise, in all innocence, thought that Blondell’s “Happy Thanksgiving” phone call was just that and she accepted her friend Blondell’s invitation togo for a ride around her beloved hometown of Wellborn. She changed her clothes to do that. Now she wishes she had known what was ahead and that she had changed to her most beautiful white special occasion dress, the one with sparkles and spangles befitting the Queen role that was hers at her 80th birthday party held Thanksgivjng afternoon at the Wellborn Community Association building . An estimated one hundred came. !
Here are the words on a beautiful big plaque. They were written by Virginia Perry and taken to Sports Connection to be made into permanent memorabilia. Wakina Taylor tended to that detail When all was said and done, many, many folks contributed to Mom. Grandma, Great Grantdma and double Great Grandma , sister, neighbor and friend’s birthday party , .

A Great Woman
A Beautiful Woman

Strong, Beautiful, Black Woman
So peaceful and serence. You deserve to
live in paradise and to be shown the finer things.
Life has dealt you plenty of cards, some winning
Some bad and tides have brought in waves memories,
both happy and sad. Gracious, beautiful black woman,
so wonderful and divine. You’ve endured many heartaches.
Oh, the world is so unkind ! Your speech is confident, your eyes are
soft and your walk is hard and bold. Your laugh equals happiness.
Your heart contains love and hides the stories untold.
Tired, beautiful, black woman, so patient, so calm. It is funny
how you hold the family’s fear within your palm! With wrinkles, stress
and worn torn hands. Tell me how you smile so when you’ve traveled
this long, endured all the pain, and still have miles to go ?
Blessed, Beautiful Black Woman, so collected and confident.
I can’t imagine a gift greater than your love, It is heaven sent
Don’t you dare give up now. Just stay strong. Your reward is coming.
Strong, Courageous, Gracious, Blessed and Beautiful
Black Woman
LOUISE PERRY IS YOUR NAME

This Tribute was also shared


Aunt Louise Made the Difference

God bless you Aunt Louise I’m sorry that I am not there to help you celebrate this momentous occasion. Although I’m not there in the physical as Paul said on many occasion, in the Bible, I’m with you in spirit. I want you to know that I love you and I appreciate everything that you’ve done for me and my children over the years. I wouldn’t have made it if it weren’t for you. You took me in after my father died and I can honestly say I never heard you complain or say anything negative because of it. You always treated me as one of your own.

I want you to know that I am who I am today because of you. I watched everything you did. I didn’t always listen to all you said or do everything you told me to do, but I was watching you. I saw how you loved and supported your family – know matter how they treated you; you always treated them with love and respect. Everyone that walked in your doors was treated like family even if they weren’t. You fed them whether they were hungry or not and would give them a place to sleep and clothes to wear if they needed it.

I’ve seen and heard a few people talk to you and treat you with disrespect. You would take it; say whatever was on your mind (curse them out if need be) and keep right on going never attempting to get revenge. I would say to you “Aunt Louise, don’t put up with them, put’em out, stop doing that… or do this…”, but you paid me no mind and continued to love them right where they were.

I’m sure that I’ve said things and done things myself that hurt you or made you angry with me too. And for that I’m very sorry. Never-the-less you’ve always been excellent to me and my children. I learned how to treat people better through watching you. I learned how to dress and take care of myself by watching you. I learned how to cook and clean by watching you. I learned how to take care of my children by watching you, I learned how to give and receive by watching you, I learned how to work and be responsible by watching you and I learned how to put people in their place when they get on my last-est nerve by watching you. LOL

I’ve accomplished many things in life - a high school diploma, a college degree, and soon to finish my MBA while commencing a Law Degree. All of this fails in comparison to the many things I learned through watching you. In fact, I’m still learning from you; you are the timeless teacher in my classroom of life.

You are the anchor and the glue that holds this family up and together. I can’t imagine US without YOU in OUR lives.

Happy 80th Birthday Aunt Louise
Love Kookie “L. J.’s” daughter - Leander and Vir’Leah
11.26.2009