Grandma

Number 1 is my Grandma, Lela Lockart. Talk about someone who made a difference in my life. Lela Lockart was born December 5, 1910. She married our grandpa when she was very young, 13 I believe. She and her mom and siblings lived in Arkansas and were pretty poor. Grandpa was twenty years older than her, a WW1 vet, and he pretty much took my Grandma at the request of her mom who could not take care of her. Some think that money was exchanged. We hope not, but nonetheless, she had her first three children by the age of 21. 15,18, and 21 I believe. Five children in all and they lived in Montana for a large part of their child years. My Mom was number three in the rotation.

They moved to Illinois where many Lockart relatives lived. Not only did my Grandma raise her five, she also parented two cousins. Her children, Roy, Dorothy, Lois, Jerry, and Mike, grew up with Vance and Jim Lockart as cousins but really as siblings.

That big farmhouse in Bluff City now belongs to my Uncle Jerry. The Farm.. that was how it was known. The farm saw many births, deaths, and priceless Christmas, Easter and family celebrations. All in all, Grandma was the center of it all. Dogs, cats, pigs, cows, a BIG garden every year. The milkhouse and the grainery.. the cistern and the root cellar. The big tree with the swing and the outhouse were all parts of our growing up years.

My Grandma was beautiful. She had soft, curly dark hair and the clearest, softest skin you can imagine. She always used Avon Vita? to soften her skin. She loved jewelry and the color red, hats, and nice clothes. She was so pretty. So loving, and so much a role model to me. She adored us. I knew and still know that there was an unconditional love from her that withstood any boundaries.

My Grandma was a hard worker. Not only did she raise all of the kids, she kept my Grandpa in check and although I don't remember him, I think he was pretty stubborn and opinionated. That side of the family had the red hair and the consitution to go along with it. She worked in restaurants for most of her life. My Grandpa died when I was four. My Uncle Mike, her son was ten. She was left to raise him by herself and I know it was tough on her.

My best memory of her as a child, one of many, was going to Robbins Restaurant with my Dad and my brother on Sunday mornings and eating breakfast. Grandma managed the kitchen and we would go back there and see her. It was so special to see her and sometimes she would sit down with us at the booth. Another great memory was when she would get up in the middle of the night and let me clean house. No matter what I wanted, she did it. She taught me to make pancakes and I would mix them up every week. I stayed at her house every week end until adolescence, and my Dad would come out and pick us up for church.

As I grew up, Grandma was still around and I became a teen ager too pre occupied to spend much time there. But as an adult, I had the privilege of spending time with her. Taking her to the eye doctor to get her cataracts out and spending the night at the Farm. Noticing that little trinkets I bought her when I was a child were still sitting on her wall. Watching her drive that big old boat car until she could no longer manuever it. She drove to California with me one year. We had a blast. One year we flew to California together and were bumped up to first class. We had a ball. Ate and drank all the way across the United States.

Grandma spent a lot of her later work years taking care of older people who could not care for themselves. Mrs. Allen, Mrs. Henry, Mrs. Goodson, Mrs. Marchman. She worked so hard. I don't know if she ever knew how much she was appreciated. She loved God. Sang in church. Preached at Luster Chapel when the travelling preacher could not make it. Shimmied up a ladder to fix a shingle and got stuck on the roof when the ladder blew away. Shimmied down the drain pipe to get down. She was about 88 then.

But she was a lady from all proportions. She expected good behavior from us and when I heard, "Tracy Dee" I knew I needed to straighten up. I could devote 365 pages to my Grandma, the memories are so good and her influence so strong.

And it wasn't just me. All of us were influenced by her. Have such good memories of the farm and her love. I think she has influenced me more than anyone in the world.
Her faith, her love, and her kindness. Her non judgemental attitude and her unconditional acceptance mean the world to me. She was funny too.

Grandma died last February 12, 2009. . She had a stroke and spent her last four years in a nursing home. Still had her hair done every week and wore pretty red clothes I am sure. She got sick on Monday and was put in the hospital. Her kidneys failed on Tuesday and she fell asleep. She died early Wednesday morning at 2:30am.

Being in California and her in Illinois was so hard because I did not want her to be alone when she died. We know God was there with her. Fortuneately she had plenty of family with her that last night. That night when I went to sleep I dreamed of Grandma what seemed all night. Her dancing in pretty red dress. Her but so little and sitting in a chair in a room above the First National Bank in Vandalia. Her dying and them bringing us the red dress. So weird because I felt like she was with me all night long. I woke up that morning and called the hospital in Vandalia to be told she had passed away in the night. That night was so special to me. Esoteric almost. I felt so close to her. But i was so sad to lose her.

She loved Jesus (Oral Roberts too) and hated the Lutheran Church because they sit and stand so much. Her funeral was that week. I did not go back for it because I did not want to deal with the family dynamics. I also think that I did not go to the funeral because I wanted to keep my special memory of her and that red dress.

Every year at Christmas I would send her a poinsetta on December 5 for her birthday and for the holiday season. This year I had to order a silk one and have it taken to her gravestone. She is buried there beside my Grandpa.

Lela Lockart is one of the greatest ladies I will ever know. She was strong and kind and I never saw her ever play the victim. Even when she was sick, she was still playing strong and making sure we were ok.

I could write forever about her. My Grandma, Lela Lockart, is the greatest lady I know and one of my top,, the top of the 365.

Debbie

Nestled away in a small town in Illinois is a woman of extraordinary strength and character. Debbie grew up in our small town and has been a leader there ever since. With a solid family, three beautiful children, and a faith that surpasses none.

But what makes Debbie one if my top 365's is the influence she had on me. I came to work for three years at Vandalia Middle School. We were just transitioning to a middle school and I had just left my job of 12 years at Brownstown. Coming to work with a team was a new adventure for me and somewhat difficult I can admit now. I had always run solo and suddenly needed to work with four other people. Debbie kept the light going for us during that time.  Debbie kept our eye on the prize.

Debbie is kind and funny. She at that time taught geography and science. My partner in crime in initiating an advisory program, we took kids to St. Louis to see a Christmas Carol, trekked to Ramsey State Park to have a two day camp out, and created Geographish, an interdisciplinary course in English and Geography. My best teaching days were at VMS. A great principal and great colleagues. Those were my last three years as a teacher and the most creative I could imagine.

But back to Debbie. Debbie has values and lives them every day. She is real. Cares about manatees and homeless and the people next door. She is always willing to lend a hand and offer a word of support. For her there is no holding back. She has no scarcity principle when it comes to giving to others of herself. I learned from Debbie the value of patience, kindness, and family. I learned from Debbie that being the best means being yourself and giving to others.

Debbie is a great teacher. She was a great colleague. But most importantly a great role model and person with value and principle. That is why Debbie is my first post of 365 people who make a difference in the world.