Memories of Aunt Belinda

Memories of Aunt Belinda

January 24, 2018

On Saturday, January 20, I wrote this tribute to Aunt Belinda on my blog. JodieRoberson@blogspot.com

I spent the morning looking at poems about grief and loss and how to cope. I could find nothing that satisfied me, nothing that was a fitting tribute to you, my Aunt Belinda.

My mind is flooded with memories of your laugh, your smile, and all you were.  You raised two awesome men. Both are hard workers with a love of family and friends.  You showed them how to love, fiercely.

Your devotion and caring nature inspired me as I was growing up.  I was always so excited to see you.  I knew seeing you meant big hugs, potato salad, and home-made key lime pies. You always saw the good in people. Even though life threw some great big punches at you, you didn’t quit.  You always took another step.  You always got back up.

I have always seen myself as “a lot like Aunt Belinda”. After all, we both are the petite ones with the fine, straight hair.  We love to read and we love to laugh.  You were such a kind hearted and loving Aunt. You have always been there for me: holidays, showers, birthdays, when I got married, when Megan was born, in sad times and in happy times.  When I remember the most special times in my life, you were there cheering me on.

I love you.  Words could never express how deeply hurt we are, but one day the family chain will be whole again. This harsh world will never deal you another blow.  Fly high our angel, my aunt, and my friend.

The following memories were shared by friends and family:

Aunt Belinda grew up in a home where “family” was the most important thing.  Grandma Etta and Pa loved and nurtured all of their children, grandchildren, and even the neighborhood kids.  We played softball in the lot beside the house, gathered around a table prepared with love, played in the dirt and ditches, and walked the roads of Lowland visiting family and friends along the way.  You could see Grandma Etta through Aunt Belinda.  They were so similar in that they loved every one of us here in this room and would do anything that anyone needed.

Every Thanksgiving we have a hayride and it’s something we all look forward to.  We laugh and love and snort and hoot and holler.  Aunt Belinda was always right there in the middle of it doing that laugh that made her whole body shake. 

One of Lee’s friends commented on Facebook that some of her best memories from childhood were at Aunt Belinda’s house.  She said that Aunt Belinda always treated everyone like they were her own kids.

Aunt Belinda was the kind of lady that would walk up to you and give you a big hug.  She truly cared about you and how you were doing, even if she hadn’t seen you in years. 

Macey shared that Aunt Belinda’s dog, Jewel, was a faithful friend to her.  That dog followed her everywhere and even rode on the back of that big red four-wheeler.

To many of us, Aunt Belinda was more than one entity.  She was a cousin or a friend, but she was also a sister or mother figure. She was whatever we needed at the time.

My Mema, Aunt Nina to most of you, brought a beautiful pink set of suitcases to Grandma’s house for Aunt Belinda.  They were all sizes.  The smallest suitcase had Barbies inside.  Aunt Belinda used the suitcases to travel back and forth to Florida, but she left the biggest one at Grandma’s in the bedroom.  Tina used the largest pink suitcase to pretend that she was on trips like Aunt Belinda.  The pink suitcase brings back many great memories for Tina.

Memories of Twin Lakes were some of the best to many of us.  Aunt Audrey and Uncle Nook would carry us all camping and we would spend weeks at a time swimming and just enjoying each other.  Little Robert learned to swim “real fast” one summer when Aunt Belinda tossed him off the dock on the side away from the ladder. She yelled for him to swim towards it.  Swimming was a great memory for many of us with Aunt Belinda.  Robert, Michelle, and Cle have all mentioned her love of the water.

One of my favorite stories is of my Mama, Debbie, and Aunt Belinda sunbathing off the end of the porch.  Pa took a big, wet wad of chewing tobacco out of his mouth, stood back, and lobbed it.  The tobacco landed right in the middle of Aunt Belinda’s bare belly.  Pa laughed and laughed. Aunt Belinda was hopping mad.

One of Aunt Belinda’s proudest moments was when Randy Jr. won the Hubert L. Monk Athlete of the Year Award in 1993.  Cle shared that they were all crying like babies. 

Over the last several days, I have heard many words describing the Aunt I loved so much. 

Aunt Belinda was…

          Caring                                           Fighter

       Warrior              Sister                Iconic Islander 

                                      

              Mama             Grandma         Strong

                            

       Green Thumb     Aunt      Worker         Friend

      

       Survivor        Tower of Strength     Daughter

              Worker          Cousin          Niece

                            

                                 Proud       Loving 

                     

                                    Baker    Cook