Pop Pop Epistle #37 – About Your Nona

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Dear Grandkids,

2 weeks ago I celebrated my 60th birthday. Today, your Nona joins me in the 60 year old club. We have been married for almost 37 of those years. Genesis 2:18 says, “Then the LORD God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.” Your Nona was definitely made especially for me. She is the perfect “fit” for me. She is an awesome wife, mother, and grandmother. I wanted to write down some things about her that you may or may not know – you can ask her more about these some time when you are older.

  • She was born at Baptist Hospital in Winston Salem and then grew up in Kernersville, NC.
  • She had childhood TB (tuberculosis) when she was 2 years old. For some reason she  began asking for a pink Christmas tree at this time but got a pink angel that still adorns our Christmas tree each year.
  • She grew up with a mom and a dad who loved each other, with 2 older sisters that she is very close to, and a beloved dog (a dachshund) named Snoopy.
  • She was a cheerleader for the Kernersville Raiders in the Pop Warner League.
  • She attended East Forsyth High School in Winston-Salem and was the valedictorian of her graduating class in 1976.
  • She was Chief of the Eaglettes – a dance team that performed with the marching band at her high school football games.
  • She graduated from UNC-Greensboro in 1980 and was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa.
  • She attended NC State University where she received her Master’s Degree in Counseling.
  • She grew up attending Sedge Garden United Methodist Church. She became a follower of Jesus through the influence of her sister Anne while in college. And then began attending a baptist church after we got married.
  • She loves the Lord, treasures His Word, and is continually learning what it means to abide in Christ.
  • She met the man who would be her future husband (that would be me) in Galveston, Texas on a Campus Crusade for Christ Beach Project in June of 1979.
  • She began running that summer when she saw me running and didn’t stop for 35 years – until I encouraged her to transition to walking in her late 50s.
  • She broke her back when she was in college.
  • She worked as a medical receptionist for a surgeon before she became a mom.
  • She loves being a mom. She has 3 awesome kids who have grown up to be 3 awesome adults who became awesome parents themselves with awesome kids of their own.
  • She spent many years meeting with other moms each week to pray for your parents (and the other mom’s kids) – which accounts in no small way as to why your parents are so awesome.
  • She was a stay at home mom until your parents were fairly independent then worked as a school counselor at Carrington Middle School for about 13 years.
  • She just retired from that job so that she has more time to hang out with you and to help your parents anyway that she can.
  • She has generally had good health but was involved in a scooter accident in India in 2011 that has caused some ongoing issues.
  • She has lived in 5 cities: Kernersville NC (1958-1976), Greensboro NC (1976-1980), Raleigh NC (1980-1981), Ipswich MA (1981-1983), Raleigh NC (1983-1993), and Durham, NC (1993- present)
  • She watches very little television but she does love 2 shows: Jeopardy and The Amazing Race.
  • She loves to cook and bake and make Nona bread for you. She loves to work outside in the yard and to grow flowers – especially Iris’ because they were favorites of her Mom.
  • She is meticulous when it comes to details and especially values organization.
  • She is a beach lover (Sunset Beach is her favorite) and especially loves the weeks at the beach that she can spend with you.
  • She considers herself incredibly blessed and lives gratefully for all that the Lord has done for her and in her.
  • Her grandma name for you all came about this way: None of the options that she came up were approved by your parents so as grandchild #1 approached we had NO NAme. So she became Nona.
  • You will notice from these pictures that she is still a stunning woman even in her “senior” years. She has most definitely aged better than me.

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Hopefully you will have a chance to talk to her today and wish her a very happy birthday. I promise that it will be the highlight of her day.

Never ever forget that you are very loved!

Pop Pop

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