Mommy loved to sew! Purchasing store bought clothes was a rarity. Taking a trip to Jamaica Avenue, NY to the fabric stores to pick out patterns from Simplicity or McCall’s and if a Vogue pattern – something special was being created. Unfortunately, the art of sewing did not quite trickle down. Her New York grandchildren Vaughn and Monica would take any items to Nana Edith to fix or tailor. She would wait at the back of the church to collect the package and it would be completed by the time mass finished and they stopped at her house to pick up the finished items.
Our house was the first stop when relatives visited from Jamaica WI. It was like Christmas when the suitcases opened. Always rum and Appleton for Daddy and breadfruit, bammy, cocoa nuts, and various seasonings for Mommy. Fond memories of family staying at the house and her excitement for the company and news from back home. There was the telephone check-in. Let the telephone ring once when you arrived home; she would call back and let the phone ring once. The telephone check-in without wasting a call – another back in the day tradition.
Nana Edith would make Sunday breakfast (especially fried dumplings) almost every week. No matter how late in the day and we needed to get home from Church, I was always ‘trumped’ by Nana Edith. I could sit in the car waiting, but she was cooking for her grandchildren. That was Mommy!
Nana Edith and Grandpa were devoted to their grandchildren. They attended as many events as possible that involved the grandchildren. It was once said, they were happy to live long enough to see their daughters graduate high school, having grandchildren was an extra special bonus.
The O’Meally siblings were close in heart, if not in location. If someone was in need – they banded together and shared what little they had. This has been passed along to her children and grandchildren.
Rest Mommy -- love and miss you.
