When my mother speaks of her, she always called her 'Memaw Keeling'.
It was not until going through data that I unearthed her first name as 'Georgia'. It might be assumed that it was not one she fancied as it was not one which she used. She also made herself older than she really was. She was much younger than she let on.
As I was too small to know her, I rely on my Mother's memories to color who she was beyond census data and records.
She was third wife to my MA Keeling after the death of his first, Mary Elizabeth, and the divorce from his second, LaVada.
She had been married before and had one daughter who my Mom called 'Aunt Noodie'.
Together, MA and Ilene had no children. They seemed to make each other very happy. From the time they married to his last breath, they were contented and loving.
My Mom said she admired her Memaw. That she always looked so well put together. Always seemed confidant. She had her own voice. There wasn't she couldn't do.
She described her as 'tough' and capable. She said that she could get out and til a field just as well as any man. She wasn't afraid to get her hands dirty when she needed to.
And there was a monkey. She had a little monkey. The kind that organ grinder people used to have. My Mom thought that was something. This is confirmed by another grandchild, Barbara. It seems the monkey got mean and had to find another place to live. No one seems to know exactly what happened to it. But... Isn't that something! A monkey as a pet!
MA and Ilene attended the same church as my Mom's other grandparents, TB and Eva Largent. They would all four spend time together. Especially with the family. It meant a whole bunch to the grandchildren when they would. It still makes my Mom smile.
Later on, when my Papaw, MA became sick, it was very difficult for Ilene. She was heartbroken at the thought of losing him and when she did... she pretty much gave up on life.
It is my understanding that there was much family conflict about how and what transpired between the death of MA and the death of Ilene. My Meme was very upset about how certain things were handled and that Ilene was so easily taken advantage of. Family lore says that a family member of Ilene (not her daughter) came into the picture and took advantage of Ilene, manipulating her into giving them both property and money that was suppose to be given to MA's children.
Factually, we know that Ilene died pretty quickly after MA did. She was never happy without him. She drank herself to death, according to my Mom.
My Mom said that she loved Ilene and that she had many happy, warm memories of her. That she was one of two grandmother's she knew and she always felt loved and accepted by Ilene. She said that she enjoyed going out and spending the night with her, at the farm, and she was heartbroken when she passed. Her mother, however, was angry.
So it is with a little conflict I write this. Noting both sides, as best I understand.
It seems that Ilene loved MA with everything she was and he, her. They were exceptionally happy together. However, when he died, she didn't know what to do with herself and made poor choices which led her to losing not only his property, his money, but her life in the process.
It was not until going through data that I unearthed her first name as 'Georgia'. It might be assumed that it was not one she fancied as it was not one which she used. She also made herself older than she really was. She was much younger than she let on.
As I was too small to know her, I rely on my Mother's memories to color who she was beyond census data and records.
She was third wife to my MA Keeling after the death of his first, Mary Elizabeth, and the divorce from his second, LaVada.
She had been married before and had one daughter who my Mom called 'Aunt Noodie'.
Together, MA and Ilene had no children. They seemed to make each other very happy. From the time they married to his last breath, they were contented and loving.
My Mom said she admired her Memaw. That she always looked so well put together. Always seemed confidant. She had her own voice. There wasn't she couldn't do.
She described her as 'tough' and capable. She said that she could get out and til a field just as well as any man. She wasn't afraid to get her hands dirty when she needed to.
And there was a monkey. She had a little monkey. The kind that organ grinder people used to have. My Mom thought that was something. This is confirmed by another grandchild, Barbara. It seems the monkey got mean and had to find another place to live. No one seems to know exactly what happened to it. But... Isn't that something! A monkey as a pet!
MA and Ilene attended the same church as my Mom's other grandparents, TB and Eva Largent. They would all four spend time together. Especially with the family. It meant a whole bunch to the grandchildren when they would. It still makes my Mom smile.
Later on, when my Papaw, MA became sick, it was very difficult for Ilene. She was heartbroken at the thought of losing him and when she did... she pretty much gave up on life.
It is my understanding that there was much family conflict about how and what transpired between the death of MA and the death of Ilene. My Meme was very upset about how certain things were handled and that Ilene was so easily taken advantage of. Family lore says that a family member of Ilene (not her daughter) came into the picture and took advantage of Ilene, manipulating her into giving them both property and money that was suppose to be given to MA's children.
Factually, we know that Ilene died pretty quickly after MA did. She was never happy without him. She drank herself to death, according to my Mom.
My Mom said that she loved Ilene and that she had many happy, warm memories of her. That she was one of two grandmother's she knew and she always felt loved and accepted by Ilene. She said that she enjoyed going out and spending the night with her, at the farm, and she was heartbroken when she passed. Her mother, however, was angry.
So it is with a little conflict I write this. Noting both sides, as best I understand.
It seems that Ilene loved MA with everything she was and he, her. They were exceptionally happy together. However, when he died, she didn't know what to do with herself and made poor choices which led her to losing not only his property, his money, but her life in the process.
When my mother speaks of her, she always called her 'Memaw Keeling'.
It was not until going through data that I unearthed her first name as 'Georgia'. It might be assumed that it was not one she fancied as it was not one which she used. She also made herself older than she really was. She was much younger than she let on.
As I was too small to know her, I rely on my Mother's memories to color who she was beyond census data and records.
She was third wife to my MA Keeling after the death of his first, Mary Elizabeth, and the divorce from his second, LaVada.
She had been married before and had one daughter who my Mom called 'Aunt Noodie'.
Together, MA and Ilene had no children. They seemed to make each other very happy. From the time they married to his last breath, they were contented and loving.
My Mom said she admired her Memaw. That she always looked so well put together. Always seemed confidant. She had her own voice. There wasn't she couldn't do.
She described her as 'tough' and capable. She said that she could get out and til a field just as well as any man. She wasn't afraid to get her hands dirty when she needed to.
And there was a monkey. She had a little monkey. The kind that organ grinder people used to have. My Mom thought that was something. This is confirmed by another grandchild, Barbara. It seems the monkey got mean and had to find another place to live. No one seems to know exactly what happened to it. But... Isn't that something! A monkey as a pet!
MA and Ilene attended the same church as my Mom's other grandparents, TB and Eva Largent. They would all four spend time together. Especially with the family. It meant a whole bunch to the grandchildren when they would. It still makes my Mom smile.
Later on, when my Papaw, MA became sick, it was very difficult for Ilene. She was heartbroken at the thought of losing him and when she did... she pretty much gave up on life.
It is my understanding that there was much family conflict about how and what transpired between the death of MA and the death of Ilene. My Meme was very upset about how certain things were handled and that Ilene was so easily taken advantage of. Family lore says that a family member of Ilene (not her daughter) came into the picture and took advantage of Ilene, manipulating her into giving them both property and money that was suppose to be given to MA's children.
Factually, we know that Ilene died pretty quickly after MA did. She was never happy without him. She drank herself to death, according to my Mom.
My Mom said that she loved Ilene and that she had many happy, warm memories of her. That she was one of two grandmother's she knew and she always felt loved and accepted by Ilene. She said that she enjoyed going out and spending the night with her, at the farm, and she was heartbroken when she passed. Her mother, however, was angry.
So it is with a little conflict I write this. Noting both sides, as best I understand.
It seems that Ilene loved MA with everything she was and he, her. They were exceptionally happy together. However, when he died, she didn't know what to do with herself and made poor choices which led her to losing not only his property, his money, but her life in the process.
It was not until going through data that I unearthed her first name as 'Georgia'. It might be assumed that it was not one she fancied as it was not one which she used. She also made herself older than she really was. She was much younger than she let on.
As I was too small to know her, I rely on my Mother's memories to color who she was beyond census data and records.
She was third wife to my MA Keeling after the death of his first, Mary Elizabeth, and the divorce from his second, LaVada.
She had been married before and had one daughter who my Mom called 'Aunt Noodie'.
Together, MA and Ilene had no children. They seemed to make each other very happy. From the time they married to his last breath, they were contented and loving.
My Mom said she admired her Memaw. That she always looked so well put together. Always seemed confidant. She had her own voice. There wasn't she couldn't do.
She described her as 'tough' and capable. She said that she could get out and til a field just as well as any man. She wasn't afraid to get her hands dirty when she needed to.
And there was a monkey. She had a little monkey. The kind that organ grinder people used to have. My Mom thought that was something. This is confirmed by another grandchild, Barbara. It seems the monkey got mean and had to find another place to live. No one seems to know exactly what happened to it. But... Isn't that something! A monkey as a pet!
MA and Ilene attended the same church as my Mom's other grandparents, TB and Eva Largent. They would all four spend time together. Especially with the family. It meant a whole bunch to the grandchildren when they would. It still makes my Mom smile.
Later on, when my Papaw, MA became sick, it was very difficult for Ilene. She was heartbroken at the thought of losing him and when she did... she pretty much gave up on life.
It is my understanding that there was much family conflict about how and what transpired between the death of MA and the death of Ilene. My Meme was very upset about how certain things were handled and that Ilene was so easily taken advantage of. Family lore says that a family member of Ilene (not her daughter) came into the picture and took advantage of Ilene, manipulating her into giving them both property and money that was suppose to be given to MA's children.
Factually, we know that Ilene died pretty quickly after MA did. She was never happy without him. She drank herself to death, according to my Mom.
My Mom said that she loved Ilene and that she had many happy, warm memories of her. That she was one of two grandmother's she knew and she always felt loved and accepted by Ilene. She said that she enjoyed going out and spending the night with her, at the farm, and she was heartbroken when she passed. Her mother, however, was angry.
So it is with a little conflict I write this. Noting both sides, as best I understand.
It seems that Ilene loved MA with everything she was and he, her. They were exceptionally happy together. However, when he died, she didn't know what to do with herself and made poor choices which led her to losing not only his property, his money, but her life in the process.
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