Estelle Olivia "Birdie or Stella" Smith de Valcourt
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Bill de Valcourt

I remember my Grandmother as the personification of what a grandmother should be. She was quiet, loving, always busy at something, and doting on us grandkids.
Since her own family was so large, it was not unusual for some of her grandchildren to be as old as some of her own youngest ones. There was often a mix of both generations at the house at the same time.
There were many chickens, ducks, and geese (the geese always seemed to delight in chasing the kids), all over the place. However, there seemed to be a group of chickens that always hung around the house. This was because she fed them outside of the kitchen.
When she needed a chicken or chickens for the table, she simply went out to the yard, the chickens would gather around, she would take her pick, and it or they were dinner in the blink of an eye.
I remember helping her gather eggs from nests along shelves in a little building not far from the kitchen. It seems that we went to an area in the yard that had fig and pear trees in it, through a gate to the hen house. A lot of the hens would be sitting on nests. She showed me how to reach under them to feel around for the eggs. It was amazing to me that I could reach under them and they would only look around as if to say, "what are you doing"
In those days, sometimes we replaced the eggs with glass eggs. I suppose it was to fool the hens into laying eggs in the same nest and have them think they were setting. She also taught me to be careful when going into the hen house. Snakes are very fond of bird eggs of all kinds. It was not unusual to find some of the larger snakes stealing eggs. As a result, you always wanted to be sure where you were reaching. Most often the snakes were king snakes, rat snakes, a dark one that may have been either a black or indigo snake, and maybe bull snakes, etc., that were non-poisonous, but big enough to scare the hell out of a kid. This was especially so if you had gone out there alone.
I mentioned the fig and pear trees earlier. They were her pride and joy. It seemed to me that when the trees were bearing, there were pails and pails of fruit all over the kitchen and pantry.
That woman could sure make some mean preserves. There always seemed to be a jar of one or the other on the table. I tried to do what I could to get rid of them but, there always seemed to be some left over. I suppose someone was not doing his part.
I do not know the story, but somewhere along the line, she had lost an eye. I don't remember anyone ever talking about it.
I remember on one visit that a load of sandy dirt had been piled out by the road at the gate. I also remember playing in the pile with some of the others, and my Mother having a fit because I was getting dirty. It might have been that I had clothes on that were not to be dirtied.
I remember being there at Christmas time. The whole family was devout Catholics and the tradition was for the family to go to midnight mass on Christmas Eve. When we got home there was a traditional feast for all. There was no drunkenness, but all of the adults usually had wine with the meal. The kids were only allowed one sip from someone's glass. I do remember getting my one sip from several "some ones' until they caught on to what I was doing.
All of the family was big coffee drinkers. As children, we did not have coffee as such, but we had "coffee milk". There was just enough coffee in it to turn it from pure white.
One of my favorite dishes was to take cornbread, break it up in a bowl, pour cane syrup over it and put in lots of coffee milk. We called it "cush cush" I have no idea if that is spelled right. I still like the idea with some variation. I like to take sweet pastries such as muffins and drier cake; put it in a bowl, pour milk over it, and eat it with a big spoon.

Source: Autobiography of a Famous Unknown
What I Got Into, Got Out of, Got Away With, and Got Caught At
by Bill de Valcourt

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Sunset La
December 16th 1954
Dear Steve Louise and little ones here is old Grandma to write or to try to write you a few words but I am afraid it will not be too much for I can hardly make it, ma can barely see the lines on my paper. We both received Holy Communion ?this morning? I didn't get to write you Sunday before last and let you know about Uncle Alex's death it was said that he died a good death. I am sending you a little present not much but a little, that not much but that is a little to each, one of 13 it comes to a little sum. Tomorrow will be our anniversary and we married in 1895 so figure it out for yourself and on the 23rd will be Estelle's birthday. Wednesday a.m. the temperature was 25 and today it was 26? now that is about as far as I can go. Will have to say good bye for this time. Kiss each one for us. Papa is pretty good but I am no good. A very Merry Christmas to all. Papa and Mama? Don't ridicule my letter it was the best I could do.

Note: Keep in mind that Birdie only had one good eye at this stage of her life? G.D.d.

The above letter was written by Birdie de Valcourt to her son Stephen and his wife Louise.

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Letter from Philomena Bourg to Louise de Valcourt
post marked BEAUMONT TX 777 23 JUN 1995

Stella Olive (Birdie) Smith de Valcourt
"Mom"
Mom, was an angel here on earth. She was enduring, never gave up where family was concerned. She was calm, patient and understanding in most circumstances. She was caring without concern for self, whether it be human or beast. She was a peace maker, never gossiped. She had "third reader education," knew phonics. Uncle Joe Barry was a teacher at her school. She was intuitive, had great wisdom. She taught that revenge was one of the most deadly sins. It never ends. She was a nurse, having nursed her in-laws and children thru some serious illnesses, such as pneumonia, typhoid fever and 1918 flu. She was strong in faith, and stood in line on Sunday morning for an hour if necessary to go to confession.
She was submissive, my father was head. We respected her and loved her. Her love was in strength, not emotional.
If there is a Heaven, and we hope there is, then she earned a very high place, I believe she is "a Saint"
Submitted by, Philomena (no. thirteen) 5/30/95