The Grandmothers::Bessie (Adair) Reed

Grandma passed away 20 years ago, when I was home to Barrhead a few months ago for a community party people still made a point to talk about her and laugh with me about her determination, compassion, and humour.  Everywhere she went she was never the center of attention, but she ALWAYS left an impression. My grandma was just over 5’ tall, she had bright blue eyes, and she treated everyone with the same level of respect and kindness.  Always.  She was determined and feisty, would never say she couldn’t do something, instead she would say...” well I haven’t tried that yet!” She raised 7 children with my grandpa (the very man that stole her away from her babysitting job) on a farm through tough years.  She honed the skill to make more than enough with very little, something she continued on for the rest of her life.  My Dad and his siblings would describe her as strict; she was the task master, she instilled the work ethic and the expectation no matter what, you take care of your family and your community.  She instilled in all of us that no matter how much or little we had, it was more than enough and to be grateful. Well into her 80’s she volunteered tirelessly.  After church on Sundays she would load up “the old ladies” and take them on road tours out into the Sandhills and down forestry roads...in her giant Oldsmobile car.  I always hoped there would be an empty seat in the car so I could tag along, with the understanding that I was not to tell my uncles what their 80-year-old mother and her cronies were up to.  They were like a silver haired gang; she was the mischievous leader. And the memories I hold dearest are quietly sitting on the porch shucking pea’s, sewing on the treadle machine, or on a long country drive when she would say to me “penny for your thoughts my dear girl...”

~ Sheri McAllister