Lela Morgan Brown is my grandmother. I’m so proud to be able to say that. On this earth, she was the kindest, most generous person you would be lucky enough to know. She grew up in a very poor family- poorer than anything we know today. She started early with her creative abilities. When she wanted to create she took pieces of unused fabric, pulled the individual threads apart and used them to embroider. She took advertisements that were white on the back and cut designs to make a doily to go under the family clock. I picture what we call paper snowflakes. She took care of siblings and sick grandparents, picked cotton, and chopped sugar cane and all other farm produce. At fourteen years old she was sent from Estill Springs, Tennessee and her family to Huntsville, Alabama to work at Lowe Mill. She worked in the mill 66 hours a week and made $7.00 a week. She paid $4.00 for room and board and sent $2.00 home for groceries and medicine. She got to keep $1.00 for herself. I doubt she ever complained. At 16 years old she met Jack Morgan and married a few months later. They moved to Cincinnati where Poppy worked in the fruit and vegetable business. She became a great country cook. Her generous nature made sure everyone who came to her house during the depression and every year after left well fed. Everyone was warmly welcomed in her home. She taught herself to sew and became a recognized expert seamstress. She made all of our clothes, stuffed animals, pillows and anything else made from fabric. I never went to a special dance or event that she didn’t make the most beautiful dress for me to wear. I even drew a picture of a style of skirt that was popular. Before I knew it she had made it for me from the picture – no pattern. Eventually she became a suede and leather seamstress. She did repairs at a suede and leather cleaners. I heard from strangers, once they knew she was my grandmother, that they sent their jacket back after she had repaired it. They were sure she sent a new jacket that belonged to someone else. Her work was so good they couldn’t believe it was their old jacket. When I was in my teens, we lost our grandfather, Poppy. Years later she was blessed to find Nolan Brown. They married and had almost 30 years together. Over the past year and a half I have been lucky enough to spend about 4 days a week with Mom as her companion and, when needed, caregiver. It has been a pure joy. I have loved her every day of my life with all my heart. I know words can’t capture the full description of this rare person. If everyone had a grandmother like Mom, this world would be a better place. She is the exact kind of person God had in mind when he created people.