Margie Armandy GRIZZLE-WOOD was the most gentle, human lady who graced this earth for a time with her sweet spirit. In her own words, "I got saved when I was 16 years old and I've lived for the Lord ever since."

She was an example to all her children and is still an example for her grandchildren and all the greatgrands today.

Margie had an old pump organ that had candle-holders (she sometimes used kerosene lanterns) on each side of it. She would play and sing. She taught herself and also played piano. Her voice was beautiful.

She said of her dad, "His favorite song was 'Hold To God's Unchanging Hand'. He was about 11 years old when the war between the states broke out. He told us those were perilous times."

Margie never cut her hair, although one time when she had a fever, she said it "all fell out." But it grew back.

Her youngest son, Kytle, stood as her casket was lowered into the ground. He raised his hand (with his Bible in it) and said, "Ma, I'm gonna be here when the resurrection takes place because I'm going to be the first one to see your face."

I transcribed Ozora Baptist Church Cemetery in 1998. Several elderly members of the Grizzle family were with me. Each of them shared the story of William Reid Grizzle's death and said there was "almost a fight" over the spelling of the family name. That name was inscribed incorrectly on Reid and Rachel's tombstone as "Grizzel". That isn't the way he or his brothers, uncles and ancestors spelled it. It's Grizzle.

I have copies of their vital records, including Bible records showing the spelling our ancestors used. Those who were from the South (including the state of Virginia) spelled it "Grizzle". Further back into the 18th century and before when our family was in England and France, our surname was spelled "Grissel". There were girls whose first names were Grissell.