HMC Family Association

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]

Mary Elizabeth Cornwell Wilkinson daughter of Ida Rose Matheny Cornwell was born Jan. 7, 1889 in Mexico.  Her parents had gone there to work on a coffee plantation.

When they came back to the states, Ida Rose died leaving a 4 yr. old to be raised by her father, Job Cornwell.  In order for Job to make an income, my mother was left to be raised by a couple named Kirkpatrick in San Luis Obispo, Ca.

Sometime in Mother’s early life, the Kirkpatricks moved to Leliam, WA.  Mother enjoyed her life there with her many friends, the church, and the Rebbeca Lodge.

At some point in her early 20’s, she met my father, Jesse Wilkinson, whom she married in 1912. The Wilkinson’s then moved to Auburn, WA.  And then to Tacoma, WA, where I was born.  In 1921, this family of 4 (my sister Elva, I, Mother and Father) moved to Portland, Or., where they bought a grocery store on 24^th and Ankeny.

All was well until my father had a stroke when I was about 9.  Mother then had to take over the job of the grocery business as well as raising a family and nursing a sick husband.  Three years later I had a serious accident and needed a lot of care.  My dad finally died in 1946. By then the grocery store was sold and a variety store bought.  All these years, mother was the bread winner of our family.

She learned to drive in 1924 and in later years, drove to Alaska.  She carried the pioneer spirit to the day she died Oct. 6, 1973.  Lesta Kneebone 89 years old

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