Elissa Williams Caldwell
Even as a young child, just hearing her name brought me comfort. Gamy picked me up from school until I was 16 years old. I spent everyday after school, every summer, all school holidays, and each Sunday at church with her, even when I was in my 20’s. During this time I learned from her. She brought normalcy to my life and modeled to me how to be a good wife, mother, future mother-in-law, friend and future grandmother.
When I would say thank you, she would say I could repay her by someday doing the same for my own grandchildren. She knew I was vulnerable because of my past and never failed to remind me that she loved me like a daughter. Gamy would say on every card and at each goodbye, “I love you Punkie, always have, always will”, and I truly knew it. She had a gift for making everyone she loved feel like the most important person in the world. Gamy touched so many in her lifetime, but for me, she took a young girl who could have been so lost, and gave her a family. She taught me to Never go to bed angry, and to Wake up each day happy that God had given another day, That Everything looks better in the morning, That Things happen in relationships and forgiving is important, and When you forgive, you must forget. She taught me to decorate Christmas trees and how to wrap beautiful presents. She paid me $.25 under the table to eat tomatoes, she taught me that grapefruit can be baked in the oven, that it’s ok to eat ketchup on scrambled eggs, to salt my cantaloupe and that Iceberg is the only lettuce, never eat the weeds. She always encouraged me and said If you’re not happy with something, just change it. She took me to get every Christmas, Easter, Homecoming and Prom dress I had. She taught me about class and how to have it, That appearance was important and to Never wear old Tshirts to bed. There is an appropriate dress for bedtime as well and To Always smell good….. Ladies wore perfume. She was creative and while with her, I watched her make macromae, paint pottery, make floral arrangements, play the organ, bake wedding cakes, rearrange furniture, wallpaper walls, and plan the finest parties ever. I am who I am today because of who she was to me and I will forever be grateful that God blessed me with Gamy. She was the best part of me and I will strive be like her for the rest of my own life, as she will never be forgotten. We know she is now with her maker, because not only did she believe but she lived her life according to Jesus. She not only talked the talk, but she walked the walk. Even though we mourn her absence today, we know she is now home. Gamy, what a truly beautiful mark you made on my life, thank you! This is not goodbye, but see you later. I love you, Gamy. Always have, always will. 💕🦋 Punkie
