I grew up in what you might call a blended family. The hard times of the Great Depression made for some special arrangements for families trying to get by. My parents Olan and Alice Clark, along with Jimmy and Anne, my brother and sister was asked to move in with my grandparents, George (Papa) and Sarah Alice (Mama) Wall.
Papa was a mule trader, and his business was by barter which didn’t bring in any cash to buy staple goods to sustain a family. Daddy was a barber which brought in some cash money. Papa figured that with the little cash Daddy made, maybe both households could get by during those hard times. So, my parents moved in with Papa and Mama Wall. Papa Wall became ill and did not last long into the arrangement. He died in 1932 leaving his widow all alone except for Mother and Daddy.
Mother and Daddy stayed with Mama until her Death in 1957 and continued to live in the house. I came along in 1940 as an oops for my parents. Being born later in life for my mother, I had some health problems and was a little on the spoiled side. Mama Wall was my second mother that always took my side in things. She spent a lot of time with me. I remember sitting in her room and listening to the radio. We listen to comedy sketches such as “Red Skelton’s” show and mystery shows like “Pam and Jerry North” and “The Squeaking Door”.
Mama Wall was a very resourceful person and was always planting things. She always had a vegetable garden going, usually more than one. She was also known for the pretty flowers that she grew. I remember her funeral at the First Baptist Church was decorated from wall to wall with flowers that people gave in memory of her growing such beautiful flowers.
Mama Wall raised 14 children. Papa had five children when he married Mama. She had nine more that lived. All together there was 7 boys and 7 girls. My mother was the next to the youngest. Through the years most all would come home for the holidays. With Papa Wall, Uncle Dave and Aunt Louise’s birthday was around the Fourth of July and it was usually around that holiday that they all would get together. Of course, Thanksgiving and Christmas brought home most of them. One time in the early 1950’s (51 or 52) one of my uncles bought us a television. We were one of the first to have one at that time. Neighbors would come over to watch programs with us.
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