Happy Birthday Mom
This is the first column for the New Year. My hope is that everyone has started their New Year with promise for a great year. May the Lord bless every one with peace and happiness?
I will start with birthday blessings to my mother, Lottie Bell McClendon Martin Stowers whose birthday was January 4th. She taught me many things, how to cook, how to be as self-sufficient as you can be by raising a garden to feed your family with the vegetables you eat. How to raise as much meat you can eat with beef, pork, fish and chicken. I do not hunt but she taught me to cook many different game. She taught me how to raise and love my children and grandchildren by how she cared for me and my children. She taught me how to sew, I made most of my clothes and a lot of my children clothes and they were boys. Remember the Hammer pants. I have a pair of pants and a shirt of Rodney’s in my closet today.
She taught me that church was an important way for you to feel closer to God. If you attend a church let that church be important in your heart and let your heart be important in your life to do God’s will. Love your neighbor as yourself. Remember all have sinned and come short of the glory of God, but through his grace and mercy you shall be saved. That is why as of today I started the breakfast program at my church and financially funded it each month. One time the church pastor considered stopping the program because of financial difficulties. My son Karl Ross who was a deacon, let the pastor know that the church only furnished a place for the program. It did not finance any of the money for the food that was served, his mother did the financing of the food.
As of today, she still fiances the food and other items in the Fellowship Hall. She gives credit to her helpmates, Annie Stowers who now helps with buying food and Alice McCarter who diligently helps in the preparation process. Many others I give credit to, Barbara Robinson, Bobbie Nell Sanders, Lorraine Dozier, Patty Odom, Calvin “Oudie” McClendon and Anwar “Skeet” Stowers. She taught me how to be a good neighbor, but most of all she taught me how to love and do for my fellow man.
As of today, I have cared for three people who in the end could not care for themselves, Mary Ann Brown, Lottie Bell Stowers and Lottie’s brother, Charles McClendon. That is three soul’s that will always be in my home. I could keep on talking about this lady and her greatness to me.
Happy birthday to my niece, Dr. Locord Wilson. Lottie had three sisters who celebrated their birthdays in January; Christine McClendon Baylis and Flossie McClendon Stewart was on January 7th and Estella Wilson is on January 26. One living brother, the only living grandchild of Midway’s founder Henry Odom the First, Arlander McClendon whose is on January 31. Henry Odom walked to Midway after the slaves were freed in 1865 with his sister Amy from North Carolina. They traveled by night and hid during the day. Their safety was important because during that time you could be captured and returned to slavery on another island. Henry Odom the First was the father of 18 children. Now down to one grandchild.
Sympathy to the Mayers family in the passing of James Mayers (October 5, 1952- January 3, 2026). His service was last Saturday at Evans Memorial Funeral Home Chapel, Final arrangements was entrusted to Evans Memorial Funeral Home.
Sympathy to the Jones family in the passing of Mr. John Jones. (February 22, 1942- January 6, 2026). His service was last Saturday at Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses. Final arrangements was entrusted to Evans Memorial Funeral Home.
Sympathy to the Kimble family in the passing of Mr. Willie Kimble Jr. His service was last Saturday at Greater Deliverance Church of God in Christ. Final arrangements were entrusted to Holifield Funeral Home.
Sympathy to the Shepard Family in the passing of Willie “Sonny” Shepard. His service was January 3rd at Mapp Funeral Home Chapel. His arrangements were entrusted to Mapp Funeral Home.
Sympathy to the Banks Family in the passing of Clemmie Banks. Her service was at Green Leaf M. B. Church in Ludlow. Her arrangements were entrusted to Mapp Funeral Home.
Sympathy to the Hughes and Kinkaid Family in the passing of Ruthie Kincaid Hughes. Her service was last Saturday at Mapp Funeral Home Chapel. His arrangements were entrusted to Mapp Funeral Home.
The Care Facilities: Milton Jerome Banks – Laurel;
Remember with your prayers, all our sick and shut-ins: Sarah Harper, Walter “Ben” Smith, Sollie White Smith, Janie White McClendon, Glenda Strong McKee, Bill Bradford, Sarah Janitha White Johnson, Willie Letha Stowers Peavy, Marshall Beamon, Dwight Beamon, Versherica Ficklin, Mattie Bobbitt Holifield, Billy Strong, Wesley Lewis, Chasten Banks, and David Parrott.
Please call or text me those who are sick, deceased with planned arrangements, and anything remarkable you want publicized about your family. You may reach Delie Shepard by phone/text at 601-507-0992 and email: dshep10399@gmail.com.
