Emma Mae {grandmother}

I was blessed with two sets of wonderful grandparents growing up. I have the fondest memories of both my mom and dad's parents. We spent a lot of time with both and made many memories. Memories that I will hold close to my heart forever. We always lived within walking distance of my grandparents in Augusta. Needless to say, we spent a lot of time at their house. It is where we spent our time after school until our parents got off work. As soon as we walked in the door we knew we had to get our homework finished. There was no tv, playing, or snack until completed. I can see now where I get a lot of my rules! We also had many dinners at their house. I am not talking frozen pizza dinners or microwave dinners. No these were down home cooking with 4 or 5 dishes. Every Sunday after mass we also went over to my grandparents along with my mom and dad for breakfast. My grandpa made the best bacon (lots of pepper....it's how I still like it). We watched He-man and SHe-ra. Then there is my grandmother's famous blackberry cake. I am so thankful that Meredith and I took the time at the beginning of the summer and spent part of a day with my grandma. She tried to teach us how to make her cake. We still have yet to try making on our own, but I am going to try soon. Last week my grandmother started to decline and by Wednesday she woke up and told her daughters she was ready. Ready to go home. Home to her husband and her son (my dad) and all her relatives up above. She lived 91 years. That is a lot of years. She had 7 children (6 daughters and 1 son), 17 grandchildren, and 24 great  grandchildren. I think just our family alone took up half if not all of the funeral home. I love coming from a big family. The more the merrier, right?! I loved being able to spend time with family that lives out of state that we don't get to see often. Thursday several of us went out and laughed and shared a few drinks. It was nice to laugh and smile before the hard days ahead. I think for me what makes it harder losing my grandmother is knowing another link, or piece of my dad is gone. Like the priest said during his homily, Emma was the pilar of our family. There are so many memories in her house alone that when it is sold will be hard to see go. Oh and the cat that showed up on her porch during her final days. This cat would not leave my grandmother's steps. At one point they said it was clawing at the door trying to get in. Now this cat had been around the house off and on but never had the courage to go up on her porch. This cat didn't leave the whole time. Then during the visitation it layed in the funeral home's driveway. My grandmother's house is right next door to funeral home. Who could this cat be? Well if you ask some of my family they think it is my dad. Crazy huh!? But to us it makes since. At the end of the visitation we were leaving the funeral home walking to grandma's house and jokingly someone said "Louie" to the cat . That cat got up and started meowing and staring right at us all. Maybe we are nuts. Who knows. Or maybe it really was my dad just looking after us all.

7 childrens of Emma & Louis {Donna, Mary, Melva, Annie, Markie, Louie (my dad), & Christy}

My aunts asked a family friend, Lila, to give a eulogy at the end of my grandma's funeral mass. I have to say it was amazing. She did a wonderful job. I wanted to share with ya'll ! It's long but so worth reading to the end!!

Emma Mae's Eulogy

First, let me say I feel honored that the Habemehl family asked me to give Emma Mae’s eulogy.  Many of you may be wondering how this happened.  I have no other immediate family in Augusta, but the Habermehl family have been a surrogate family to my parents since the day they came to town, taking my father in as their adopted son.  Louis and Emma Mae rushed my mom to the hospital in Northern KY on the day I was born.  Emma Mae had to force my dad to leave the hospital in Maysville to attend my birth.  And that’s how she become my grandmother.
The family came to consensus (if you can believe that) believing the eulogy should  be humorous.  So I hope you enjoy some memories from her children and grandchildren.  Sorry it’s so long, they have a big family. Now as you know I’m a teacher, so there will be a pop quiz.  You must match the stories to the appropriate family member. Pay attention and please don’t yell out the answers or your will have to see the Principal of St. Augustine. (my aunt Christy lol)

Mel

At one point the children thought Emma Mae was having issues because she was claiming to see birds in the house.  Markie came home to stay with her.  She called Mel and said, “No wonder she is seeing birds in the house.  There are red birds all over the house.”

Emma Mae was always saying someone was stealing all of her scissors.  The night after she died, her children were looking for a key to her desk.  They found 2 pair of scissors and 2 flashlights in almost every drawer.  Now all the grandkids and possibly great grand kids will be getting scissors and flashlights.  Mel felt like they were invading her mother’s privacy by going through her drawers, but on the positive side they found Emma Mae’s high school diploma, elementary school certificate, cards to Louis, and her school photos in a trunk. They also found tons of baby pictures of all the kids, more of Mary, anyone surprised.

Annie

“Mom can we go to Ace’s?” was Annie fondest memory.  They were strict with us (Annie & Donna). We were only allowed to go for 1 hour.  Maybe Mom knew what happened at Ace’s after 1 hour.  But Mom had mellowed by the time Markie and Christy came along and they got to do everything. Now onto cooking. Annie said, “She never taught me, Donna, or Mel how to cook.” As we all sat around talking about her famous blackberry cakethe other night, several family members said the secret was an extra half stick of butter.  Annie interjected, “She told me NOT to put butter in it.”  I wonder what she told Mary to put in the cake. 

Markie

When mother had her first valve replacement we were on our honeymoon.  When we came home to see her at St. Luke’s she was mad about being there and didn’t like her nurse one bit.  She told Markie that nurse didn’t have on a stitch of make-up. She looked at Markie and said, “Do you wear make-up to work Markie?” (Markie is a nurse)  Not only does Markie always wear make-up like her mother, she inherited her cleanliness gene.  Markie’s children can thank Grannie for forcing her neatness and cleanliness on the next 2 generations.   Christy and Markie had to clean every Thursday before they did anything else.  Wonder what Mary was doing on Thursday?  Everyone thinks Mary is the favorite, but not Markie.  She believes she’s mom’s favorite, of course, besides Louie, her precious baby boy.  Although Emma Mae always told Louie, “Please don’t sell my underwear at an auction.”

Olivia

Dylan would go to Granny’s and watch Duke’s of Hazard after school.  But when it was time for her “Stories,” as she called them, he would change her clock so she wouldn’t know it was time to change the channel.  How old was this child, preschool to kindergarten.

Nathan, Emiley, and Tracey

She loved to go to the ball games and YELL.  Must be where Louie got that too.  When they weren’t at ballgames, after church on Saturday nights Louie’s kids had to watch Hee-Haw and the Statler Brothers while their mom and dad worked night shift.  I don’t think the kids liked these shows and were bored.  We all know what happens when kids are bored, which is probably why the next scene occurred.

Tracey found a seam ripper and didn’t know what it was.  Emma Mae was making a baby quilt, but had gone to to cook dinner.  Mom was at work and Dad was at a city council meeting.  Nathan grabbed the seam ripper because he thought he was a ninja turtle (I have omitted all of the expletives from Emiley’s story).  He “moved” his hand and the rest is ER history.  Tracey cried more than he did.  She promised to buy him whatever he wanted and she begged him not to tell dad.  Of course he shouldn’t have “moved” his hand and grandma shouldn’t have left a seam ripper out.  

Louie’s 3 kids spent a lot of time with Grandma because she babysat them after school.  Their babysitter was strict, they were only allowed to have an apple and a coke for a snack, which is probably the source of the violence.  And horror of horrors, they were not allowed to play until the homework was done.

Tracey said Grandma always drank coffee which is why she drinks coffee now.  Nathan tried; he dipped his cookies in his coffee, but never drank the coffee.  Definitely Louie’s child, always eating sweets.

The girls think Nathan was the favorite.  He was the golden child for Louie and Granny.

Nathan says Grannie made the best macaroni, mashed potatoes and green bean. Better than the other aunts.

Rusty

During Labor Day festivities Rusty was sitting in Grandpa’s recliner and Nathan got caught cussing by Grandma.  She placedhim on the couch quickly.  Nathan peeked under his arm while in a modified headlock and mouths the cuss word to Rusty while he is being whipped.  She never knew he needed a few more lashes.  However, Nathan isn’t the only grandchild that got “Heat for the Seat.”  Out of 17 grandchildren, I’ve been told only 3 got the paddle, Nathan, Rusty, and Amy.  

Every time Rusty went to Grandma’s house he went straight to raid the refrigerator and she always asked, “Doesn’t she feed you?”  Rusty would reply, “No.”  One time Don over heard this often repeated exchange and piped in, “I got the one sister that can’t cook or clean.”

Christy

Emma Mae’s goal in her later years was to make sure it was clean under Christy’s sink. Emma Mae would go to Christy’s to clean under her sink probably because she felt sorry for Christy, probably, since she had 3 kids at one time, overachiever. Emma Mae came to babysit Christy when she was pregnant.  It was January, but Christy was hot and opened the windows.  Emma Mae was freezing, had on sweats and was wrapped in a blanket.  Even though she could have had a fit, all she did was smile.  This must be why Christy always tried to “act” good around mom.  

Christy also let her do stuff that Mary wouldn’t allow Emma Mae to do, and they didn’t tell Mary, it was their secret.  So even though Mary thought she was the favorite, Christy knew she was they would go out to eat when she was supposed to come home.  Christy also remembers her mother wearingdusters.  Christy said she finally decided she would try it because she was mature and old enough to wear dusters, but she wants everyone to know, she doesn’t keep tissues in them like her mom did.  Emma Mae always said, “Be a good boy,” to the triplets.

And here are some thoughts from Grannie’s triplets

She always took up for Will and he is still trying to be a good boy.

She gave Brady milk and cookies.

Will liked her green beans and told his mom she couldn’t cook.

Nick liked her cheap strawberry ice cream cookies because their mom wouldn’t buy them.

If you don’t chew your food you will clog my toilet.

Donna

When Donna was heading to hospital to have Amy, the first grandchild, Emma Mae needed to go to the bathroom before they left. When she came out she told Donna something didn’t feel right.  Donna knew something definitely didn’t feel right, she was about to give birth.  But Emma Mae kept insisting something didn’t feel right with her.  Come to find out she was apparently flustered and rushing.  She had pulled up her pants, but not her panty hose.

Amy

Amy fondest memory of Emma Mae is when she went to college.  Grandma always wrote to her and Amy still has the letters.

In Amy’s younger year, when Markie and Christy fought, Amy would tattle on them and Emma Mae would get the yard stick out.  Sometimes Amy would make it up to watch the show.

Last summer all of the daughters and Amy took Emma Mae to Myrtle Beach.  One evening after dinner while heading back to the room Emma Mae wanted ice cream (now we know where Louie got his cravings).  She continued to ask each time they passed a restaurant until they finally pulled into a McDonalds. And she had to have her ice cream first.

Jeremy

The security question for his first email about was, “Who is your favorite roommate?” Of course, it was Grandma.  He loved how she yelled at the refs during his high school basketball games.  This continued when he became a coach.

Mary

My fondest memory is eating ice cream every night even in January wrapped in blankets.  Jerry would make fun of us because we said our bellies were cold.  I asked Mary if she ever got in trouble for something one of the other kids did. She told me she ALWAYS did everything right which is why she was the favorite.  She thinks she recalls getting in trouble one time but she wouldn’t dare tell me that one.  But poor Jerry living with them both, whenever Mary was mad at Jerry, Emma Mae was mad at Jerry too.  Whenever Mary was happy and liked Jerry, Emma Mae did too. When Mary and Jerry’s quarter would practice in the basement, Emma Mae would sit at the top of the steps and listen.  That is how Go Rest High on that Mountain became her favorite song.  Three of the original quartet members sang the song today and we know the 4th was listening with her in heaven.

And oh by the way Nathan, Mary said she was the one that always made the macaroni and cheese.

In life and death our family loves our Old Kentucky Home. It is only fitting that it is sung at their funerals. It was for my grandfather, my dad, and on Saturday my grandmother...