by Kimberly H. Smith

Created on: August 11, 2008   Last Updated: April 24, 2010

Between 1972 and 1991, I grew up with five biological grandparents-2 grandmothers, 2 grandfathers and 1 great-grandmother. Today I only have one grandmother. My first real experience with the death of a loved one was when my great-grandmother Mama Tilly (Matilda Collins) passed away. I was 19 years old and her age is still a mystery. Her birth certificate had been lost and my family estimated that she was around 95 years old. However, she could have been older. I remember that she had long, silky gray hair and drank Miller Pony beers until a year before her death.

My paternal grandparents, Momee and PaPa (Essie and Reverend Harry Horton Sr.), had the greatest influence on my life. PaPa was not only a minister, but the Pastor of our church. I watched him with great admiration every Sunday in the pulpit preaching the gospel. The congregation loved and revered him. Momee was a faithful deaconess who sat to his left with her peers on the deaconess board. They drove me and my sister to Sunday School and subsequent church service every Sunday. We spent every summer of our young lives attending Vacation Bible School with them.

As a young girl, I fought the push from my parents to do these activities. Now as an adult, I look back on those times with fondness. Particularly since Momee and PaPa are now deceased. I watched as cancer took both of them far too soon. They were wonderful, caring, God-fearing people. They had good hearts and a genuine love for their family and friends.

I always got a kick out of how they loved CBS soap operas. Even my grandfather! I have enjoyed those soaps for years because I discovered them in their living room. When I recall my childhood, they are who I think of most. They lived less than five minutes away from my home and my sister and I spent a lot of time with them. My grandmother was the kindest person I have ever met. She never had a bad word to say about anyone and it's what I've always remembered about her. I think of her almost every day. And even though it's been eight years, I sometimes forget that she is gone because she was such a huge part of my life.

I spent a lot of time with my maternal grandparents MaDot and Daddy Ruff (Dorothy and Elliott Ruffin) also. I can recall spending many Friday nights with them. If MaDot didn't fry catfish and French fries, Daddy Ruff bought me a Whopper and fries from the Burger King down the street. They let me stay up as late as I wanted to and made sure the refrigerator was loaded with treats.

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