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A TRIBUTE TO NETTA’
TO: NETTA’
‘Morning sun…evening shade; tears and laughter,
promises made; and miles and miles of mem’ries held together by the
tri-fold strings of defined life… in a small world of “undefined” living.
We (Johnnie, ‘Netta and Bebe) just “were”.
Venus Street and Ma Ghee’s house; Myrtle Avenue, Aunt Golda’s
“two-story”; Families we knew…Mr. Ward., Mr. Evans both “ran” on the
railroad bringing magazines from the train for us to read, from all over
the Country..And ‘Netta Loved that ! Reared in a “fish-every Friday”
community with “eyes on each one of us.. and we weren’t even “spar-
rows.” (you’ll get that later..smiles)
Every Christmas We skated on Union Hardware skates using the con-
crete sidewalk at the old ball park.. All the Kids from all over the City
jammed onto that small area (now that I think about it) and skated on
that concrete sidewalk all day long Christmas Day and we never had
a fight ! Netta never really enjoyed skating as much as I did, but She
went with me anyway..because that was who she was.
What she dearly loved was the Library! NETTA’ was the favorite of the
Librarians at the “colored library”..Wilder Park Branch Public Library..
located near the tennis courts, the community center and the “Col-
ored YWCA.”
She knew the Library’s “Dewey Decimal System” like the back of her
hand. She volunteered in that Library until She left for Hampton Col-
lege (Virginia) to become “a Librarian.”
Olga Bradham and Etta Lee Brooks(Librarians at Wilder Park Branch)
loved her to death! They knew She was brilliant and obviously ahead
of her time, but trust me, they considered her a “real” Librarian even
back then!
She READ books and shelved them; She READ books and gave her
opinions about them; She READ books and almost “became one!”
Case Western University welcomed her enrollment and She earned
her Library Science Degree there.
Corny jokes and instant laughter were the hallmarks of my Sister. She
gave new meaning to the definition of “ jokes and funny” and you just
didn’t know how NOT TO LAUGH in front of her. You had to have been
there for yourself to understand what I/we really experienced with her
laughter.
A multi-gifted human being…Netta loved Children and Books and her
Momma (and ours) and Friends and HER CHILDREN and THEIR CHIL-
DREN and now their “Children’s- Children). She was a caring Friend,
God–Mother, Auntee’, Teacher, Mentor, Care-Giver, Disciple, Encour-
ager, and the ultimate example of “living-patience” with some left
over! It was almost fun to see her get “so-to-speak” angry..pseudo at
best!
To know that you have a SISTER-SISTA’ is beyond a Blessing! It is certain-
ly one of God’s greatest Blessings to those of us who are privileged to
have been given the Gift of “NEDDA-HOOD”…My Brother and I knew
that Gift!
And now it seems.. that as God would have it,
the “order” in which God allowed us to “meet”
each other, on this side of the Jordan…is the
“order” we have been destined to leave.
I would say ..”wait for me”..but I know They will.
Peace and Gratitude to Our Lord and
Saviour for Sisterhood.
Your Sista’…
Bebe