HMC Family Association

Since my sister, Marian, is writing about our mother, I decided to share my memories of our grandmother, Sylva Hewitt Kerr.

I was named after Grandma, she Sylva Leona- me Sylvia Lee.  I felt proud that our of 23 grandchildren, I was her “namesake”.

My best memory of Grandma was about “apples”.

“Run fill the pan with apples from the applesauce tree.” Or “Get me some pie apples and I’ll bake a pie.”  She would sit with the enameled pan in her lap and could peel an apple with her little paring knife – not letting the peel break – not one time!  We kids would eat the peels and anxiously await the pie.

Grandma was loving and giving and would scoop each grandchild to her ample bosom in a warm embrace until we gasped for air.

She was the very best of grandmothers and pleasant memories abound with thoughts of her and the “homestead”.

Sylva Murray McClain Fiscus

August 3, 2008

[Henry&Elizabeth Matheny Hewitt>James Andrew Hewitt>Sylva Leona Hewitt>
Mary-Alice Kerr Murray  McClain>Sylvia Murray McClain Fiscus]

One of my fondest childhood memories was actually as a late teenager.

It had been a hot summer and was already mid-August when my cousin Lisa and I decided to spend the night with our grandparents, Elsie & William Warmington.

The upstairs at Grandpa and Grandma’s typically was closed up and unused. This night we opened up windows and shook out quilts.

After a hot night, staying up late, visiting first with Grandpa & Grandma and then upstairs with each other. We discussed everything from the typical: boys, tans, and music, to the more untypical, future plans and dreams for our lives and also what it meant to us to have our grandparents and the legacy they had built.

What I remember best and most is waking up with the soft breeze blowing in the window, the feel of the cool cotton of the quilt lying on top of us as we lay there in the early morning light.

Then what we did next is still a sweet memory. We jumped up, pulled on clothes and went and picked raspberries from their garden.  We again visited and talked about our futures along with our years of memories of being out in the garden together picking peas, strawberries, raspberries, and apples.

Once we had some berries, we headed back inside to sit down with Grandpa & Grandma and eat bowls of raspberries with cream on top.

My grandparents have been gone a long time now, but this memory stays fresh in my mind.

Melissa Clark

8/3/08

[Henry&Elizabeth Matheny Hewitt>Olive Hewitt Smith>Elsie Warmington>Julia Jean Jones>Melissa Clark]

What an example of godly perseverance.

When my mom was 12 years old she fell in a doorway on a milk (glass) bottle. This severed her nerves in her arm pit.  Her sister came to the rescue. This happened to her left arm, her writing hand was paralyzed.

I never, never heard her complain. She sure had reason to. When I was discouraged she pointed to 3 clay monkeys that covered their eyes, mouth and ears. See no evil, say no evil (speak) and hear no evil. Many times I think of this. Something I am trying to learn.

Mom was a stay at home mom; letting us build golf courses with tuna cans in our backyard. She watched our many plays in our make-shift stages. She made the popcorn and curtains for our funny, and informative plays.  She also watched in our street many of or parades. What a happy childhood she gave us 3 kids. She did many things to make our lives full.

She accomplished all this and more with a disabled hand.  God does work his miracles and he used my mom to show me compassion and perseverance. I love you for this mom. How she diapered us, it still amazes me to this day.

Rebecca Kneebone Keogh

Aug. 3, 2008

She used to say ”You can do anything you can if you put your mind to it.”

[Jasper Matheny>Ida Rose Matheny Cornwell>Mary Elizabeth Cornwell Wilkinson> Lesta Wilkinson Matheny Kneebone>Rebecca Kneebone Keogh]