Mama House

by Jimmy House

Kat House

She was known to me as Mama.

     Known to a few as Mrs. J.F. House.

Known to many as Kat. Often referred to as Kat House.

My Daddy was called Fatty House, and received mail addressed to Fat or Fatty House.

Known as Fat, Kat, and the Brats.

I think the name she was proudest of was when she was called Mama House, the name given to her by students at school. She made many trips with the B. B. Comer Band. In the late fifties, she was President of the PTA.

The most fun she had was when she made trips to Camp Helen in August with the football team, or the Boy Scouts if it was before the fifteen of August. She did the cooking for the team. There were so many laughs and so much fun.

Mama loved to sing. She was in the Women’s choir, directed by Mr. McKelvy in the early fifties. She sang with Dad at church.

Mama died at the age of 83 in Panama City, Florida. Her funeral was at Mignon Baptist Church, just across the tracks from the school. There was no sermon. There was a song service, which she would have loved, after which Coach Jimmy Hayes spoke and related the good times and laughter that surrounded her.