MORE LILA PICS AND STORIES

Ruth Ann, Alice, Jenny, Dickie, and Amy

Ruth Ann with daughter Amanda

Amy with cousin Carl

FAMILY CHRISTMAS PICS

AUNT LILA BY PATRICIA

Joe, Mary Ellen and I occasionally discuss our moving to Stanton from Boston. Mike just listens as he was so young he doesn't remember that much. I was 7, Mary Ellen was almost 9, and Joe was 5. I think I got our ages right. Anyhow, things weren't working for Mom and Dad in Boston and Mom turned to her family for help in Kentucky. I don't know how they worked out the details but Lila's husband Doug and a friend drove to Boston to get us - one lady and 4 kids and all the stuff they needed. I think they had a little U-Haul attached to the car. It was a long trip to Kentucky. I remember being hungry a lot. When we got to Stanton, we stayed there awhile in the summer. Then Mom got a job in Lexington and she and the boys moved in with Lila and Doug in a 2 bedroom place around UK called Shawneetown (UK housing). I think Doug was taking classes. Mary Ellen and I lived in Stanton with Aunt Alice for most of the school year before Mom got her own apartment in Lexington.

Talk about family taking care of each other! Doug driving all the way to Boston and back. Three adults and 5 kids living in a small 2 bedroom home. I often wonder what the conversations were behind closed doors. Did they argue? Complain? Or did they just do what needed to be done for family.

Over the years Aunt Lila did a lot for me. The most special memory I have is that when I was a Senior in high school she offered to buy me a prom dress for a graduation gift. She told me to go shopping and let her know how much it cost. Well, I found the perfect dress but I just knew it cost too much. I told her about it and she wrote the check and I had a dress for the prom. I will never forget how special I felt. I hope, in my own way, that I am able to pass on the kindnesses that were given to me growing up.

AUNT LILA BY MARY ELLEN

Not trying to top my sister's story, Lila made my dress for a semi-formal at Castlewood Park for 9th grade graduation. She also chaperoned the dance even though she didn't care for some of the music. She was willing to do a lot of things for us kids. She told me to pick out the material and pattern and then she added an overlay of netting on her own which really added a lot to the dress. It would twirl around when I danced and I felt like I looked good. She was very talented. She had a great eye for color.

I was close to all of her kids, my cousins. Danny made my life miserable sometimes and he knew it and knows it now. I forgive him. Chi-Chi was around a lot when I was pregnant with Tricia and did a lot of favors for me like running out for a milkshake. Thanks, Chi. Bitsy and Ruth Ann were my baby cousins who I loved and babysat a lot.

I got closer to Aunt Lila when I was in my 30's. She was still working but not in good health and was tired when she got home from work. I cleaned house for her and we would spend some time talking. She had her moments of sadness due to the loss of her son, Dickie. She said to me once "Mary, please don't avoid talking about Dickie, like he didn't exist. I want to talk about him." I guess that's why I feel compelled to mention him too. He was a very quiet but gentle person. He always had a nice smile. Dickie worked at Channel 18 and always made sure that Santa read my kid's letters over the air at Christmas time. I wish I had known him longer.

I loved Aunt Lila a lot. She was good to me in a lot of ways that I will never forget. I even loved her dog, Frosty.