#31 of 52...Emma Lois Allen

I was fortunate enough to have met two of my great grandmothers.  Emma Lois Allen is one of them.  She was my paternal grandfather, Berney Jack Thomason's mother.  My Mama called her Big Mama.  I recall seeing her a few times when I was a child.  I didn't get to spend as much time with her as I did my other great grandmother; personality differences and such, but I do remember her.

Emma Lois Allen was born 26 March 1906 to James Christopher Allen and Claudia Vandora Welch.  She had the following siblings.

1). Ector Allen (abt 1889-unknown)
2). Trudie Allen (1892-1975)
3). Walter W. Allen (1894-1971)
4). Linnie Mae Allen (1896-1979)
5). William Clarence Allen (1901-1973) *twin
6). Clara Allen (1901-1949) *twin
7). Eunice Allen (1903-1968)
8). Emma Lois Allen (1906-1990) **my great grandmother
9). Sue Allen (1910-before 1920)
10). Margie Allen (unknown)

Emma Lois Allen married  David Luther Thomason.  Together they had three children.

1). Helen Louise Thomason (1924-2013)
2). Dorothy Mae Thomason (1926-1990)
3). Berney Jack Thomason SR (1931-2003) **My grandfather "Afaw"

Even though I met her and kind of knew her, I don't really know much about her.  I don't know if that makes sense or not.  I recall a few times visiting her at her home, she lived on Washington Street in Covington, GA. I remember seeing her at Kroger sometimes when we would be shopping but she never really took up time with me or spoke directly to me.  She always spoke to my Mama.  I think Big Mama had a favorite grandchild and it wasn't my Mama and by extension I wasn't either.  I can say that she had either demensia or Alzheimer's so sometimes her behavior and the things she would say weren't what her normal personality would have been had she not been ill.  I remember when she passed away and we sat with my Afaw and my Great Aunt Louise.  There were a bunch of cousins there too.  1990 was a tough year for that side of the family since we lost Great Aunt Dorothy in a car accident as well.

Emma Lois lost her husband, David Luther Thomason in 1967.  She remarried Howard H. Denham, he was a widower.  Unfortunately he died unexpectedly in a car accident in 1972.  

Funny thing is I don't have any photos of her.