I am excited to present to you our guest blog for today. At a recent genealogy meeting, society member Linda Rozier Davis was challenged to write about an ancestor. The following story, entitled  "A Vignette of Mamaw Shaw," are her recollections. 

I hope you enjoy the read as much as I did.

A Vignette of Mamaw Shaw

I was first aware of Mamaw Shaw in 1959 when my sister and I spent two weeks of our summer vacation with our great aunt Florence (Shaw) Fenstermaker in Warrington, Florida. Aunt Florence was the youngest of Mamaw’s seven children who lived to adulthood. And, as often befalls the youngest daughter, her mother lived with her.

Mamaw Shaw, Photo Courtesy of Linda Rozier Davis

I was twelve years old, and Mamaw was 86. I had never thought of her having a life before I met her or who her parents were or where she had lived or how she had felt when she was a teenager. I squandered the opportunity to ask.

For me, she was frozen in time - a scrawny, wrinkled, petite, quiet old woman with a twinkle in her eyes that hinted of mischief.

That mischief showed up early on one of those August mornings that got hot early. 

While still in our pajamas, my sister and I were walking around the inviting pool in Aunt Florence’s yard. 

Even at her advanced age, Mamaw was spry and had a brisk walk. Quietly and seemingly out of nowhere, she slipped up behind my sister who was standing on the edge of the pool, looking intently at the blue water. With the swiftness of a lizard’s tongue and the energy of a toddler, Mamaw Shaw pushed my sister into the pool. Aunt Florence immediately hollered “Mama!”

After a brief yelp of surprise from my sister, she gladly accepted her fate and took an unexpected swim in her pajamas. 

Mamaw was grinning from ear to ear and seemed quite pleased with herself!