Grandma has many loved ones who know her life very well.  Please add your stories and memories to the story section.

Eva Mae was born to Ruby Keely (Big Mama) and had 6 siblings.

Clarence 1925
Rose 1929
Fred 1932
Jennie and George twins - 1935
Lyle 1937

Her life was not privileged yet she worked incredibly hard to give herself an education and higher quality of living.  She married young and had Andrea and Terry Ross.

After leaving an abusive marriage she found the love of her life, Walter Louis Smith.  They married and had Lorna and Shari.

After Grandpa's tragic passing at age 58, Grandma moved from her home in Michigan to Florida where she lived an active life in a retirement community.

She moved to be with us in Tennessee after a near-death accident in her community.  We were so lucky to have her spared and it just goes to show how much of a strong woman Grandma was!

She had so much strength and determination to continue her independent lifestyle and stayed active all the way up until the beginning of May when a surprise diagnosis of Leukemia shocked us all.  Again, Grandma displayed great strength and outlived what all the doctors told her - she had a wonderful 2 months with us and although she would have wished it to have gone faster, she was the picture of grace and strength as the disease took over.

Grandma loved music and was my inspiration to many hours of practicing on the piano.  She once told me that if she could have chosen her life she would have been the singer in a jazz band during the 40's!  She knew the words to all the songs and loved singing and dancing to her favorite tunes!

I have heard countless stories and songs from grandma over the years!  I look forward to adding them to this website as they are recalled and I look forward to passing on her heritage to my children!

Please share your own stories!