My Memories of Grandma Lucy
by Karen Blackham Mack
Lucy Draper Blackham
Born March 27, 1889 - Died 26 February 1974 (almost 85)
It’s funny the memories that you have, but I remember this incident like it happened yesterday. My earliest memory of Grandma Lucy was when I was a small child, (I think around 2 ½ or 3 years old), we went on a trip to Seattle, Washington. My mom, dad, Grandma Lucy and I were the only ones that went. The trip was to go see my Dad’s brother Garnell and his wife Esther and their children.
In Aunt Esther’s kitchen she had a tall “island” cupboard. I think Nancy (a cousin a little younger) was sleeping taking a nap. The grown-ups all went in the other room and I didn’t follow. Instead I got a chair and climbed up on that counter. All of a sudden, here came Grandma Lucy. She scolded me good for being up on the cupboard telling me she didn’t want me to fall and get hurt and to not climb on it again. I think I shed a few tears, but never climbed on the counter again.
Lilac and HollyHock bushes on the east side of Grandma’s house – There was this long row of huge Lilac bushes on the side of Grandma’s house. What a fun place it was to play in especially if there were friends’ close by or cousins around. We would build these little areas for pretend homes for us. We would make little dolls from the Hollyhock flowers. We would turn them upside down so they looked like they had a long dress on. We would use sticks for arms and legs. The head was kind of a ball so we could put tiny tiny rocks for eyes. They didn’t always stay in, but we had a great time there and stayed out of trouble playing in the lilac and hollyhock bushes. There was also a log cabin-type or shed storage room with a wood bin in it in the backyard. We would also play in it until someone found out and would shoo us out of the shed.
Sleepovers - Since Grandpa Ern had passed away, my siblings and other cousins took turns sleeping at Grandma Lucy’s on the weekends sometimes. I loved to go to Grandma Lucy’s and sleep. I got to watch TV with her. She had a couch in the living room that we would open-up and slide the back down to make a bed. I got to watch what I wanted and fall asleep.
TV Wrestling – There was one show that Grandma always liked to see – the Wrestlers. She would stand up and get sooooooooo excited and yell at the referee – couldn’t they see that other guy cheating!!! It was hilarious. I always thought it was fake and couldn’t believe how Grandma thought it was real. She also liked to watch Lawrence Welk.
My Dad dropping in on Grandma – I remember that my Dad went to see Grandma Lucy early every morning. We would warm up with either a cup of hot Cocoa or a cup of Postum with Grandma. My Dad always took such great care of Grandma Lucy. He made sure she had a good place to live and took care of bills for her and helped her keep her yard up and anything else that she might need. Grandma never drove a car, so that fell on my Dad a lot also to take her places she needed to go. I know that Aunt Vawn and Aunt Denice helped out also.
Dish duty – I remember going up to Grandma’s sometimes and I would help her do the dishes or cleaning the cupboard, or sweeping the floor. It was never that hard because it was never that dirty, but she would give me a nickel or dime for helping even if I told her she didn’t have to pay me. Candy bars were only 5 cents at Dalena’s store – whoopee!
Soap made out of Lard – I remember seeing the big huge pan on top of the coal stove that was on the enclosed back porch. Grandma would melt the Lard (pig fat) and then you add Lye and water to it. After it set and cured for a few hours then it was cut into bars and then was cured for 2 or 3 weeks more. I just remember that I had to be very careful and not get too close to the stove.
Sewing Income – Grandma sewed many many quilts, aprons and table cloths through the years to have some income as well as giving gifts to so many. She taught me how to sew straight lines. Sometimes I would go to her house and sew square pieces of material together in long lines to make a quilt with. I wasn’t very old, probably 9 to 12 years old. It was fun, I loved doing it.
Other Income - I also remember one time that Grandma’s house was kind of like a “Dollar Store”. She was able to order all kinds of different knick knacks and small toys etc from a catalog. She would spread it all out in boxes on the top part of her couch. There were “jacks”, little toy guns, measuring cups, small bowls, plastic things and many other items to choose from. I liked it and thought they were fun to play with.
Looking back and reading some of her history brings tears to my eyes. I remember always feeling so bad for Grandma Lucy because Grandpa died at such a young age which left her a widow for 30 years. I’m sure it was very difficult for her, but she went on with her life and her children. She was a great example to us all. She was always doing something for someone else. I don’t ever remember her really complaining – she just forged ahead.
The Story of Ruth -- Grandma’s last baby was a girl and they named her Ruth. She was born and died on 21 March 1926. She only lived a few hours. I was a twin and my twin’s name was Ruth after the baby Ruth that Grandma had. I always wanted to have twins and was going to name them Ruth and Lucy. I never got my twins, but I was able to name my last daughter Ruth Karen which ended up also being after my mother-in-law who also had the name Ruth Mack
Because of Grandma’s example, after I was married I started to sew a lot for our family too. I remembered the things that Grandma had taught me. I learned to make dresses, blessing dresses, formals, shorts, pants, etc. I also learned how to do machine embroidery and taught classes in it, as well as teaching classes on making T-shirts and pant jeans by creating your own patterns from jeans or shirts you already had.
If I wanted to buy something, I always found a way to earn some money so I could do it. When I bought a nice top-of-the-line sewing machine, I sold them first so I would have money to buy me one. When I got our first computer, I taught sewing classes and art classes so I could buy one.
Grandma has never been afraid to try to do new things and neither have I. It must be in our blood!
Here is a list of some of her talents and accomplishments:
She learned to play the trumpet and piano and played in a band
She was a good cook and worked at a hotel also
She made hats and at one-time owned her own Millinery Store
She went to homes to care for families when new babies arrived
She could cook for banquets
She raised vegetables and flowers
She was good at art
She made quilts, aprons, table cloths, napkins, hotpad holders and many other items.
She was a great mother and grandmother and example to us all
I look at her life and am in awe with all that she learned and accomplished. Grandma Lucy was a very talented individual. She worked hard and did her best at whatever she did. The Gospel was very important to her as well as all of her children and grandchildren. I’m so thankful for all that I have learned from her by her great example!
Please click on the links below to read Grandma Lucy's History that she wrote herself. It has additional pictures with it. There is also a copy of her Patriarchal Blessing and pictures of some of the sewing she did.
Full - History of Lucy Draper Blackham (written by herself)
Picture Slideshow of Samples of sewing she did - aprons, table cloths, quilts, etc.
Sewing Samples to view, save or print (pdf file)
PS:
I have no memories of my Grandpa Ernest (Grandma's husband) – except the stories that were told to me. He died from a tragic farming accident in 1944. I was born in 1949.
A link to Grandpa Ern's history.
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/39790886/Genealogy%20Stories%20-%20Blackham/03-Ernest%20Theron%20Blackham%20-%20E%20LaMont%20Blackham%27s%20Father%20with%20pics%20pg.pdf