There were no TV cameras to cover the event…no big time newspaper reporters were there, either. But what was present was a lot of love for someone dear to the hearts of many, black and white.
It was somewhat astonishing and no doubt heartwarming — especially in this current political climate too often filled with hate and disrespect for each other — that folks of both races gathered to honor someone who basically led a simple life.
Allenteen Delois “Granny” Watkins, an 88-year-old black women who battled many health issues in recent years but always bounced back like a cat with nine lives until recently taking her last breath, was eulogized Saturday, Sept. 22, 2018, during an emotion-filled service at Truelight Missionary Baptist Church in Walnut Grove.
Allenteen’s big heart quit beating on Sept. 14, 2018, at a Jackson hospital. She had spent the last several years in and out of hospitals while she was mostly confined to a nursing home. And despite all of her health challenges, she always maintained a pleasing attitude and especially a big smile on her precious face, as stated by those who spoke at her service and others who shared memories on a September Saturday usually reserved for watching college football games.
One would expect to hear tributes from a deceased person’s pastor and family members at a funeral service. And such was the case in this service as pastor Dr. Larry Weathers delivered a stirring eulogy. Tributes from family members were included in an impressive printed program, and excerpts from those tributes were read by Sister Bonnie Stowers in honor of this grand lady who spent most of her life ironing clothes and cleaning houses.
But what was especially moving during this service, were the tributes delivered by her “white” family and friends, which followed remarks from prominent Forest attorney Constance Slaughter-Harvey.
Slaughter-Harvey, who was recently honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Mississippi Bar and is recognized as the first black female to graduate from the University of Mississippi Law School, said Allenteen “always had a smile on her face…and if she was not smiling, you knew something was wrong.”
Slaughter-Harvey also mentioned how much Allenteen enjoyed playing bingo, and just having a good time with family and friends.
Forest Mayor Nancy Chambers began her tribute by calling out various numbers which could be found on a bingo card. No doubt many in attendance could visualize Allenteen saying “bingo” when those numbers were read.
Mayor Chambers also talked about how Allenteen often knew what was happening in the city before anyone else. “It was amazing how she would find out about something going on and would be the first person to contact the city,” Chambers said. “And she would gladly share her opinion about any topic! She was not shy about telling you what was on her mind. She was a special lady and will be greatly missed.”
Dr. Gayle Harrell, for whose family Allenteen worked as a housekeeper for more than 25 years, shared many memories of the woman his son Hunter affectionately called his “black momma.”
“She became family to us on day one. My boys (Trevor and Hunter) didn’t ever complain about her…as she let them do anything and eat anything they wanted! I’m sure she had to threaten them a few times, but there was never any confrontations we had to deal with. She just simply took good care of them while my wife Robbie and I were at work.”
Dr. Harrell said he and the “Good Lord” tried to take care of her as a patient as best as possible…but there were “challenges,” as he explained:
“She was still going to eat salty fat back and greens…and drink a few beers…while taking Coumadin (blood thinner). Sometimes she would call to ask me if she could please have some greens that day, and I would say yes…and then I would have to adjust her medicine the next day!”
Dr. Harrell, an avid outdoorsman, often took Allenteen what he “harvested” or caught after a successful outing.
“I was always taking her fish…which I am sure she shared or sold with her neighbors! Nothing wrong with that! She loved to eat fish. I often let her and Jessie Mae (her late sister) fish in my ponds. We also took Allenteen on a fishing trip to Roosevelt State Park. She said she had never ridden in a boat, so I put a life jacket on her and rode her across the lake. She replied, ‘That wasn’t so bad!’”
He said Allenteen often asked to bring her a raccoon on his hunting trips. So while squirrel hunting one day he saw a fat raccoon and shot it with his .22 caliber rifle. He put the raccoon in a garbage bag and dropped it off at Allenteen’s residence on his way to check on patients at Lackey Hospital.
Dr. Harrell said he had not yet arrived at the hospital when he was notified by Robbie Sue that Allenteen was all in a panic because the raccoon was still alive and was trying to escape from the garbage bag. He quickly turned around and returned to Allenteen’s to “take care” of the raccoon. Dr. Harrell said he thought Allenteen was going to have “the big one” that day!
Dr. Harrell continued, “And whenever Robbie or I took Allenteen home, she would always tell us before getting out of the vehicle, ‘if y’all need me day or night, I don’t care what time, I’ll be glad to come stay with them boys.’ She called them ‘hers.’ She called us ‘her peoples,’ and we called her ‘ours.’ If we ever needed her, we could always go get her…and if she wasn’t at home, we knew where she was…on Highway 35 playing bingo. I guess you could say we supported that place!”
As previously stated, Allenteen was not shy about speaking her mind, and she was that way with the Harrells, especially when it came to Robbie Sue baking her a cake.
Dr. Harrell shared the following story:
“Allenteen always wanted a pound cake for any occasion, but she especially wanted one for her birthday, which she never let you forget. Once after she had gone to the nursing home, Ledora (Allenteen’s daughter, Ledora Watkins Benton) called early one morning to say Allenteen was very sick and was unresponsive when arriving at the hospital. Robbie hurried and made her a pound cake and got to the hospital as fast as possible. When Robbie opened the door to her room, Allenteen’s eyes were closed and Robbie whispered that she had brought her a cake. Allenteen opened one eye and said, ‘You didn’t want (not baking a cake for her) on your conscience, did you?’ They communicated like that always. Robbie knew what she wanted, and she usually gave it to her.”
There were times when Allenteen was needed to stay at the Harrell house when Dr. Harrell and Robbie Sue had to be out of town. After Trevor went to college, Hunter was old enough to stay alone overnight, but he would often ask for Allenteen to stay with him.
Dr. Harrell said Allenteen loved telling people, especially at the nursing home, that when she stayed overnight, she slept “in Dr. Harrell and Robbie’s bed.”
“We would not have cared if she did,” he said. “I know she loved being at our house. She could use the telephone as much as she wanted to…and could get more done with that cordless phone on her shoulder. Her first calls in the morning were to Ledora, and then to the funeral home to see who they had in there! Then she’d call different ones she knew to let them know who’d died!”
After Hunter left for college, Dr. Harrell said Allenteen wanted to remain connected to them but he also knew she wanted “a little Bingo money” from time to time. So he would take her some ironing to do and provide her with “some bingo cash.”
Regarding her ironing ability, Dr. Harrell said, “No one in this world could iron better than Allenteen.”
(This writer can attest to that fact…she was my “ironing lady” as well. I would also provide her with “a little bingo cash” from time to time. And there were times when she would ask me “to go by the store and get her a quart of beer” before picking up my clothes. And it was my pleasure to do so! And, on a more personal note, I will fondly remember how she referred to me when talking to others as “my 5Bubba Johnson.”)
Mayor Chambers mentioned that Allenteen knew what was going on in the City of Forest before anyone else. Dr. Harrell commented Allenteen was also aware of what was happening at the hospital, as she lived nearby.
“If she heard a helicopter at the hospital, she always wanted to know who it was that they flew out or brought in,”said Dr. Harrell. “I guess now in this day, that would be a HIPAA violation. She was always concerned with those who were sick or hurting.”
Dr. Harrell also spoke of Allenteen’s deep religious beliefs.
“Robbie said when she picked up Allenteen in the mornings, she was always reading her Bible. She loved to joke around, but her love for her Lord was first in her life. She shared that with us many times, and it was evident in her life.”
He concluded, “From this day on, we will forever miss her, and her love for us, and ours for her. Thank you to her family for sharing her with us all these years. God made all that possible, when he led us to her, to keep our children. She was really special to us!”
Several days prior to the service, Hunter Harrell shared his feelings about Allenteen on his Facebook page. Ms. Stowers read his tribute, which follows:
“Most people won’t know how much this beautiful lady means to me and my family. Ms. Allenteen has been with me from day one that I was adopted. It has been 26 years now that she has been with us. I have had by far the funniest times and best times of my life when I was with her. When my parents were at work she would be with me. She would spend days and nights at a time. I have always told her, which put a smile on her face, ‘Ms. Allenteen, you know you are my black mama, right?’ In return she would say, ‘Hunter, I know I am. You do know you are my white son, right?’ I would then smile and hug her. She had the biggest heart and smile…and was by far the biggest Christian I know. She has forever stolen a piece of my heart. I will never forget you. I know I will be with you once again in Heaven celebrating. This will be one of the hardest times of my life knowing you are gone. I love you, Allenteen!”
Hunter and Trevor were unable to hold back tears — as was the case of of several family members — they passed by Allenteen’s open casket at the conclusion of the 90-minute service. They both served as pallbearers.
Many tears were shed with her loss, but many fond memories will continue in the minds of those who loved Allenteen Watkins, who was simply a good and kind person. What a wonderful life she led…but more importantly, were the many lives she touched, black and white!
RIP my friend! You will be missed!
