Yesterday we celebrated my Maw-Maw's 80th birthday with a big party at her church! She has attended that church since she was born (now that is commitment)!
A lot of our cousins and family members flew in and drove from all over just to help celebrate! They came from California, South Dakota, Colorado, Georgia and of course from all over Alabama!
As part of the party my Aunt Vicki put the grandchildren in charge of entertainment. Now, allow me to back up a little bit... Every year we all get together on Christmas Eve and every single year my grandmother asks us to put on a "play" in the spirit of the season and every year we comply--albeit while grumbling!
Well, knowing how much she loves our little Christmas productions my cousin Amanda and I decided to write a poem narrating her life and have our cousins enact mini scenes in the background as the poem was read. It was cheesy but fun and she loved it! Which, really, is all that matters! So, I wanted to share the poem with you to honor her:
Sarah Ruth “Pat” Miller Fitzgerald's Life
August 24, 1930 our story begins
As John & Lydia Miller have child number 10
Lydia was fresh out of ideas for names
And gave John the responsibility when the little girl came
But two weeks later the little girl was nameless
“John, ain't you never gonna name this baby”? Lydia asked
So, Sarah Ruth Miller was the name her daddy gave her
But Pat was the name that her sisters' preferred
So Sarah or Pat whichever she was called
She was a little blonde haired, green eyed doll
…................................................................................
FDR was president when she was a resident of 220 G Street
Where there was a young fella she happened to meet
It was 1942 during World War II
And the fella's name was Bill and his eyes were blue
Little did she know what was to be
From meeting Bill there on G Street
…........................................................................
Now she was 14, it was 1944
And she had a job at Grant's Dime Store
She worked weekends and holidays
When she'd rather have been riding roller skates
From 9 to 9 she worked night and day
And 70 cents an hour was all she was paid
Saturday was the stores busiest day
And those little pennies were not enough pay
To miss a day at the fair
With her Uncle there
Her boss said no
So she just didn't show
But worry, she did not,
she batted those eyes and was rehired on the spot
A few years later in the 11th and 12th grades
She worked for a while as a hospital aid
And before too long it was 1949
And Sarah Ruth graduated from Anniston High
….............................................................................
Her romance with Bill began in 1950
She was head over heels at the age of twenty
Two years later they said “I do”
It was March one of 1952
She worked at Southern Bell operating phones
While also being a wife and caring for their home
A short while later in January of 1953
She gave birth to a beautiful baby girl, Vicki
Although Sarah Ruth didn't slow down during her pregnancy
Vicki Lynn Fitzgerald graced the scene
Yes, she played on softball and basketball teams
All the while she was pregnant so it seems
But not too long after a son arrived
David Anderson Fitzgerald in 1955
1958 another girl was born
Nancy Elaine Fitzgerald came into the world
Connie Sue Fitzgerald was born in 1961
While the family lived out West under the California sun
Now here was the family Bill and Sarah had
Three little girls and a little boy who was mad
No brother to play with just girls everywhere
Oh how sometimes life was unfair
Not too long after back to the South they moved
Home to Alabama to raise their brood
…....................................................................................
1967 to 1979 Sarah worked hard for Coca Cola while raising her kids
And every Sunday, Carpenter United Methodist was where they'd attend
….....................................................................................
In 1978 she became a grandmother to a little baby boy
Phillip Michael Twilley was the family's pride and joy
The 80's rolled around and more grandkids arrived
Five little girls and one little boy from 1981to 1989
She was after all still a wife and a mother
But now she was called Maw-Maw or Grandma as her role as Grandmother
On holidays and birthdays the house in Oxford was filled to the brim
With her husband and children and seven grandkids
Whether Easter egg hunts or Christmas 'round the tree
The family would gather, good food on the table, together we'd all be
Now it was the 90's and her family still grew
A third grandson born in 1992
1994, '95 and '97
Two more boys and a girl made eleven
A husband, four children, four inlaws she had
And now eleven grandchildren to the clan she could add
Surrounded by family her best friends being her sisters and her nieces
Sarah, Pat, Mom, Maw-Maw, whatever she's called, she is loved to pieces
….............................................................................
The year 2000 came and we all survived
Y2K wasn't the end as some had surmised
But 2000 and 1 had a lot in store
September 11th our country was floored
Then September 29th came with a chill
As that was the day the Lord called Bill
To Sarah he was Bill, Husband and Dear
To his children he was Daddy, always near
To his grandchildren he was Pop-Pop
And in his passing all suffered great loss
But amidst all the pain there was hope at least
That one day in heaven again we'd all meet
…....................................................................................
2005 came with a gift
August 16th was born Lily Beth
Now she was a great grandmother
With a little girl to smother
With love and affection
For Lily was perfection
Since that time 3 more great grandchildren have been born
Bringing to her family love and joy
…...............................................................................
Here we are today all together once again
To celebrate your life and all that you have been
80 years of life surrounded by friends and family
We love you more than ever and hope that this will be
Your best year yet with many more to follow
We love you always Sarah, Pat, Mom, Maw-Maw, Grandma
This is my Grandma with her 13 grandchildren & 4 great-grandchildren
