Postscript to Mothers' Day Remembrances

Dear Friends of Lexington Odd Fellows Cemetery:

Having received many heartfelt responses to the Mothers’ Day Remembrances, it seemed necessary to add a postscript. If nothing more, I hope this newsletter may become a “voice” for the souls buried at LOFC, as I attempt to share their stories. Obviously I do not know everyone buried in LOFC, so only with your help and input may I try to tell their stories.

Immediately after pushing the send button, I realized that I had failed to include the young and pretty Billie Stephenson, who tragically lost her husband Billy while still in her forties. After his death, she returned to work at First National Bank, while raising three smart and outstanding children. I later added her to the on-line version of the newsletter and in return received the following response from her daughter Vivian.

"I particularly enjoyed the how and why of your Chanel No. 5 story. It brought back memories of Lexington women that made a lasting impression in my life. My Chanel memories include Helen Lammons, who instilled the art of setting a beautiful dining table – a skill she taught many Lexington brides and homemakers. Patricia Yates, who demonstrated the value of loyalty as she stood by my mother, always supportive, constant, and loving. Cargill Barrett, a lifetime friend who taught me the value of quiet silence. She and Dick were the first to arrive when we learned the news of Daddy’s death. I was nine, and I remember her holding my hand and heart during that fragile time, a loving gesture that I have carried throughout my life."

I regretted that I had not included Jane Dickinson Sample in the newsletter, as she was a remarkable woman who touched many lives. Jane met Sam Sample in New York City while he was serving in the Army during WWII. They fell in love, married and after the war, returned to Ebenezer to the family farm. Having grown up in the sophisticated suburban town of Scarsdale, New York, it must have been a huge culture shock for Jane. A devout Roman Catholic, she had a strong sense of social justice and never lost her forward thinking and free-spirited beliefs. In addition to raising her large family, she sold sets of Compton’s and Britannica encyclopedias to families in Holmes County. It is a testament not only to her strength of character and self-confidence, but also to the people of Holmes County for celebrating and embracing her differences. Her daughter Melinda was in my class, and I always looked forward to her birthday parties, for they were without doubt the most fun and creative of any parties in our class. Many years later while I was living in Westport, Connecticut, Jane, and her daughter, Jennifer, stopped by to see me. Her beloved Sam was dead, but she was traveling the world, playing bridge, and enjoying life with that same zest and exuberance that I had remembered as a child. Jane, like so many mothers buried at LOFC, should be celebrated.

In preparation for further celebration, there has been a positive response to our request for information on military veterans and members of the Red Cross buried at LOFC. September 2nd will be the 75th anniversary of the end of WWII with the surrender of Japan. In the November newsletter we will share stories of some of those veterans in honor of Veterans’ Day. If you have not sent information, please send, so that the veterans in your family may be recognized and honored.

And not to forget Fathers’ Day, which falls on June 21st, please email me at (atailyour@bellsouth.net) a short remembrance of your father or grandfather or perhaps a coach or teacher that made a difference in your life. And if you would like to honor them with a donation to LOFC, you may send a check made payable to LOFC, Post Office Box 1213, Lexington, MS 39095 or visit our website and make an on-line donation using a credit card {{ site_url }}donate

Thank you for being a member of the LOFC community. Stay safe and be well.

Amanda Povall Tailyour, Editor