Goldie Mae Crews

(Sep 21, 1905 - Dec 15, 1979)

Written by B.J. Herrin

September 21, 1905 a pretty little girl with dark hair was born. At an early age Goldie Mae became seriously ill running high fevers. She was slow to develop, being more than three years old when she learned to walk. Grandma always said she was afflicted. It would be called mentally challenged now.

She attended school for a short period with the older children and loved it and loved her books, carried them around with her, but she could not learn how to read or write. She would hold the books as if she was reading telling the stories as the older children had read it to her.

Goldie Mae was always updating on the latest news. Who was getting married? Who was having a baby etc? She could remember the names and birthdays of all her brothers, sisters, nieces and nephews (there were about 43 or 44 nieces and nephews). She loved and was loved by all of them.

She slept on a single bed in the room with Grandma. Every night when she got ready for bed she would get a jar of water to put on the table by her bed to drink during the night. She could do simple jobs but needed direction. She would set her plate at the table, and always had a saucer of sliced onions and catsup and water to drink. In her later years she would wash her and Grandma's dishes. She liked grits especially if they were leftover and reheated.

Goldie Mae liked dolls and had quite a collection. She kept them put away so the nieces could not mess them up. Every once in a while she would take them out and let the nieces look at them, but not play with them.

Grandma was always very protective of Goldie Mae never making any plans for herself without putting Goldie first. She took care of her as long as she was able. When they became unable to live independently, they moved in with Cora Belle and Richard. Later when Cora Belle was too old to provide her care she lived with Susie, and later in the Nursing Home in St. Marys for a short time where she died December 25, 1979. While living in St. Marys with Susie, Grace and Arthur helped with her care. She was special to them. Goldie was buried at Sardis Cemetery between Grandpa and Grandma.

Note from Judy:

I was a great niece of Aunt Goldie Mae. Goldie Mae kept her dolls in a trunk and when she saw me she stood guard over the trunk because she knew how much I wanted to get a peek inside. I imagined the most beautiful dolls in the world. I never saw her dolls and now I know they were homemade dolls and I imagine that they were the most beautiful dolls in the world - to Goldie Mae.