Mary Kathleen Nelson

     July 5, 1930- March 13, 2002

Mom was born in Briceville, Anderson, TN

She is the second of 5 daughters

She has 8 children

She has 16 grandchildren

She has 23 great grandchildren

Mom loves to travel and visit new places

Among some of the places she and I have

visited are:

Niagra Falls, Canada

Disney World-MGM Studios-Epcot Center- Orlando, FL

Panama City Beach, FL

Gatlinburg, TN

Pigeon Forge, TN

Maggie Valley, NC

Cherokee Indian Reservation, NC

Savannah Beach, GA

Saint Simons Island, GA

Jacksonville Beach, FL

Cococa Beach, FL

Daytona Beach, FL

St Petersburg Beach, FL

Clearwater Beach, FL

Cape Kennedy, FL

Tallahasse, FL

Orlando, FL

Univeral Studios, FL

Seaworld Orlando, FL

Wahkula Springs, FL

Blue Springs, FL

St Augustine, FL

Sunshine Skyway Bridge, FL

Callaway Gardens- Pine Mountain, GA

Vogel State Park, GA

Unicoi State Park, GA

Lake Winfield Scott, GA

Lake Rabun, GA

Little Grand Canyon, GA

Amicolola Falls, GA

Ruby Falls, Chattanooga, TN

The Lost Sea- Madisonville, TN

Rock City-  Chattanooga, TN

Ichetucknee Springs State Park-  Fort White, FL

Weeki Wachie Springs, FL

Treasure Island, FL

Southern Belle River Boat Chattaooga, TN

Shell Island, FL

Kentucky Throughbred Farms, KY.

Richard Russell Scenic Hwy, Helen, GA

Helen Alpine Village- Helen, GA

Fontana Village, NC

Presbyterian College  Clinton, SC

Six Flags Over Georgia- Atlanta, GA

Stone Mountain Park-  Stone Mountain, GA

Detroit <Ortonville>, Michigan

Tennessee Aquarium- Chattanooga, TN

Charleston, SC

Carson-Newman College- Johnson City, TN

Greenville, SC

Caesar's Head State Park, SC

Duke's Nuclear Energy Reactor, SC

Tocca Energy Museum  Tocca, GA

Tocoa Falls-Tocoa, GA

Arabian Nights Dinner Show- Orlando, FL

The Wild West Dinner Show- Orlando, FL

The Polynesian Islands Dinner Show- Orlando, FL

Smoky Mountain National Park, TN

Cades Cove- Townsend, TN

Black Rock Mountain State Park, GA

U.S. Atomic Energy Musem Oak Ridge, TN.

Dixie Stampede Dinner Show- Pigeon Forge, TN

Planet Hollywood Dinner Theater-Orlando, FL

Norris Dam TVA Project- Norris, TN

Furman University- Greenville, SC

The Citadel Military Acadamy, SC

Lenoir Rhyne College- NC

Garner-Webb College- Boiling Springs, NC

Newberry College- Newberry, SC

Carson Newman College, Johnson City, TN

Wingate College- Wingate, NC

Catawba College- Salisbury, NC

Elon College- North Carolina

Wofford College- Spartenburg, SC.

Alexander City, AL

Pop Warner National Little Leage Super Bowl -1984

Georgia Renaissance Festival 1999 Atlanta, GA

Biltmore Estates- Asheville, NC

Blue Ridge Parkway, TN

Cherokee Parkway, SC

Old Stone Inn- Waynesville, NC.

Black Mountain, NC

The Incredible Christmas Place- Pigeon Forge, TN

Highlands, NC

Hard Rock Cafe- Orlando, FL

Southern Nights Music Theater- Pigeon Forge, TN

Christus Gardens- Gatlinburg, TN

Ripley's Beleive It or Not Museum- Gatlinburg, TN

Guinness World Records Musuem- Gatlinburg, TN.

Smoky Mountains National Park, TN

Cades Cove, TN

Townsend, TN

Whiteside Mountain, NC.

Williamsburg, KY

OH, CANADA Dinner Show- Niagara Falls, Canada

Kentucky Horse Park- Lexington, KY

The Glass Bottom Boat-Shell Island Adventure- Panama City Beach, FL

Devil's Millhopper State Geological Site- Gainesville, FL

Waikiki Dinner Club- Daytona Beach, FL

Shell Island Dolphin Feeding Cruise- Panama  City Beach, FL

Ginnie Springs Caves & Caverns- High Springs, FL

Saint Andrews State Recreation Area- Panama City Beach, FL

Gulf World Dolphin Show- Panama City Beach, FL

Honeymoon Island State Recreation Area- Pinellas Park, Florida

Caladedsi Island, FL

Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings State Historic Site- Cross Creek, FL

Manatee Springs State Park- Chiefland, FL

Paynes Prarie State Preserve- Micanopy, FL

San Felasco Hammock State Preserve- Gainesville, FL

Florida's Space Coast

NASA Kennedy Space Center- Cocoa, FL

Sabastain Inlet, FL

Meritt Island National Wildlife Refuge- FL

Canaveral National Seashore- FL

High Springs State Park- High Springs, FL

Wild Bill's Wild West Dinner Show- Kissimmee, FL

Enchanted Cruises- St Petersburg, FL

Medieval Times Dinner Show- Kissimmee, FL

Church Street Station Entertainment Complex- Orlando, FL

Marineland Theme Park- Niagara Falls, Canada

Louise Mandrell Dinner Show- Pigeon Forge, TN

Dixie Stampede Dinner Show- Pigeon Forge, TN

Jekyll Island, GA

Fort Polaski State Park- Savannah, GA

Brunswick, GA

Sea Island, GA

Little St. Simons Island, GA

Helen Alpen Lights Festival 1995- Helen, GA

The Little White House- Warm Springs, GA

F.D. Roosevelt State Park- Warm Springs, GA

Southern Belle Riverboat Cruise 1998- Chattanooga, TN

30th Annual Fall Color Cruise and Folk Festival Oct. 1998

Nickajack Reservation- AL/TN. Border

Planet Hollywood- Atlanta, GA

Crypress Gardens- Winterhaven, FA

Alabama <Country Singers> Dinner Club- Pigeon Forge, TN.

Cabbage Patch Dollhouse- Cleveland, GA

Tour of The Atlanta Braves- Turner Field June 1999

Braves vs Montreal Expos at Turner Field June 1999

Cloudland Canyon State Park, GA

Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield, GA

Brasstown Bald Mountain, GA

Hommasassa Springs, FL

Hambridge Center for the Arts, National Historic Site

In Dilliard, GA Rabun County

Mom and her Mother

Nola Marie Harness Nelson

Mom is a big fan of the Atlanta Braves

Mom loves old Western Movies

                                     Mother

                                         by

                                  Janet Richie

I will always love you more than words can say,

you gave me life watched me grow, and never looked away.

Many times I think of you, we are never far apart,

Time can only magnify the love within my heart.

The memories we cherish, distance cannot erase,

I have only to close my eyes and you are within my space.

Love has a way of bonding two, united as one,

As though it were interactive as is the Earth and the Sun.

My Mom passed and I know she is with the LORD, but I miss her. She was not only my Mother, she was my best friend and traveling companion. We could talk about anything and everything, she gave me wisdom, insight, praise. My Mom loved her family and would go on and on about her large number of Grandchildren. Mom  and I agree family and children are what life is all about, without them you have nothing but with them you have everything. My Mom certainly had everything. I promised her I would always keep check on Brad and would do my best to keep the family from drifting apart.

                        March 23, 2002                   

                        

I visited Mom's grave as I drove up the largest Hawk I have ever seen was in a nearby tree as if he was watching me and as I talked to her a Butterfly with wingspread wider than my hand landed on one of the artificial flowers, and then realized that they were not real, he then flew away. Even he was fooled by the beauty of the flowers Mom received.

Thank You LORD

                        LORD

Thank you for the Blessings in my Life

My Health

My Well Being

My Family

And especially for the Last Hug from My Mother- I will cherish that until I die

And for holding off the rain so we could lay Mom to rest

MOM WAS MY LIGHTHOUSE

THRU THE STORMS OF MY LIFE

I visited Mom's Grave site and there were Lavender Wildflowers  and Butterflies  everywhere it was a beautiful site to see.

Thank you LORD for such a great resting place for MOM

My son Robert Joe married Christy Pinson had a beautiful wedding in Roswell, Fulton, GA. Mom was looking forward to the wedding so very much and our entire family wore Lavender Roses in Honor of her. There was a huge Hawk in the tree right out front of Naylor Hall were we had the wedding outside. I will always believe that is the same Hawk that was at the cemetery and God let Mom watch thru the Hawk's sharp eyes and she did not miss the wedding after all.

Thank you LORD  -for this blessing

HE will bless them who fear the LORD

Both Great and Small

The LORD shall increase you more and more-

YOU and your CHILDREN

PSALMS 118

The wildflowers still were out and I saw the huge Butterfly again flying back and forth across the cemetery. I am not sure how long Butterflies live, this may have been a new one. The Dogwoods are blooming now and  several other trees I can't identify yet, it is very peaceful there.

Thank You LORD -for such beauty and the ability to enjoy it

My sister-in-law Terri always sung You are my Sunshine to Mom and it really made her feel good. Some of the last words she spoke were to tell Terri that she was going to take that song HOME with her.

Mom is buried in the Dahlonega Assembly of God Cemetery

on Hwy 52 -West and  9 -South- just out of Dahlonega, Georgia

My Brother -Joey and I saw the Moon out around 4:00 PM while we were at the Dahlonega Assembly of God Cemetery

Thank You LORD- for answering the Prayer Joey and I made together

Don't Cry because it is Over

Smile because it Happened

*** Some of these graphics are by Moon and Back-and Debs Spot-Thank you mother is by Danny Pogue

Today I looked for the Hawk in the usual place and after about one hour into my visit I heard it call out from the opposite side of the Cemetery's tallest Pine tree. I placed  Dogwood petals and a pink pedal from an unknown tree that was near by, on Mom's grave. There is a new grave here today, Sonya's relative. There is a large number of small Butterflies but not the large one. Josh or Jeramy, maybe Jason planted a small lavender wild flower at the grave as it was growing.

Thank You LORD- for the Hawk it is a great comfort

April 16, 2002

March 23, 2002

April 8, 2002

April 2, 2002

April 24, 2002  2:55 PM

I visited Mom Today, her Headstone is down now , I think it was put down yesterday. There are less wildflowers today and less pedals on the Dogwoods. Brad has done a great job picking a Stone and has  enclosed the lot  with the same stone the Headstone is made of. I have seen only 3 small Butterflies today and just as I was leaving at 4:55 PM , the Hawk flew over. I took some pictures but I think he was to high to see him.

Thank You LORD- for the beatiful Stone

                                       Special Entry

On Friday April 26, 2002- Sherry and Brad came to visit me. We went out to eat Japanese. It was the first time for them  both. I had such a great time and it meant so much to me that they came.

April 30, 2002 3:15 PM

Today is stormy and it rained all the way up here, but is not raining here yet. Kathy has placed some Butterflies, Lavender Roses and a pink Cross of Flowers on the grave and I know Mom loves them, they are great. Kathy says she don't know why she bought the Butterflies, she just saw them and liked them. She at the time

didn't know the story of he Butterfly that I had written about. For some reason the horse at Dilliard that Mom and I always took treats to, comes to my mind. Such great times we had. I feel lost at times,there is not much to see or do , by myself. I wonder if the horse is still in Dilliard, I will go to find out soon.

Thank You LORD -for the Beautiful Butterflies

Mom loved to take strolls along the Beach at Sunset  or Sunrise according to which Coast of Florida we were on.

April 6, 2002

March 13, 2002

Lavender Rose=

Love at first sight

and enhancement.

Dark Red Rose =

Unconscious Beauty

Yellow Rose=

Joy, Gladness, Friendship, Caring

Love is like a Butterfly

It goes where it pleases  and

It pleases  where it goes

A Mother  is someone who knows the Song In your Heart  and can sing it back to you When you forget the Words

If Peace  is in your Heart

The wildest Winter Storm

Is full of Solemn Beauty

Pink Rose=

Admiration, gentleness, grace,

gladness,  joy and sweetness

Mom loved stuffed animals, especially those that sang or moved, although she did not care much for real Aniamals, she had very few pets.

But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary, and they shall walk, and not faint.

               ISAIAH 40:31

Thank You Mother

Midst joy and fear

you were always near

understood me like no other

Your gentleness, your soft caress

For  Love, I thank you Mother

So strong, yet still quick to forgive

Always grateful for another

Small chance to send, your Love to mend

For Grace, I thank you Mother

Along the way, I'd hear you say

"Just go a little further"

And never say there is no way

For Faith I thank you Mother

Now time has flown, and I have grown

My children now I smother

With tenderness, I pass your Kiss and wisdom

                   

  THANK YOU MOM

                                

She gave me Love

As well as Life

So whatever Goodness

I may Do in my Life

Began with the Gift of

My Mother's Heart & Sprit

Bird  house made by Kathy for MOM's Birthday 2002- the LORD must have guided her hand for this is truly one of the most beautiful creations I have seen

Kathy has this African Violet growing at home , she was attracted by it's color

Mom loves the Dallas Cowboys

ONE OF HER FAVORITE COWBOYS

Her Children