Memorials › Ouida Lorene Murphy Griffith

Ouida Lorene Murphy Griffith

18 Jun 1919 – 21 Jun 2009

Birth18 Jun 1919
Death21 Jun 2009
CemeteryRestland Memorial Park
Carthage , Panola County , Texas , USA
Added byCountry Cousins on 12 May 2022
FaGhttps://www.findagrave.com/memorial/38617358

Bio

Ouida Griffith, my Mother, passed away on June 21, 2009 in Carthage Texas at the age of 90. Funeral services were held at the Carthage Church of Christ where she was a long time member. She was born June 18, 1919, in Garrison, Texas as one of 12 brothers and sisters born to Thomas Preston and Etta (Childs) Murphy. A few years later TP and Etta moved the family to a farm he bought near the small community of Dotson, Texas. Down the same country road on which the Murphy's moved there also lived the W. P. and Myrtie Griffith family who had two older daughters and a younger son named Leroy Griffith, my Dad. Anyway there developed a spark and soon the two were married. Not long after they they married they bought the old John Lake place not far away. That land also had an old house on it which made a home for the Leroy and Ouida Griffith family for many years. Mother was a true farmer's wife helping with all the crop work, preparing all the meals for the family and farm help. I recall lots of trips to Timpson, Tx where she drove the old pickup totally loaded down with racks holding baskets of tomatoes to sell to the processors. As a side note, upon arrival in Timpson us two boys, Billy Don and myself would be turned loose in what I remember as Bussa's(?) drug store. The owner was kind enough to let us kids read the comic books while we waited for Mother to get the tomatoes sold and unloaded at the packing sheds. Talk about biscuits. Breakfast was always eggs, some kind of pork meat and hot biscuits. The school bus arrived to pick Don and I up at about 7 AM during school time. Mother insisted that we go to Carthage. I don't know how it happened but the Carthage school bus turned around at our place. Our bus driver would pick us and a few other Dotson kids up and head to Carthage on 25 mile ride, which at that time was about ½ dirt, gravel, crossing the Murval River Bottom(now Murval Lake) on a long wooden bridge. As the years went by she assisted various farm activities such as raising cotton, Dad being one of the last farmers in Panola County to grow cotton. From there it went to cattle, watermellons, and sugar cane with the family not only raising cane but also cooking ribbon cane syrup for us and many neighbors. Mother was much involved in selling and marketing of the 1 gallon buckets of syrup. Family activities eventually led to growing soybeans in the small community of Marksville, Louisiana. Mother became closely acquainted with many of the South Louisiana Louisiana Cajun ladies where she learned to like and cook Cajun foods and drink very strong Community coffee. From Lousiana she spent few years in the Pennsylvania following a major hurricane helping people get moved into FEMA trailers. Eventually Mother and Dad arrived back in Carthage where he was involved with younger son Billy Don in the pipeline construction business. As years went by, Leroy started building rustic furniture and particularly swings of all sorts and she was his right hand. She covered a lot of memorable ground over the years and always loved her family. She particularly enjoyed having big Christmas get together with all the family. Never went to visit that she was not ever ready to have us and others join them around the breakfast or dinner table. Lot of memories. Quite a Mom for Don and I.

Photos

Family

Parents

Spouse

Siblings

Children

Export GEDCOM

This person only · Entire connected family