52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: Edith M. Walker
Edith M. Walker was born on 24 Aug 1902 in Elizabeth, Lawrence Co., Ohio to James E. and Melvina (Rollins) Walker.1 She was the youngest of 10 children. Before she was 8 years old, the family moved from Ohio to Raleigh Co., West Virginia.
On 30 Mar 1922 Edith married William (Hunter) Richmond.2 Though they both came from large families, they had a small one of only five children. Well, small by the standards of their families. Their children were:
Reba Fern 1923 – 2006
Lora Maxine 1926 – 1998
William Hunter Jr. 1928 – 2000
Private to protect the living
James E. 1938 – 1957
Some point after the 1940 Census, Edith and Hunter moved to Chicago. They followed their youngest daughter and her husband.
Edith continued to live in the city after her husband passed away and after her remaining son passed away. The only direct family she had left in Chicago was Reba, her eldest daughter. At some point her other remaining daughter moved Edith to Virginia to live with her and her husband.
The Richmond family was always distant. The memories I have of them are very minimal. I recall having a few holiday dinners with them, and by few I would only use one or two fingers if I had to count. The memories that stick out the most for me are that Edith would make a peanut butter fudge that was rolled up with a confectioners sugar layer, so it looked like a white and light brown swirl of fudgy goodness. It was one of my favorite treats as a child.
I also remember visiting Edith in her apartment, it had to be before Hunter died, I brought a doll with me and was holding it when we enter the apartment. Edith called me Linda and told me to come give her a hug. I did as I was told and hugged her. Though I remember thinking, this lady ahs no clue who her family is. Linda is my mother and at this point in life she was in her thirties. It would be a bit odd for her to come with a doll in hand…
The last time I talked with Edith it was winter, probably January or February of 1989. She called to congratulate me on the birth of my eldest child. I knew who she was the moment I answered the phone, though she could have probably walked past me and I would not know it was her.
I feel sad that we had this family so close and we never really knew them. I grew up in a family (on both sides) where family was important. I wish I had some of this time to do over so that I could go back and spend time with her.
Edith died on 22 Mar 2004, at the age of 102, in Christiansburg, Montgomery, Virginia.3 The family held a service for her in Virginia and then had her moved to Chicago so she could be buried with her husband, Hunter. Once in Chicago there was a small ceremony for family, where only some of the remaining Chicagoland family attended. It is sad to see that someone who lived such a long life had such a small farewell, in the same chapel that held her husbands farewell.
