Hats for Pattycake
Thanksgiving this year was a bittersweet holiday for me. My family celebrated the life of my maternal grandmother, Mrs Ada Dunning Moore. My grandmother and I were the best of friends and shared an extra special relationship that I will forever cherish. Although I knew her as Grandma, she was always known as Pattycake to Solomon. Whenever we would visit her in Alabama she would sing her own version of the song patty cake to Solomon which didn’t always consist of the right words! Because of that, he’s always called her Pattycake.
Like many southern, African-American women, my Grandma was especially fond of and well-known for her hats. The more extravagant, the better. Not only was she buried in a beautiful butter, yellow hat but to honor her memory, most of the women in my family wore one of my grandmother’s hat to her funeral. The variety and colors that day bought tears to my eyes. Pattycake loved to put her hats on display for all to see and it was only fitting that this day was no different.
My aunts and cousin deciding which hat they would wear. The hat shows before the funeral were quite funny!
My Aunt Loretta
A family friend, Aunt Mary
My Aunt Mattie. (It was a miracle to get a picture of her and one in a hat especially)
My Aunt Sherriel (left), Uncle Howard, and my Mom, Ella (right)
My Aunt Vanessa
We’re all gathering to take a family picture before the funeral
Me in one of Grandma’s most infamous hats
My grandma was 87 years old and lived a lovely life. I can’t put into words how much I miss talking and laughing with her but I rest knowing that she’s at peace and resting in heaven with Jesus and all of her loved ones who’d passed on before her. She was the last of her generation left so I can only imagine the loneliness she experienced as she saw all of her siblings and friends leave earth one by one. She left a legacy of love, wisdom and sassiness that will live on forever in the hearts of those of us who loved her.
I love you Pattycake,
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