My older siblings were my rock. I was proud to be their little sister and tried to emulate them. I was the youngest of five, three boys and two girls. Our ages spanned across 10 years. We lived with our parents in a loving family. We lived in abject poverty but felt we were the richest and talented family in our community. We called our father, Dad, and our mother, MaDear.
We had an Anglo-Saxon surname and Dad named his sons Anglo-Saxon names to complement our surname. Neither he nor the boys had middle names. Dad said he wanted the ability of his children to be seen before our color. He and MaDear made sure we were respectful and confident in our skin. They encouraged us to do our best in school. We didn’t have electricity until I was nearly 15 years old. We studied by the light of coal oil lamps. We graduated from high school and went to college or trade school. In spite of obstacles, we achieved!
Eventually, my siblings passed away. We never thought our beautiful, talented, and vivacious sister Vie would be the first to pass. She let me follow her almost everywhere she went. She was my role model. We lived in a shack but she decorated it beautifully. She took Home Economics in high school and brought home scrap material to make curtains, tablecloths, and clothes. She made a beautiful outfit for Easter. It was light blue with lace and even had a matching hat. One of my favorite pictures is her posing in front of our shack. She was slim, 5’8, had high cheekbones and looked like a model. After graduating high school, she went to business school. After graduating, she moved way because she obtained employment as an executive secretary at Lane College, a HBCU in Jackson, TN. One day, she met a student who later became her husband. He served in the Navy and took advantage of his G.I. benefits. Two beautiful children, a daughter and son, were born to this union. Sadly, she passed six years later at age 26. I was 20 years old and attending college and the shock of her death caused me to ponder if I should continue. I knew she would want me to persevere.
Our five became four. We mourned our beloved sister but knew she wanted the best for us.
Forty four years later, our second oldest sibling passed. Standing 6’3, we called him Lil Bro. He was the tallest sibling. He was a talented artist, musician, singer, and history buff. He was vote d most talented in his graduating class. Lil Bro was even tempered and was my trusted babysitter. In high school, he worked part-time at the local naval base. I interrupted his sleep many times by asking him questions. He never let me know I was bugging him. He always answered me. He served in the U.S. Army as a military police and paratrooper with the 101st Airborne Division. After discharge, he attended college at the University of the District of Columbia. He received numerous scholastic awards and presented art exhibitions in various galleries. After a brief marriage, he and his wife became parents of a son. He was a well-known professional artist. He left his beautiful art paintings to his son, siblings, nieces, and nephews.
Our brother Rom was the third sibling to pass. We were shocked when he passed two weeks after Lil Bro. Rom loved to tinker with automobiles. He also worked part-time at the local naval base and bought his first car. After graduating high school, he served in the U.S. Air Force and became an aircraft mechanic. He enjoyed using his brain to figure out how to repair AC 130s and other military aircraft. He gave me many classes on auto mechanics and glared at me with his light brown eyes if I didn’t remember. He told me about an incident that happened to him that hurt him to his core. After his discharge, he applied to be a mechanic at one of the Air Force Bases. Applicants are made for positions first, and then the interview occurs. He was the only Black person chosen for the interview. All the candidates were flown to the Air Force Base for the in person interview. Rom said the interviewer took one look at him and never called him to be interviewed. He was recommended for the interview based on his ability. He was denied the interview based on the color of his skin. He was married briefly and he and his wife were the parents of a son. Prior to retiring, he worked many years at U.S. Postal Service. I was surprised that he wrote poems in his spare time. This was his outlet.
Our five became four, our eldest brother Tippy and me.
Recently, Tippy passed away. Three years after Lil Bro and Rom.
Tippy was a curious and inquisitive child. He was brilliant. He and Lil Bro were two years apart in age and went on many adventures. MaDear gave him the nickname, “Tippy,” because he loved to tip off and explore. He was a gifted artist, musician, and singer. When he was a teenager, George lived with a relative because his life was threatened by racist segregationists twice before he was 16 years old. This difficult decision was made so he could live and continue to excel. We missed our brother and were excited when he visited. I was in awe of his brilliance. Tippy was his high school class salutatorian, class president, and president of the student council. He was editor-in-chief of the school newspaper. Tippy was the shortest of the brothers but had the most powerful voice. After graduating high school, he auditioned for admission to DePaul University in Chicago, Illinois. He earned a music and academic scholarship. While at DePaul, he lived with relatives and worked part-time as a reporter for the Chicago Defender. He served in Military Intelligence in the U.S. Air Force. After discharge, he served in various high level government positions. He met his wife in Chicago and they became parents of two girls and a boy.
Our five, became one. I will be flying to Los Angeles soon to say goodbye to my beloved brother. He was the perfect eldest brother for his siblings. He was always only a letter or phone call away.
Our parents and four siblings have gained their wings. Our life began in poverty but we didn’t have a poverty mentality. Our parents taught us to love each other, keep God first and the rest will follow. Now, they’re resting in perfect peace!
Francie Mae. September 27, 2024