I had the honor of writing and giving the eulogy at Granny's funeral last year. It appears below.
Eulogy
Shelby Fay Hollingsworth Dawkins passed away September 26th in her home at the age of 76. She was born February 9th, 1936 to Stillman and Eva Hollingsworth in Reform, Alabama. She was married to the late Clyde Dawkins for 52 years and both were members of the Higginson First Baptist Church. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, a son named Jerry Dawkins, and a brother named Jerry Hollingsworth. She is survived by a son, Terry Dawkins, his wife Jennifer Dawkins, their children Jordyn and Evans Dawkins of Searcy; a daughter, Eva Dawkins Boyles, her husband Roger Boyles, their children Courtney and Nathan Boyles of Higginson; another son, David Dawkins and a grand dog she adored named Max of Searcy. She also leaves behind three brothers and three sisters, Douglas Hollingsworth of Gordo, Alabama, Don Hollingsworth of Auburn, Alabama, Bill Hollingsworth of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, Pat Hollingsworth of Higginson, Betty Owens of Foley, Alabama, and Jeanette Nowell of Kosciusko, Mississippi.
My Pawpaw and Granny instilled many great qualities in their children and grandchildren. Among those were to be hardworking which we learned by getting paid a nickel for every stick or tree limb we collected from the yard before Pawpaw would mow. We learned to be disciplined which Nathan may have had a harder time learning. He had more meetings with the fly swatter, bar of soap to the mouth, and even a chase around the kitchen with a house shoe. We learned to be compassionate & selfless. When I became very ill with my heart condition and couldn't afford my medications and treatments, Granny sacrificed what little she had to make sure I had the proper care. We learned to be grateful for everything we're blessed with. As she often reminded Evans, she didn't have a tv to watch growing up, let alone an iPod or video games and most the time didn't have running water in the house (which he was shocked to hear). We learned not to value possessions, but to cherish family. Our family is the definition of a loving and caring family. We always loved to gather at Granny & Pawpaw's house for holidays, dinners, or even just snapping peas until our fingers turned purple. Growing up, her children never wanted for anything. My mom once said that all their clothes were homemade and never store bought. She said that their family was considered "dirt poor", but she and her three brothers never knew it. My Papaw and Granny created very rich lives for everyone they loved. They were both wonderful examples of love and devotion.
Not too long ago, Granny asked me if I remembered something she and I had done or places we visited when I was a kid. I couldn't remember what she was talking about. She said, "I did all those things with you when you were little to create memories for after I'm gone and you've already forgotten them all!" As frustrating as that was for her, I do remember the most important things which I learned from her example. I remember all the lessons she taught me, even up to the very end when she fought her toughest battle with dignity and grace. As a child, I'd tell her that I was going to move to California and be a writer. We made plans to move there together so she could be my typist. She was always great with shorthand and typing. She told me several times that if she couldn't have been a housewife, she'd loved to have been a secretary. She encouraged all of us to live our happiest lives wherever that meant to lead us: Nathan as an artist, Jordyn as a recreational therapist, and Evans as a "cooker" one week or maybe a "magician" the next.
While she may not be here to bake us her legendary peanut butter icing cake for our birthdays, cheer us on at our ballgames, recount the love story which was hers and Pawpaw's, or even attend our own weddings or graduations-- I know that she is in Heaven with the loved ones that have gone on before and the angels who are rejoicing at her homecoming. We'll miss you greatly Granny and look forward to the time when we're all reunited.
