God Bless you, Mama Francis

http://www.barronfuneralhome.com/sitemaker/sites/barron0/obit.cgi?user=202193Stephenson

We are sad to report that Mama Francis has passed away. To say this lady is a piece of my childhood is an understatement! (see her obituary above)

In memory, here is a letter I'd like to write to her:

Dear Mama Francis: (because honey, with a name like Mama Francis, you KNOW there are many levels to this fine woman)...

I remember you like it was yesterday. You never seemed to age. The Learning Bee, once in a small house off the Chester By Pass expanded, leading you to College Street, in a bigger house, with a bigger kitchen, and room for many more kiddos...your passion!

A country girl, you were...you lived in Lowry's and had horses a plenty. Miss Nancy, and Miss Joyce, your daughters, helped you run the day care, and even helped with Chester's wee football and cheer leading programs. Miss Nancy was my coach when I was a cheerleader for the Eagles...green and gold. Those were the days!

Your sweet husband "Paw Paw Frank" helped build sandboxes, tree houses, and other various play things in the yard at the Learning Bee. Many a kiddo from Chester trotted through your doors. You brought your horses, taught us how to saddle and ride them, and took us around the farm, teaching us about chickens, livestock, and life in the country. Something I learned fast: don't wear your jelly shoes to the farm...you might step in something squishy.

In the summer we had something fun every day: Swimming lessons, movie day, Ceramics class, and library. That big brown and cream van would pull up and we'd load in, headed to who knows where.

We had theme weeks, where one day we'd dress up like rock stars, the next day like the "50's", and so on. We had contests to see who would win. I think we even made the paper once or twice.

My friends and I got into all sorts of trouble at the Learning Bee. (shocking I know) One time, I took chalk and wrote my name, along with (very pretty) pictures on the bathroom walls. You scolded me and said something I'll never forget:

"FOOLS NAMES AND FOOLS FACES ALWAYS APPEAR ON PUBLIC PLACES". I take that with me to this day...and will pass that on to my kids as well. Sound advice.

Another time I complained about the rules (having us stay outside, telling us when and what we could eat) and you over heard me say "this place is like Jail!"....you fixed my attitude by serving me as though I WAS in jail, with only bread and water to eat and drink. That showed me. Sound lesson.

Yet another time, I got mad and gave one of the other kids the finger. Lord only knows where I learned it (probably at the Learning Bee....) and someone told you I did it. Oooooh the look on your face was enough. I knew not to do that again.

A bunch of us kids took candy from a stranger once and you got REALLY mad. Now that I have kids, I know why. Thank you.

How could I forget when you'd say "go pick a switch" and send us out in the back yard to find a tree branch, of which you then used to whip our hineys for doing wrong. Why did it seem like that was often? Nothing major, just good clean, kid fun I'm sure. These days some kids around town could use a switch...

We played kickball, hunted crawdads, fell out of tree houses, formed clubs, and played GI Joe and see sawed until our hearts were content. We got sandy, bruised, and sticky, and loved every minute of it. We found "arrow heads" (actually rocks, but we had big imaginations) and sharks teeth (huh?) and pecans gallore. We learned how to crack those pecans, not with a nutcracker, but by squeezing two of them together in our hands, as God intended. Who needs tools?

Thank you so much for laying the ground work for our child hood. You will not be forgotten.

Love,

Sae Sae

***Footnote*** The Michael Jackson/Paul McCartney song "Say, Say Say" was out at the time of the Learning Bee....all the kids starting calling me "Sae Sae". Kind of stuck ever since....