FLORA DESSIE KNIGHT April 12, 1912-July 25, 2004:#13

The citizens of Herman Junction never knew a finer human being than Dessie Knight. I will never forget how blessed she felt when we moved into the 'big house' after moving from place to place in the first few years of my life. Now, we had our own house and we did not have to move again. Dad was working on the railroad and share crop farming too and so we made it fine. One of the reasons that we made it so well was the contribution of my blessed Momma to the family. I asked her one time shortly before she died, "How many biscuits did you make each morning?" She told me that she made FIFTY-FIVE big 'cat head' biscuits every morning and an equal amount of cornbread every night during school and at noon and night when we were in the fields. That is just the bread and there was all the rest of the meal to prepare as well. In between preparing those meals there was house cleaning, washing, ironing, canning, gardening, taking care of Grandma, and all the other things that came with having a family of 10-11 people. Of couse she was pregnant most of the time too. She always insisted that we get our lessons not only for school, but for Bible class at church as well. If there ever was an example of committment and dedication to the Lord, Dessie Knight was it.

During the last few years of her life Barbara and I were worked a lot in Romania and there was one time in particular that I was very uncomfortable leaving because she was having so much trouble. I told Laura how I felt and she told Momma. I went to see here just before I was to leave for Romania and as I was leaving her she said, "I hear that you are worried about going to Romania because of my health. You go on because you have a contract with God to preach the gospel and I will be alright." And she was. She sent me $50 once in memory of Dad to help with our work. I know she didn't have it but she sent it anyway.

But, with all of her busyness and raising a family she had a tremendouos sense of humor and would keep a person in the floor laughing, especially if you were part of the family. She told me once that her number one weakness was laughing at dirty jokes! I'd love to tell you some of those jokes but I am a preacher you know and other people read this blog from time to time. (I had one in here but I decided to delete it before I got in a bunch of trouble. You'll just have to wonder what it was).

I loved to tease and aggravate her and watch her laugh. I was the only person that she allowed to call her "DESS" and I loved calling her that. One time I was driving the truck to church and for some reason she got scared and grabbed the steering wheel and pulled us off into a fence and almost the bottom of the ditch. I was able to get out but she laughed about that forever.

She wanted to move into town when all the kids were grown up and gone and they did. She worked as a cook for the school for several years. She took care of Dad when he became ill. One day he was putting on his tie to go to church and he was having trouble and so Mom was going to help him. She had hold of the tie and he began to fall and she wouldn't turn loose of the tie. They both fell to the floor and laid there and laughed and Dad told everyone that she tried to choke him to death with his own tie.

Momma lived until she was 92 years of age and was in good mental health until about three weeks before she died. We all thank God for her and miss her so much. God has maybe washed her mouth out with soap and has let her rest in peace until He comes for her. She was a great reason why all is well in Herman Junction today.