Jay’s 92-year-old grandmother, Cathleen Clearman Parker, passed away Saturday. We are going to miss her, but we can’t help but rejoice that she is finally whole and happy in Heaven with her Lord and Savior! Four and a half years ago, Mimi moved from her home in Prentiss, MS, to a nursing home near Little Rock to be closer to her daughter after she was unable to live by herself. She was devastated to have to leave her home, but for us it was neat having her close by so that we could see her more often. In the last few years, Mimi’s memory steadily declined, so in some ways we have already had to say goodbye. And she has been ready to move on for a while now, often wondering why God would keep her here when she felt it was useless to remain. Through it all, though, Mimi left it in God’s hands, frequently quoting the scripture from Philippians 4:12-13- “I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.”
The kids and I have been visiting Mimi regularly at the nursing home since she moved here. We brought her pictures, sang her songs, and walked her to the dining room when it was time for us to leave. She usually couldn’t remember our names, and toward the end I don’t think she even recognized us, but she was always glad to see us. The kids often got tired of her asking the same questions over and over, but it was a good experience for them, and they learned how to be gracious instead of annoyed. And, of course, the kids were always delighted to perform whatever they could for Mimi and any of the other elderly folks we happened to see there. I am grateful for the opportunities we had to put a smile on someone’s face in a place where there often isn’t much to smile about. We will miss seeing Mimi’s face light up when we came in the room. I will miss her telling James about her own son James, who got to Heaven long before she did. Mimi often told Eliza that where she was from, she would have been called “Lizer”. And Brian was always “Precious Baby” to Mimi. She loved watching them play around her little room, and she didn’t even want me to get on to them when they were a little too rowdy (which happened a lot). Mimi had a way with words, and a wittiness that stayed with her long after her memory left. She was fond of asking questions like, “Is life good?” and “Things are never dull around your house, are they?” When the kids sang songs, she often sang along, then clapped and smiled when it was over. She was a neat lady, and we are grateful for the time we got to spend with her.
Mimi is finally reunited with her husband, all her siblings, and her two sons (Jay’s dad, James, and Thomas). Mimi has one daughter (Fran), 6 grandchildren, and 9 great-grandchildren. Family was such an important part of Mimi’s life, and we are blessed to have been a part of that family. She was a woman of intelligence and godliness, who used her 92 years wisely. Even when she thought it was useless to remain, God saw fit to use her in the lives of me and my kids, reminding us that he has a purpose for everything.
