Nineteen Twenty was a wonderful year! On November 21, 1920 a beautiful baby girl named Pecola was born.
It was the beginning of the “Roaring Twenties”. The Band-Aid was invented by Johnson and Johnson. The first radio was sold in the United States for home use. The average yearly income was $3,269.00, a postage stamp was $0.02, a pound of bacon was $0.47, a half-gallon of milk was $0.28, a gallon of gas was $0.25, and Woodrow Wilson was the President of the United States.
Pecola endured many ups and down in life. At a very early age, she was critically ill and family members visited her parents home to say their goodbyes to her. By the grace of God, she was healed from her illnesses.
Pecola overcame many obstacles to get an education. Her first classroom was in the home of a family friend who taught the children who lived on the plantation because there was no school nearby. Pecola’s parents made education a priority in a time when it was not easy for blacks to gain one. Eventually, the family moved to another plantation where there was a school nearby. . After finishing 8th grade in the one room Yazoo County school, Pecola’s parents let her live with her aunt and uncle in Yazoo City in order to attend high school. After graduating, Pecola was qualified to teach elementary school. Eager to share what she had learned with others, she began teaching at Lewis School that was located near the present Smith Road. Pecola walked through the woods and up and down hills to get to school to greet her students daily with a smile.
Pecola married Edward Roberts. The couple was happily married but their lives were shattered by the devastating loss of their only biological child at birth, Hattie Lee Roberts. The loss of their child was even more devastating for Pecola because at the time of loss, Edward away serving his country in the U.S. Army. Pecola bounced back and trusted God to bless her with more children. Years later, she and her husband were blessed to share their home and love with two children raised as her own.
When Pecola and her husband moved from the area, she became a seamstress making clothing for many families in the Satartia and surrounding communities. Even though the families often could not afford to pay her, that never stopped Pecola from sharing her gift. She wanted to make sure the mothers and their girls had beautiful clothing for school and special occasions at church.
Throughout her amazing 100 years, Pecola has always given of herself, caring for many in their time of need. She has cared for her mother, father, sister, aunt, uncle, close family friend and husband. Pecola’s husband and the children they raised are now deceased.
Pecola is a faithful servant of the Lord. She is a very active member at Rose Hill M. B. Church, where she currently serves as the church’s secretary.
Pecola is a very good cook and prepares her meals daily. For many years she has prepared scrumptious Sunday dinners with desert for her nephew.
For those of you who don’t know, Pecola is a Cancer survivor. And if you’re wondering about the secret to her longevity, she credits plenty of vegetables and home-cooked meals as factors. Pecola also lives by these words: “Trust in the Lord, Treat everybody right and Do the right thing”.
