I remember my Great-grandmother Ada, but I never felt I knew her. She was my granddad’s mom who lived with him and my grandmother my entire life. I remember her always sitting in the living room in the chair, but I don’t remember her saying much or doing much. They all lived in West Palm Beach, Florida, and we lived in Atlanta, so we didn’t get to spend a lot of time there. I asked my mom if Ada had a strong personality, and my mom just shook her head no. (Ada’s picture can be seen in the old photo above, just below the “D” in “Dishing Up Memories.” She’s the one seated in the chair, with my mom, my grandmother, and my sister. You can’t see me but I’m there, too.)
My strongest memory of her was the letter I received when I was about 13 or 14 in which she encouraged me to grow in my faith as a Christian and challenged me to live by 2 Timothy 2:15. She sent a similar letter to my sister. That letter was one I cherished for years.
What I didn’t know until just recently when I sat down with my mom to ask about Ada was that she had at least once tried to commit suicide. I was shocked. Her husband Sam had died and Ada didn’t want to live without him. She went into the garage, closed the door, and started the car. My granddad saw her go into the garage and heard the car running. He knew what she was doing and got her out of the garage in time. Mom remembers at least one other attempt, and she even moved in with Ada for a while to keep an eye on her. Before long, my granddad moved her and my mom and my grandmother from Philadelphia to Florida to find her a new environment to live in. She never again lived on her own.
I wonder about Ada. I wonder what she was like when she was younger before she was heartbroken by Sam’s death. I wonder what she was like when she was raising her children. Was she full of life then? I wonder what her faith was like. I wonder if, as I child, I completely missed the opportunity to get to know her better.
I don’t think Ada cooked very much, but she was famous for her Lemon Butter. It can be used as a spread on crackers or a dip with vegetables or a sauce for fish. And, of course, it’s great on bread and pound cake. So, in honor of this woman who influenced me as a believer but one I barely knew, enjoy Ada’s Lemon Butter.
Great Grandmother Ada’s Lemon Butter
Mix together:
The rind and juice of 1 lemon
1 cup sugar
1 tbsp flour
1 egg
In a saucepan, pour one cup of water and bring it to a boil. Then sir in other ingredients. Stir constantly until the mixture thickens. Remove from the stove and beat it with a mixer until it’s ready to serve. Refrigerate in a air-tight container,
