Gertrude Alice Borders had a hard life, but made the best of it. Her mother died when she was born, and her father's hands were so crippled, he couldn't comb her very curly hair, so he kept it cut so short, one could hardly tell she was a girl. Her older brother was the light of her life, but he died in the great flu epidemic of 1918, when Gertrude was just 9 years old.
She met and married Charlie Cole, who brought stability and humor to her life. At the birth of their first child, Virginia Lee, (at home of course - there was no question of going to a hospital for an iceman's family), the mother-in-law came over from next door to help. Gertrude and Charlie lived in a tar-paper wooden frame house, next to Charlie's parents. Astonishingly, right after the birth, everyone went back to the in-laws' house for a drink (of tea, they were teetotalers). Gertrude had to get up that evening and cook dinner.
Mary Joyce followed Virginia Lee by a couple of years, and Charlie's brother had two boys of his own. When Mary Joyce was about 2 1/2 years old, the 1937 Flood invaded Louisville, Kentucky, as well as Clarksville, Indiana, where the Coles lived. They lost everything, and their house was torn off its foundation and flipped 3 times over, finally landing a quarter mile down the street. The Red Cross, contrary to its work today, came to this impoverished neighborhood, but only to SELL the desperately needed basics of life.
After rebuilding and making most of their own furniture, life stabilized. Charlie's brother's wife died, and Gertrude found herself taking care of Willie's boys, David Rae and Norman Lee. Charlie settled into a janitor's job at the local schools, and the girls grew up.
Both girls' first marriages failed in the 1950s, both because of domestic abuse. Both girls moved back home, Virginia living with her grandparents next door, and pregnant Joyce lived in the "little bedroom"
with her son Cole, already 2 years old. The little bedroom was just large enough for a single bed.
Life went on for a few decades, and Gertrude and Charlie finally retired. The janitor's pension helped until Charlie died in 1987, and Gertrude lived on Social Security for the rest of her life.
In 1997, almost 60 years to the day of the 1937 Flood, another flood came through and destroyed her house again. Not in the same way, because a floodwall had been built that protected the area in 1997. However, poor city planning had put a large parking lot behind Gertrude's house, and runoff from the rain destroyed her basement. She lost everything again.
Gertrude made quilts throughout her life, because blankets and comforters were not in the budget. Crazy quilts and simple quilts were the main designs, but the last quilt Gertrude made was a double wedding ring for her eldest granddaughter, Mary Alice. Quilts not lost in floods were worn out, eventually being thrown away. Gertrude died in 1999.
Grandma, I quilt today because of the example you set. This flower garden quilt is for you, because you gave me hope and persistence when I had none. Each of these hand-stitched seams have your memory stitched in.
Thank you, and I love you and miss you still.
