The Story of Mimi
I miss my Grandmother Mimi dearly. She died twenty two years ago and it still feels like yesterday. My Mimi was a loving and doting grandmother, she affectionately called my Slow Poke, potty mouth (I cuss too much) but she mostly called me De. Mimi with her ever ready ear would drop what she was doing to listen to your joys, experiences, kiddy jokes or whatever you had to express to her. She would share with you her childhood memories, loves, disappointments, goals, and her school days. She also shared with me her childhood crush she had on Joe "The Brown Bomber" Lewis. She explain to me what a lady was, what a gentleman was, to respect self first and of course she always answered my questions about sex, no matter how crude.
Although she was strict, she did it with guidance, affection, reasoning and of course lots of love. She would always explain to you why you were being punished, of course if you had a dispute with her decision, she was all ears and while still giving you your sentence, LOL! She said what she meant and meant what she said. Mimi had a heart of gold, no platinum, and you would see it glowed whenever you were around her. Her dimpled smile was so contagious, you could not help yourself, you did not know why she was smiling but you smiled with her anyway. There was nothing she would not do for you, even turn you in to the cops if you committed a crime, but you better believe she did it with tough love, she may even mortgage her home for your bail or pay your attorney fees.
When Mimi was in the months, the William Henry & Mary Ellen Lockart Shern took care of her and year later 1917, they adopted her. Adoptions were different back then, there was no CYS, adoption/government agencies involved. Children were given away to just about anybody then. Mimi was blessed to have GrandMa & GrandPa Shern, they had her baptized and she became their legal daughter. The Sherns wanted to adopt Mimi's older sister Hazel, but their Mother took her back to Washington, DC and given to another family member. Although they were miles apart, Mimi and Hazel kept a very close relationship.
Mr. & Mrs. Shern (whom I named my son after) didn't have any children of their own, but they were always willing to take in family, friends or the down on their luck folks from time to time. Although the Sherns were older, in their 40s, when they adopted Mimi, they were loving, attentive and God fearing parents. They were part of the original founders of Calvary United Methodist Church in McKeesport. Mrs. Shern has always told Mimi the truth as to how she became their daughter and she always knew who her mother was. She found out her father's name through her mother Bertha's cousins. Mimi's adopted parents died when she was young, her Dad when she was a junior in High School and her mother died two months before my Mom (Sissy) was born in 1940.
As a teen, her sister Hazel found other siblings and her biological father. Mimi met and saw her mother for the first time in 17 years. She also met and kept in contact with her brothers, Levi, Stanley(died Oct. 23, 2007) in DC, Chester (deceased) and her sisters, Hazel, Minnie, Carrie, Annie, Thelma(all are deceased) Florence in Maryland, Wookie(Florence) in DC and Marylay who resides in Virginia. She also developed a close father/daughter relationship with her Dad Joseph Hill who died in 1966. Her biological mother Bertha died March 1985
While waiting for the bus to go to work in 1937, she met a tall dark handsome man with jet black wavy hair. She said she use to see him a lot around town, but that day he decided to approach her. When he spoke he stuttered badly, she said she was completely turned off. Well that man became my Grandfather James "Fritzie" Christian. One day as she boarded the bus he ran along side of the bus and stuttered to her "GGGGGirl, I'm ggggoing to mmmmarry you one day" she was smitten. Well as fate would have it they got married July 19, 1938.
A year later my Uncle Sonny was born, year after that she gave birth to my Mom, Katherine (she is named after my grandfather’s mother) nicknamed Sissy. They would then have three more children, Sandra (Sugar), Rashidi (Bobby) and Dora (Doramae.
In October 1955, Mimi's beloved Fritzie died from cerebral hemorrhage. He was just 43 years old. Not only was she a divested widow at 39, she became handicapped and confined to a wheelchair due to arthritis she develop as a teen. But that did not stop her from raising her children. She encouraged all of her children to attend and graduate college. Uncle Sonny, although accept at Fisk University to major in engineering, did not go to college because he was the man of the house and felt he needed to stay with Mimi. He felt that his Dad would not want him to leave her alone.
After my grandfather had died, Mimi had some hardships. One of my grandfather's close friends who called himself helping, went to the social security office to make sure she received her benefits for her and her children. She was denied and her case was sent over to DPA (department of Public Assistance). DPA assign a case worker who then came out for a home visit. The first thing she suggested was, removal of all the children from the home, except Uncle Sonny, he was 17 at the time.
The caseworker was going to put them in an orphanage, stating that Mimi was unable to care for her children because of her handicap. She also suggested that she consider selling her home (my grandfather's life insurance paid it off) and move into a state facility. They felt that would be best for her since she didn't have any income. DPA was not going to approve her eligibility because she refused to sell her home. Her home was the one asset her husband left to her, it was her collateral for getting student loans to eventually send her children to college. Oh,yes, she was a very fugal woman. She stuck to the plan she and her husband had made together regarding their kids.
My Mimi made two phone calls, one to her father in law, Philip Christian and the other to her sister Hazel. They got the family together and they pitched in to help in writing letters, going to DPA to fight them on the removal of the kids. Their circle of love could not be broken, they were going to fight this to the death. As history would tell it, DPA lost, Mimi and her children stayed together. As years went by and assistance laws changed, she eventually became eligible for Social Security benefits, SSI, DPA medical and stamp assistance and disability.
She also helped my mom raise me and my brothers and sisters after my mom and dad divorced. She was very active in our lives, she help with homework, went to our events if she could. She taught us about life through her stories. I always visualize what her life was like. I still fantasize about her days, it just seems more romantic and real back then versus now.
The Grand Mimi, what her great grandchildren called her, was very active in the community, by printing church programs, community events and obituary programs. She used an old Mimeograph machine and an old smith-corona typewriter. We still have them stored away. I can still smell the ink whenever I think of Friday nights in the kitchen at Mimi's house.
Mimi went home November 6, 1987, to be with God, and I am sure she is with her skating partner, the love of her life Fritzie. We miss her dearly, she is still very much part of our lives. I am now teaching my granddaughter about her great-great-grandmother. We have to keep the family history going. I want my grandchildren to have a sense of history, a sense of belonging. I want them to know that our ancestors are a big part of US history, and that they have every right to live, work, and have the pursuit of happiness.
But...more than anything, I want them to know that they matter, because this beautiful woman said so!
We Love and Miss You Dearly, Mimi!
