Family and let’s look at Chevrolet a few years back.

Now that is a Hudson, not a Chevy!

Sherry’s grandma came from Eastern NC. She was the only parent with eight children to raise. Three of the family remained in Eastern NC and five came to the Belmont area with the elder Lettie Hawes. They came for the work that was beginning with the textile industry.

of course the ‘55.’56, ‘57

Lettie had raised the family while working on tobacco farms and living in a converted tobacco barn. She was one hardy lady. Lettie finished raising the family on cotton mill pay.

Sherry”s mama (Susie)inherited that stamina and raised her family in the same ideas and traits. Sherry’s Dad, Wiley, was a good man and very handsome. Wiley and Susie never owned a car they walked to and from work and church.

Everyone knows the reputation of cotton mills, the hours were long and the pay was low, but as Susie would have said, it was work and it did pay. Susie & Wiley raised seven children and seldom missed work. She at times nursed a baby on her breaks and lunch time. One of the older children would bring the baby to the mill. The last of these was Johnny.

Susie Hawes Harris, as you can see she adored Wiley.

Susie Harris was unique, a wonderful mother, a cute woman and had strict rules concerning church and finances. She would never spend everything she had, when payday came she still had something from the last payday, tied up in a small handkerchief. She made that a practice.

Susie came to Missouri for Mark’s birth. Jackie is holding him.

For a little extra income she learned to cut hair, and did that after work.

She managed the household income, Wiley wasn’t much at managing and left that to his wife. She was determined that she and Wiley would have a house of their own to live in when life forced them out of a mill house.

This woman, from meager Cotton Mill pay saved enough to build two houses. Both were completed and rented out before she was forced to quit the mill because of her heart. Then after she and Wiley moved into one, the other was still rented out for supplemental income.

I loved my mother in law, she was frugal but also seriously dedicated to her Lord. Her Tithes were paid every payday.

Lennie, Mama,Sherry & Colette Three daughters she was so proud of.

Sherry still misses her today, I do too. She had a sweet smile and loved her family. She left us at the young age of 61. She was with her family when she just passed away as we all talked. The way she would have wanted to go.

Thanks for coming by the log.

Johnny is still improving, he has been off the respirator most of the day today, that, we were glad to see.

Nite Shipslog

PS:

Susie never traveled much growing up, but when her children scattered, she traveled especially to be with Sherry when birthing time came. She was with There at the birth of both our boys.(Taught me how to wash diapers!)

Here she is with Sherry just before Jack Jr. was born in Biloxi, Mississippi

More Chevy’s tomorrow.