Dedicated to my Grandmother
Evelyn Jerkins

My grandmother was one of a kind. She was born January 14, 1920 in a small town called Hartford, Al. She was the oldest of four. She worked hard all her life along side my grandfather (which died when I was 2) My grandmother was everything to me.  See since I was the youngest of 3 BOYS it was hard to act like a "girl". But she tried her best to teach me what a woman should know. She might have thought that  I wasn't listening (while playing in the mud) but I heard every word she said. When she was in her 40's she found out that she had Diabetes. But that didn't stop her. She lived her life to the fullest.. My grandmother was a PROUD woman who didn't want help from anyone. There wasn't a day that went by of my 19 years that I didn't see her or call her. In her 70's she started getting worse. I knew the time was near but I didn't want to admit it. I always told her that she was gonna be around for ever. But she knew better. By this time I had already graduated from high school and was working. My parents are truck drivers and they stayed gone most of the time. So I was with my grandmother. When she started getting worse the doctors said that she needed full time attention and that the nursing home would be best for her. Well I knew that she wouldn't go for that. So I suggested that I moved in with her. She needed 24 hours attention. So I put off college and I quit my job and moved in with her. (which was really the best thing I ever did) I can remember her sitting on her bed and crying (which I had never seen before) and I knew then I wouldn't be the ONE to give up. When I saw her giving up I would make her mad so she would fight to stay with me. I was her only granddaughter and she was my world. I couldn't let go of her. I didn't want to. But she had to go into the hosiptal. That Tuesday that she went in was the last time she was ever at her house. My mom had came  home by then and on that following  Saturday we got a phone call telling us to come to the hosiptal that she had taken a turn for the worse. Well we were thinking that she needed to be transfered to a better hosiptal. But when we got there they said she had died an hour ago.  It felt like they took my heart out and stomped on it.  I ran to her room and looked at  her laying there, she was so beautiful and looked at peace. She finially went home to granddaddy. That was what she wanted. She told me that she wanted to feel his strong arms around her again. January 6, 1996
was the worst day of my life. I lost a friend, mother, grandmother all at once.  I thank GOD that he gave me to her and her to me. And I know she is looking down on me right now. So MaMa this is for you.
I Love You!!
and I will see you again soon.

This Candle will burn forever in honor of  you. The LOVE OF MY LIFE!