My grandmother, Staddie Alice Soard Bills, was a dear, sweet, woman. It is very sad to me that all my youngest three children will have of Granny are my memories. They will never know that she had long, graceful, fingers tipped with long, elegant, nails always the shade of a classy, pale, pink. They will never know how every time she called and we would answer the phone you always knew it was Granny because she would answer our hellos with a happy "Hi-de-doo!" They will never know that she got up every morning before daybreak to cook breakfast for my grandfather and my Uncle Tom, before they went off to work for the day on the farm. My grandmother would spend her entire days working… From sun up to sundown, she cleaned house, cooked, washed clothes, tended the garden, and kept company with her beautiful, gray, Persian cat, Oga.
When company would come, she would stop whatever it was she was doing and immediately try to feed us something. Usually it was something sweet…cookies, ice cream, sherbet, pop…she always had some sweet treat for us kids to enjoy. When my first niece, Elora, was born, she enjoyed going to Granny's and getting treats so much that she dubbed my grandmother "Granny Cookie," a name that stuck with all her great grandkids. They still refer to her as Granny Cookie to this day. (My grandmother called my Grandfather, "Johnny" or "Boo-boo," therefore the Great grandkids dubbed him "Papaw Boo-boo.") After spoiling us, if the weather was warm we would retreat outside to either her grand, front porch or under the "shade trees." There we would relax and talk or the kids would go to play in the dry creek bed, around to the backyard to see her large, goldfish pond, or to play on her enclosed, bi-level porch. If the weather was cool, we would sit in Granny's kitchen and talk away the hours. She was always a joy to be around.
Her yard was always an immaculate, rainbow of well tended flowers. I can not smell a marigold without thinking of my grandmother…or a moth ball, they could be found all over her yard. My Grandmother was convinced that they keep snakes away from her yard. She was terrified of snakes.
Christmas Eve was all about going to Granny's. We'd all pack into my Dad's van and go visit Granny and Papaw. She always fixed the most delicious punch with mandarin oranges in it. She would cover the kitchen table with nuts, fruits, and candies and we would again, hang out in the kitchen with Granny and talk and laugh and enjoy just being together. After I had my first son, it became a tradition to visit Granny Cookie to show off their Halloween costumes before going out to trick-or-treat. She took such pleasure in seeing them in all their finery and would again shower her great grandbabies with sweets and love.
My grandmother was diagnosed with cancer on June 6, 1997. We were all devastated. She was given 3 months to live. The next 3 months were spent with tears, doctor's visits, and last moments. We all knew we were losing her. After she realized her time was short, she left directions about how we were to make sure that my Grandfather would come to the funeral dressed appropriately. She also left instructions that we were to take care of my Grandfather. Even in her last days her concerns were for those she was leaving. A few short days before her passing, she told us all she was ready to go to Jesus. A day later she told my Uncle Rick that she had had an angel waiting on her to go to Heaven. The angel was waiting for her to decide when she was ready to go. Two days before she passed away I made my last visit to my grandmother. Though she was bedridden and dying, her last words were of concern for me. She told me to take care of myself and that she loved me. I cry every time I relive that last goodbye.
Two days later on September 30, 1997 she passed away in the early morning hours. She waited until my grandfather left the room to get a drink before deciding to go home to Heaven. She wouldn't have wanted to leave him alone by her bedside.
Granny was one of the sweetest, strongest, loveliest souls to ever live on the Earth. As her brother-in-law said at her funeral he "never met anyone who didn't like Staddie."
I haven't either.
Even now, Fourteen years after her passing it still does not feel right that we don't visit her on Halloween and Christmas Eve.
I love you Granny Cookie. It was my extreme pleasure to have known and loved you. I will share your great wisdom, and do everything I can to ensure you are never forgotten.
Parents: James Holmer "Homer" Grieful Soard
Susan Mary Coubert
Spouse: Earl Clifford Bills
Children:
Homer Earl Bills
James Thomas Bills
Ricky Wilson Bills
When company would come, she would stop whatever it was she was doing and immediately try to feed us something. Usually it was something sweet…cookies, ice cream, sherbet, pop…she always had some sweet treat for us kids to enjoy. When my first niece, Elora, was born, she enjoyed going to Granny's and getting treats so much that she dubbed my grandmother "Granny Cookie," a name that stuck with all her great grandkids. They still refer to her as Granny Cookie to this day. (My grandmother called my Grandfather, "Johnny" or "Boo-boo," therefore the Great grandkids dubbed him "Papaw Boo-boo.") After spoiling us, if the weather was warm we would retreat outside to either her grand, front porch or under the "shade trees." There we would relax and talk or the kids would go to play in the dry creek bed, around to the backyard to see her large, goldfish pond, or to play on her enclosed, bi-level porch. If the weather was cool, we would sit in Granny's kitchen and talk away the hours. She was always a joy to be around.
Her yard was always an immaculate, rainbow of well tended flowers. I can not smell a marigold without thinking of my grandmother…or a moth ball, they could be found all over her yard. My Grandmother was convinced that they keep snakes away from her yard. She was terrified of snakes.
Christmas Eve was all about going to Granny's. We'd all pack into my Dad's van and go visit Granny and Papaw. She always fixed the most delicious punch with mandarin oranges in it. She would cover the kitchen table with nuts, fruits, and candies and we would again, hang out in the kitchen with Granny and talk and laugh and enjoy just being together. After I had my first son, it became a tradition to visit Granny Cookie to show off their Halloween costumes before going out to trick-or-treat. She took such pleasure in seeing them in all their finery and would again shower her great grandbabies with sweets and love.
My grandmother was diagnosed with cancer on June 6, 1997. We were all devastated. She was given 3 months to live. The next 3 months were spent with tears, doctor's visits, and last moments. We all knew we were losing her. After she realized her time was short, she left directions about how we were to make sure that my Grandfather would come to the funeral dressed appropriately. She also left instructions that we were to take care of my Grandfather. Even in her last days her concerns were for those she was leaving. A few short days before her passing, she told us all she was ready to go to Jesus. A day later she told my Uncle Rick that she had had an angel waiting on her to go to Heaven. The angel was waiting for her to decide when she was ready to go. Two days before she passed away I made my last visit to my grandmother. Though she was bedridden and dying, her last words were of concern for me. She told me to take care of myself and that she loved me. I cry every time I relive that last goodbye.
Two days later on September 30, 1997 she passed away in the early morning hours. She waited until my grandfather left the room to get a drink before deciding to go home to Heaven. She wouldn't have wanted to leave him alone by her bedside.
Granny was one of the sweetest, strongest, loveliest souls to ever live on the Earth. As her brother-in-law said at her funeral he "never met anyone who didn't like Staddie."
I haven't either.
Even now, Fourteen years after her passing it still does not feel right that we don't visit her on Halloween and Christmas Eve.
I love you Granny Cookie. It was my extreme pleasure to have known and loved you. I will share your great wisdom, and do everything I can to ensure you are never forgotten.
Parents: James Holmer "Homer" Grieful Soard
Susan Mary Coubert
Spouse: Earl Clifford Bills
Children:
Homer Earl Bills
James Thomas Bills
Ricky Wilson Bills
My grandmother, Staddie Alice Soard Bills, was a dear, sweet, woman. It is very sad to me that all my youngest three children will have of Granny are my memories. They will never know that she had long, graceful, fingers tipped with long, elegant, nails always the shade of a classy, pale, pink. They will never know how every time she called and we would answer the phone you always knew it was Granny because she would answer our hellos with a happy "Hi-de-doo!" They will never know that she got up every morning before daybreak to cook breakfast for my grandfather and my Uncle Tom, before they went off to work for the day on the farm. My grandmother would spend her entire days working… From sun up to sundown, she cleaned house, cooked, washed clothes, tended the garden, and kept company with her beautiful, gray, Persian cat, Oga.
When company would come, she would stop whatever it was she was doing and immediately try to feed us something. Usually it was something sweet…cookies, ice cream, sherbet, pop…she always had some sweet treat for us kids to enjoy. When my first niece, Elora, was born, she enjoyed going to Granny's and getting treats so much that she dubbed my grandmother "Granny Cookie," a name that stuck with all her great grandkids. They still refer to her as Granny Cookie to this day. (My grandmother called my Grandfather, "Johnny" or "Boo-boo," therefore the Great grandkids dubbed him "Papaw Boo-boo.") After spoiling us, if the weather was warm we would retreat outside to either her grand, front porch or under the "shade trees." There we would relax and talk or the kids would go to play in the dry creek bed, around to the backyard to see her large, goldfish pond, or to play on her enclosed, bi-level porch. If the weather was cool, we would sit in Granny's kitchen and talk away the hours. She was always a joy to be around.
Her yard was always an immaculate, rainbow of well tended flowers. I can not smell a marigold without thinking of my grandmother…or a moth ball, they could be found all over her yard. My Grandmother was convinced that they keep snakes away from her yard. She was terrified of snakes.
Christmas Eve was all about going to Granny's. We'd all pack into my Dad's van and go visit Granny and Papaw. She always fixed the most delicious punch with mandarin oranges in it. She would cover the kitchen table with nuts, fruits, and candies and we would again, hang out in the kitchen with Granny and talk and laugh and enjoy just being together. After I had my first son, it became a tradition to visit Granny Cookie to show off their Halloween costumes before going out to trick-or-treat. She took such pleasure in seeing them in all their finery and would again shower her great grandbabies with sweets and love.
My grandmother was diagnosed with cancer on June 6, 1997. We were all devastated. She was given 3 months to live. The next 3 months were spent with tears, doctor's visits, and last moments. We all knew we were losing her. After she realized her time was short, she left directions about how we were to make sure that my Grandfather would come to the funeral dressed appropriately. She also left instructions that we were to take care of my Grandfather. Even in her last days her concerns were for those she was leaving. A few short days before her passing, she told us all she was ready to go to Jesus. A day later she told my Uncle Rick that she had had an angel waiting on her to go to Heaven. The angel was waiting for her to decide when she was ready to go. Two days before she passed away I made my last visit to my grandmother. Though she was bedridden and dying, her last words were of concern for me. She told me to take care of myself and that she loved me. I cry every time I relive that last goodbye.
Two days later on September 30, 1997 she passed away in the early morning hours. She waited until my grandfather left the room to get a drink before deciding to go home to Heaven. She wouldn't have wanted to leave him alone by her bedside.
Granny was one of the sweetest, strongest, loveliest souls to ever live on the Earth. As her brother-in-law said at her funeral he "never met anyone who didn't like Staddie."
I haven't either.
Even now, Fourteen years after her passing it still does not feel right that we don't visit her on Halloween and Christmas Eve.
I love you Granny Cookie. It was my extreme pleasure to have known and loved you. I will share your great wisdom, and do everything I can to ensure you are never forgotten.
Parents: James Holmer "Homer" Grieful Soard
Susan Mary Coubert
Spouse: Earl Clifford Bills
Children:
Homer Earl Bills
James Thomas Bills
Ricky Wilson Bills
When company would come, she would stop whatever it was she was doing and immediately try to feed us something. Usually it was something sweet…cookies, ice cream, sherbet, pop…she always had some sweet treat for us kids to enjoy. When my first niece, Elora, was born, she enjoyed going to Granny's and getting treats so much that she dubbed my grandmother "Granny Cookie," a name that stuck with all her great grandkids. They still refer to her as Granny Cookie to this day. (My grandmother called my Grandfather, "Johnny" or "Boo-boo," therefore the Great grandkids dubbed him "Papaw Boo-boo.") After spoiling us, if the weather was warm we would retreat outside to either her grand, front porch or under the "shade trees." There we would relax and talk or the kids would go to play in the dry creek bed, around to the backyard to see her large, goldfish pond, or to play on her enclosed, bi-level porch. If the weather was cool, we would sit in Granny's kitchen and talk away the hours. She was always a joy to be around.
Her yard was always an immaculate, rainbow of well tended flowers. I can not smell a marigold without thinking of my grandmother…or a moth ball, they could be found all over her yard. My Grandmother was convinced that they keep snakes away from her yard. She was terrified of snakes.
Christmas Eve was all about going to Granny's. We'd all pack into my Dad's van and go visit Granny and Papaw. She always fixed the most delicious punch with mandarin oranges in it. She would cover the kitchen table with nuts, fruits, and candies and we would again, hang out in the kitchen with Granny and talk and laugh and enjoy just being together. After I had my first son, it became a tradition to visit Granny Cookie to show off their Halloween costumes before going out to trick-or-treat. She took such pleasure in seeing them in all their finery and would again shower her great grandbabies with sweets and love.
My grandmother was diagnosed with cancer on June 6, 1997. We were all devastated. She was given 3 months to live. The next 3 months were spent with tears, doctor's visits, and last moments. We all knew we were losing her. After she realized her time was short, she left directions about how we were to make sure that my Grandfather would come to the funeral dressed appropriately. She also left instructions that we were to take care of my Grandfather. Even in her last days her concerns were for those she was leaving. A few short days before her passing, she told us all she was ready to go to Jesus. A day later she told my Uncle Rick that she had had an angel waiting on her to go to Heaven. The angel was waiting for her to decide when she was ready to go. Two days before she passed away I made my last visit to my grandmother. Though she was bedridden and dying, her last words were of concern for me. She told me to take care of myself and that she loved me. I cry every time I relive that last goodbye.
Two days later on September 30, 1997 she passed away in the early morning hours. She waited until my grandfather left the room to get a drink before deciding to go home to Heaven. She wouldn't have wanted to leave him alone by her bedside.
Granny was one of the sweetest, strongest, loveliest souls to ever live on the Earth. As her brother-in-law said at her funeral he "never met anyone who didn't like Staddie."
I haven't either.
Even now, Fourteen years after her passing it still does not feel right that we don't visit her on Halloween and Christmas Eve.
I love you Granny Cookie. It was my extreme pleasure to have known and loved you. I will share your great wisdom, and do everything I can to ensure you are never forgotten.
Parents: James Holmer "Homer" Grieful Soard
Susan Mary Coubert
Spouse: Earl Clifford Bills
Children:
Homer Earl Bills
James Thomas Bills
Ricky Wilson Bills
Inscription
BILLS
Earl Clifford
Sept 10,1922
Staddie Alice Soard
Feb 12, 1921
Sept 30, 1997
Married Oct 22, 1941
