Love Lessons

by Terri King on Feb.09, 2010, under Honoring Southern Appalachian Women

Margaret “Nanny” Crowder is our February 2010 Southern Appalachian Woman.

She was raised in Madison County, NC. She was a farmer’s wife, cooked 3 meals a day, made biscuits that didn’t rise, quilted, milked, told great stories, and hummed “Amazing Grace” while she cleaned house, canned, and worked tobacco.

She told me I could do whatever I wanted to if I would trust the Lord and was willing to work.

Like most southern women, her door was always open and she always wanted to feed you something.

She was taken by cancer in August 2003 at the age of 74.

Though I had no blood relationship to her, I called her “Nanny”. She taught me that love was a kinship that transcends a family tree. I didn’t know it then, but the love I felt for her and from her would be the foundation for my love as an adoptive Mother to my daughter, Jewelian.

Terri King

Jewelian and Mommy

2 Comments for this entry

betty hurst
February 9th, 2010 on 11:15 pm
thank you Terri!! You do us proud! Reminds me of Wilma Dykeman’s Tall Woman. I look forward to your next installments.
Wayne Higgins
February 10th, 2010 on 9:58 am
Hello Terri,

Thank you for sharing your experience and thoughts about “Nanny” Crowder and love. I always enjoy what you have to share and the inspiration that it provides. Hope you have a GREAT week!

Wayne