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Lydia Donaldson Matthews says...

My grandma Lucille was the oldest of the bunch and she often told me stories of how her parents had lost a set of twins and she had to bury them. She even showed me where. She also told the story of how the river had flooded and they all had to get in the rafters of the house and how the snakes came in and out. She was very afraid of snakes and worms! We would tickled the back of her neck and she would carry on, like a worm had fallen out of a tree. She had a talent for making us laugh. Once when she lived in Houston, I spent the night with her and Sandra Lynn (her adopted daughter) and she faked a call and left the house. All of a sudden we looked out past the window fan and she had a sheet over her.  She was a wonderful entertainer and she taught me many old songs of the South.

I have fond memories of Grandma Lucille and I will always remember the old songs she taught me and I sang them later to my own children. She always was clean and fresh (like Great Grandma Florence). She loved to read and would always say (if she wanted us to truly believe it) that she found it in the books! She often talked about Rome, Italy and the Piatta and would be astounded to know that my oldest son Matt, his wife Cindy and our only grandchild Tori were living in Naples, Italy and have actually visited the Vatican. When Grandma Cille was living in Shreveport and was married to Buddy Jones I loved to visit her. I can remember one Christmas when Buddy helped me with my doll. I was only 3 or 4 but I still remember. She had a big wonderful, warm home and we always had such fun. 

The things that I remember the most are the laughter and fun filled moments of never ending talking and loving each other. Another memory is her ukulele she played and sang with. Her table was always set and ready to serve anyone. She never sat and ate a meal, she only went around from person to person asking them if they wanted more! I will never forget her and her sisters, Vi (we called her WAWA) Gracie and Irene. They visited her often in Houston. Her brother Newton and his wife Hazel had a son we called "Little Newton". When he went to college at U of H he stayed with us a lot. 

I remember G'ma Lucille's home in Shreveport and heard the many tales her husband Buddy Jones would tell about his country western singing and playing the guitar and G'ma entertaining such old stars as Eddie Arnold, Gene Autry, Hank Williams Sr., and so on.