Lena Long

EULOGY for Lena Justice Oliver Long On June 21, 1920 a seventh child was born to William Pinkney and Eunah Oliver in Alvarado, Texas. It was a girl this time. A few days passed before she was named. Finally, a grandfather said to name her Lena Justice after a wonderful lady that he knew. She was an active outdoorsy child. One day on the way home from her elementary school a big raincloud was coming in, and she was trying very hard to keep up with her older siblings to get home ahead of the rain, when the first sprinkles of rain came at the edge of the cloud. She began saying "Rain a head on me!" because she could not express how it was feeling for the raindrops to be falling on her head, While growing up, she became a tag-a-long little sister because she thought she could do anything the big ones did. That is how she learned how to swim. When she was big enough, she did do work out in the field. When in the later grades she loved playing basketball. In the Oliver family, Christianity and education were very important aspects of life. During growing up years the family attended the Presbyterian church. A young man named William Ollin Long came to call on her sister, Geneva. Lena told herself that he was her man. When the courtship between Ollin and Geneva was over ---- here was her chance. I do not remember what Mother said about how they got together, but Mother became an attendee of Assembly of God church at Retta Texas. Lena and Ollin were married on a Saturday afternoon, October 31, 1936 at the home of the minister at Bisbee church. It did not occur to their minds that they had in fact married on Halloween day. To this union came four children-Rowena Ruth , Tiny Ann, Ollin Justice "OJ.", and Rhonda Jean. Life was very busy. And Lena learned to cook well completely from scratch. She was a very people oriented person and loved being hostess for lots and lots of company. Everyone did enjoy coming to see them. Lena continued her belief that an education and becoming a Christian were very important. I think that every day as I left for school in the morning for twelve years-she told me to make hundreds. It was not a joke, she did want us to strive to be our very best. When the children were married, and she started having grandchildren , she did fun things with them. She only wanted one at a time to come visit for summer vacation, so each would have their own special time with Nannie and Papaw to make memories. Her last few years were spent at Town Hall Estates Nursing Care Center in Keene Texas. While there, when we visited her we sang hymns and quoted scriptures with her. She could not communicate in the present, but she was able to remember from earlier life the words to scriptures, hymns, Christmas carols, and that is when I learned that "Joy to the World" was her favorite Christmas carol. She did not lose her sense of humor while there. For example, after she had her cataract surgery on both eyes we were wondering how well she was seeing. One night during a visit, she motioned with her good hand for me to come closer to her. I thought maybe she had something special to say ......... She did .. She said to me, "You have wrinkles!" Well, we knew she could see and could certainly say a few understandable things. It happened rarely so we were amazed. She did enjoy visits from everyone, but lots of times did not remember afterwards. She was adored by everyone there who came in contact with her. Lena was preceded in death by her husband, Ollin, and grandson Norman Ray Mosley, Jr,, and her parents W. P. and Eunah Oliver. She passed from this life peacefully on Saturday, May 15, 2010, at the age of 89 years, 10 1/2 months of age. She will be sorely missed. Memories of Lena Oliver Long What are some of the best memories of growing up? Many of them involve special times with my Nannie, Lena Oliver Long. It was a day of surprise when I realized that someone else's Aunt Lena was really my Nannie. I had never before realized that she had another name. One cluster of memories of course involves good food: home-made ice cream, and sitting on the machine while it was being cranked, and sneaking the salty ice. Rolls hot from the oven with fresh butter. And finding out afterwards, that when I came home from PNG and asked for Nannie's rolls that she really was not making them anymore, but she made some for me. Supper that was fresh picked all from the garden that day. And the day that sitting at the table with delicious chicken and dumplings on a plate in front of me, and suddenly I asked about the chicken that had been living by the back door in a crate - where is that chicken? I had peanut butter sandwich, and Nannie defended my right to PBJ. Getting to go and spend a week with Nannie and Papaw being a highlight of the summer. Helping with the chores. How did anything really ever get done with one grandchild after the other coming to help? It was exciting to eat on my roll the butter that I helped to churn. And I make good bread today, because I learned at the side of an expert. Funny things that just happened. Playing outside in the country meant lots of itchy bug bites. Do you remember Nannie's bottle of Zemacol lotion? Well, one day I had lots of itchy bites, but the bottle was almost empty. Nannie said, "Put your little finger in there and get the some of the last of the lotion." She meant that my fingers were smaller than hers, but I did not understand that then, I tried to put my 'little finger' into the bottle to get the medicine out. We both laughed very hard. No one could scrape a plate cleaner to begin washing dishes, and then wring out the wash cloth more afterwards. No matter how hard I tried to wring out my cloth, Nannie could always wring out heaps more water! I do not have a ring from Tiffany's jewelry store. But in a drawer, carefully wrapped up is an amazingly beautiful ring that I have cherished for years. One day, I found a bit of broken harness. I put it on my finger as a ring to play. Nannie saw, then she helped me find a beautiful blue marble. We glued the blue marble to my 'harness' ring. Most people would not see the beauty in my ring, but I see love, laughter, and imagination. Sitting beside Nannie in church and hearing her sing hymns of praise. Listening to stories of family and history from the past. Knowing that someone was praying for me. Knowing that there was always a place of love and laughter waiting for me. Submitted by first and only granddaughter for 15 years --- Rev. Beverly R. Mosley A Note from Heaven If I could write from Heaven, this is what I'd say, Please don't miss me too much, I'm with you throughout your day. You may not see or hear me, but if you're quiet and still, You may just feel my presence; because, in Heaven, there is free will. Don't worry for the day, it will come and go as planned, Enjoy each moment you are given, keep worry from your hand. Keep sorrow to a minimum; For if Heaven you could see, You'd know I'm safe and happy, I did not cease to be. Moments in time are brief, until we'll be together again, as Eternity lasts forever, our lives, they have no end. MEMORIES LENA JUSTICE (OLIVER) LONG JUNE 21,1920 - MAY 15,2010 A SIMPLE PASSING NOTE ISN'T ENOUGH FOR THE COMPLEX LIFE BEHIND YOU. THE HUSBAND, CHILDREN, GRANDCHILDREN, GREAT-GRANDCHILDREN, SONS-IN-LAW, DAUGHTER-IN-LAW, THE WHOLE GAMBIT OF LIFE WILL STRETCH FOR GENERATIONS TO COME. YOUR LOVE OF FAMILY WILL BRING MEMORIES OF WARMTH TO THE PEOPLE TOUCHED BY YOUR PRESENCE, YOU KNEW HOW TO BRIGHTEN A ROOM, A HOUSE, A LIFE. WE KNOW YOU ARE WHERE YOU WANT TO BE, WITH THE LOVED ONES PRECEDING YOU, BUT IT DOES NOT MEAN IT MAKES IT ANY EASIER ON US. WE WILL MISS YOUR SMILE, YOUR LAUGH, YOUR PASSION FOR LIFE. LIFE ISN'T PERMANENT, BUT SOME PEOPLE ARE MISSED MORE THAN OTHERS, AND LADY, YOU ARE ONE OF THOSE PERSONS. I KNOW, I DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH TIME WITH YOU, BUT THE TIME I HAD WAS MEMORABLE. OUR TRIPS TO THE STORE, TO THE DISMAY OF PAPAW, WERE A HOOT. WE JUST DID WHAT YOU WANTED. THE MEMORIES OF YOUR VISITS TO OUR HOUSE, AND THE ENJOYMENT OF ANYTHING WE COOKED, ARE UNFORGETTABLE. I HOPE HEAVEN IS EVERYTHING YOU THOUGHT IT WOULD BE, BECAUSE YOU WILL BE MISSED VERY MUCH, HERE. WE ALL LOVE YOU, NANNIE! MOTHER-IN-LAW (A.K.A. NANNIE) BY: ROGER BANFIELD FROM THE OUTSIDE LOOKING IN I AM ANN OLIVER, LENA'S SISTER-IN-LAW. I HAVE BEEN IN THE OLIVER FAMILY 57 YEARS. I WITNESSED LENA'S LIFE DURING THAT TIME. YOU SEE, I HAD BEEN BORN INTO A FAMILY OF PLENTY OF MONEY FOR A COMFORTABLE LIVING. I HAVE ALWAYS HAD PLENTY AND MORE. IT WAS EXPECTED FOR ME TO GET A GOOD COLLEGE EDUCATION, A GOOD TOUCH OF SOCIAL GRACES, GO REGULARLY TO CHURCH AND PLAY THE PIANO AND ORGAN THERE. WHEN I BECAME A MEMBER OF THE OLIVER FAMILY, I RECEIVED A DIFFERENT EDUCATION. I SAW CHURCH, RELIGION, SALVATION, AND MINISTRY TAKE ON A MORE CHRIST LIKE MEANING IN THE LIVES OF THE OLIVER CLAN. I SAW LENA, WITH VERY LITTLE GIVE SACRIFICIALLY IN SERVICE TO HER HUSBAND, CHILDREN, MOTHER AND FATHER, AND OTHERS IN THE LOVE OF CHRIST AS HE MODELED GIVING AND SERVING. SHE GLADLY LED A YOUTH GROUP AND TAUGHT SUNDAY SCHOOL FOR AWHILE. SHE DIDN'T, HOWEVER, GO ON MISSION TRIPS OUT OF TOWN. SHE JUST JOYFULLY SERVED IN "HER LITTLE WORLD" AND DOING EVERYDAY WORK TASKS ...... 'THO HARD AND MANY THEY WERE. YOU SEE, I HAD PLENTY MATERIALLY AND SHE HAD PLENTY SPIRITUALLY. I HAD TO GROW INTO DEEPER SPIRITUAL LIVING. I DIDN'T WITNESS HER EVER HAVING PLENTY MATERIALLY, BUT SHE NEVER COMPLAINED OR WAS NEVER DEMANDING OF A SITUATION. SHE TRULY WAS THE EPITOME (OR SUMMATION) OF WHAT PAUL STATED IN THE BIBLE PHILIPPIANS 4:1 I " I HAVE LEARNED WHATEVER STATE I AM IN ..... TO BE CONTENT " HER WISDOM OF LIFE WAS FAR BEYOND MY FORMAL EDUCATION. HER SIMPLE SERVICES WERE EQUAL TO ANY MISSION TRIP I SERVED ON IN AUSTRALIA, ALASKA, AMERICAN SAMOA, AND SOUTH FLORIDA. IT TRULY HAS BEEN A BLESSING FOR LENA TO BE A PART OF MY LIFE, AND MY INSIGHT INTO "CHRIST LIKE " GIVING. I HAVE MET AND I'M SO THANKFUL I MET MARVIN AND BECAME A PART OF THE LOVING OLIVER FAMILY. BY: ANN OLIVER MAY 19, 2010 A TRIBUTE TO MY MOTHER (JUNE 21,1920 - MAY 15, 2010) WHEN I WAS GROWING UP WE LIVED IN THE COUNTRY WITH NO NEIGHBOR CHILDREN TO PLAY WITH AND DADDY WORKED LONG HOURS SO MOTHER HELPED US BUILD PLAY HOUSES AND HAVE IMAGINARY TEA PARTIES. WHEN A SUMMER SHOWER OF RAIN CAME SHE WOULD PLAY WITH US IN THE RAIN. SHE CALLED IT A SHOWER BATH. SHE PLAYED PAPER DOLLS WITH US AND SHOWED US HOW TO CUT CLOTHES FOR THEM OUT OF THE SEARS AND MONTGOMERY WARD CATALOGS. WE HAD ONLY ONE BIBLE STORY BOOK AND ONE CHILDREN STORY BOOK WITH THE OLD FAVORITES LIKE CINDERELLA AND GOLDIELOCKS. SHE READ THEM TO US SO MUCH THEY WERE COMING APART, HOWEVER ROWENA AND I STILL HAVE THEM. THE BEST OF ALL WAS SHE TAUGHT ME ABOUT GOD AND HOW TO LIVE RIGHT. SHE WAS MY PRIMARY SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHER AND ONE THING THAT REALLY REGISTERED WITH ME WAS TO SMILE REAL BIG WHEN YOU WERE HAPPY. SHE WORKED REALLY HARD TEACHING US TO RECITE THE BOOKS OF THE BIBLE BY MEMORY. AT 6 YEARS OF AGE I COULD RECITE THEM AND RECEIVED A PLAQUE, WHICH IS HANGING ON MY WALL NOW. SHE DID THIS SO WELL I CAN STILL QUOTE THEM SIXTY FOUR YEARS LATER. SHE LOVED TO SING AND TAUGHT US MANY CHRISTIAN CHILDREN SONGS, SUCH AS JESUS LOVES ME. WHEN IN THE NURSING HOME SHE COULDN'T SAY WHAT SHE WANTED TO, BUT WHEN WE WOULD SING SONGS SHE KNEW SHE COULD SING ALL THE WORDS TO PRAISE HER GOD AND WHEN WE QUOTED SCRIPTURES SHE COULD SAY THEM TOO. EVEN THE SATURDAY BEFORE SHE WENT INTO THE COMATOSE STATE ON SUNDAY SHE DID SING SOME AND SAY SOME OF THE WORDS TO THE LORD'S PRAYER AND THE 23" PSALM. WHEN WE HAD THE LORD'S SUPPER COMMUNION WITH HER WITH FAMILY SHE ENJOYED THAT SO MUCH. WHEN SHE WAS TAKING HER LAST BREATH WE WERE RECITING THE 23" PSALM HER MOST FAMOUS FOOD WAS DINNER ROLLS. S000 GOOD. THIS YEAR MY SON, DARRON, HAS STARTED MAKING THEM FROM HER RECIPE. HIS TASTES LIKE HERS BUT DON'T QUITE LOOK LIKE HERS YET. KEEP IT UP DARRON !!! SHE WAS THE BEST MOTHER AND I KNOW SHE IS IN HEAVEN NOW. BY: ANN MARTIN MAY 19, 2010 To send flowers or a memorial gift to the family of Lena Long please visit our Sympathy Store.