As I interviewed Velma Lee Parker, my great-grandmother, I found that I was greatly surprised by how small her world seemed. Her life revolved around God, her family, and her home. She didn’t seem as affected by many of the events as I had originally thought.
Having been taught my entire life about the impact of World War II and the following consequences, I had thought the war had had a large influence on everyone’s lives. I had fully expected World War I to be burnt permanently in my great-grandmother’s memory. I had anticipated stories of missiles and yellow ribbons, yet Mrs. Parker only registered the war, because certain items were restricted. The main upset during the war was that she was not able to attend both Sunday church services as she had previously.
I found my great-grandmother’s optimism and faith refreshing. In a world that is as pessimistic at today’s society, finding somebody who has such complete and utter faith in God or who finds joy in planting flowers is a rarity. She handled every difficulty with prayer, not on self-reliance, and as a result, their hardships typically ended well. This gives me hope.
I found Velma Lee Parker’s view on politics and certain presidents entertaining. She knows with such certainty that John F. Kennedy was shot, because God did not want a Catholic leading a the United States of America. This logic continues with our current president. She believes that if he is a Muslim, God will strike him down, rather than have him lead our country. She doesn’t see race, but politics and religion.
Hearing my great-grandmother discuss the war in Vietnam and the resulting death of my great-uncle Lonnie was rather difficult, as it’s also a difficult topic for her. It is the only time in her many years that she has admitted doubting God, and I believe the only time she has ever doubted God. Both she and Lonnie knew that he was never coming home. That is a difficult emotion to describe or to even imagine, and yet, she remains steadfastly proud of all that Lonnie did. His actions and his beliefs have an effect on her even now. She bases her political beliefs on what she believes Lonnie would do.
I was both shocked and unsurprised by Velma Lee Parker’s certainty that armageddon, the end of the world as we know it, is upon us. She knows the scriptures and views current events as signs of the end of the world.
As I was interviewing my great-grandmother, it dawned on me that she is an actual person, who has lived an actual life, a long life. She had a childhood, she had a long marriage, she raised three children, and many, many grandchildren and great-grandchildren, as well as a few great-great grandchildren. In my head, I have always seen her in her garden and associated her with mudpies. In my mind, she has always been the “jailkeeper” from the times I would hide under the side table in her living room. She would humor me and deliver my meals to my cell on toy tea sets. My great-grandmother has always been the quilt-maker and protector of mangy mutts. Now she’s more of a person to me. Though, she still protects that evil Pomeranian mutt.

-Hannah Jo, 2009

Labels: great-grandmother, history, pomeranian mutt