ESTELLE NAOMI KILLINSBLACKMONBAKER EstelleKillinswas thefirstofninechildrenborntoReverend WillieGordonKillinsandMrs.Florence.AndersonKillinson November15,1907in Philadelphia(NeshobaCounty), Mississippi.WithGrandpa Killins being aminister,thefamilymovedtodifferentcitiesin Mississippi. Afterleaving Mississippi, they movedtoBessemer,Alabama.
EstelleattendedHartSchool andgraduatedfromDunbarHighSchool,nowknown AbramsElementarySchool in Bessemer. She always had aninterestincooking.Not being able to affordcollege, she felt she could keepherinterestanddisplayhercookingskillbyworking in·someof.thetoprestaurantsinBessemerandBirmingham. Alsoworkinginwell-knownprominenthomesandcookingbigfamilydinnersfordifferentfunctions,Estellewasavery kind,hard to anger, sweet and gentlyperson.She wasveryreligioustoo.Oneof hersayingswas“If you can’t handleit,putitinthehandsof theLord.”ShewasanotedBiblescholarandtrulyavery loyal Christian Estellelovedher familyvery muchanddisplayedthis by sharingwhatever·she hadwith herfamily,including her home, which was known as “TheFamilyHeadquartersor This was not a big house, but with Estelle’s big smiles, big hugs, lots of laughter and so much food and love, she made your stay enjoyable and unforgettable. Married to Abraham Blackmon, one son was born, Abraham Blackmon Jr. (Baby Ray). After that marriage was dissolved, she was still going about with her work and was very happy with what she was doing in helping her younger brothers and sisters – clothing, feeding and whatever up-keep they needed or asked for.If she didn’t have it today, she would surely have it tomorrow. Later, Estelle met Alf Baker, a very handsome and quiet man. Whenever Alf saw Estelle, he would say, “My, you are the prettiest woman I have ever seen; you have a very beautiful smile; your long hair is flowing; and my heart is pounding.” He said he didn’t know how he got those words out, but he did. Some of his co-workers would tease him saying they had never seen him talk that much. Alf would see Estelle at the Commissary, a grocery store and department store in the community for the mine workers and their families. Today, I compare the Commissary to the Big K-Mart or the Super Walmart. He had inquired about her, but no one would tell him anything because she was admired by many men.
Estelle carried herself very well with her height. She walked and dressed like she owned Bessemer. The courtship of Estelle and Alf was very brief. They got married and he never stopped telling her how much he loved her and what a beautiful woman she was, inside and out. To this marriage, one daughter was born Florence Ernestine Baker. Alf nicknamed her Tena. Tena was his heart. He always gave her the best and made sure she wanted for nothing.
Alf, Estelle, Baby Ray and Tena were a very close family. They shared a lot and were very close friends. The children .called Estelle “mu-dear”
Mu-dear was a devout Bible reader and had several certificates from different Bible courses she studied.She could quote you a Bible scripture and tell you where to find it in the Bible before you could bat an eye.She became very popular, speaking at different churches.She was a Sunday school teacher for many years at her church before she became ill. Mu-dear’s hobbies were cooking, dancing, playing cards and gardening – flowers.She tried to keep her family together by visiting, writing and calling – when we got phones, having big Sunday’s dinners and always celebrating a family member’s birthday with a big homemade cake of their choice and a big dinner.After dinner, she and other family members shared childhood memories with us.Sometimes we could not believe the things they had to endure and overcome, being as happy and healthy as they were. One of mu-dear’s favorite saying was “The Lord will make a way”.Also she would say “try and be happy”, and with her big smile and gentleness, surely some would rub off on you.Maybe this is where I get my kindness, softness and gentleness, that people often tell me I have.The Lord blessed me with it and I don’t regret it.I do know how to protect myself. In the 1940’s mu-dear had three brothers in World War II, Lemuel, Molphus and David.They all said mu-dear wrote to them more than their wives or girlfriends.She would always write saying how she was praying for the and for them to pray and be strong and God will bring them home safe.She also sent them big homemade cakes which they shared with the other soldiers. We always had prayer before eating and we ate together as a family.God blessed mu-dear to live long enough to see her grandchildren, and what a wonderful grandmother she was.She always wanted them to come and visit and stay for weeks.She carried them to church on Sundays.She taught them the values of life – how to appreciate their blessings, to get a good education, to be somebody, and stick together and keep the family tradition going.Oh! How she loved to cook their favorite foods.She had her loving and kind ways to spoiling them.I’m sure her nieces and nephews have fond memories of her and all of the family members who had the pleasure of spending time with her.The Killins family bond lives on. I’m so happy she was my mother.I’m so thankful for the years God shared her with me.I’m so thankful to her and my dad for my upbringing.I’m so thankful to her and dad for the way and the things they taught me: to get a good education, how to be respectful, always look into the future and always trust in the Lord.I’m so thankful to her and my day for teaching me how to be a good wife and a good mother.I’m so thankful to her and my dad for helping to develop my life, for helping to mold my future and making me the lady I am today, successful and blessed. I can see her beautiful face, her broad smile and hear he gentle words saying “I’m very proud of you and I love you very much”. Love to you, Mu-dear, Your Daughter, Florence (Tena) Ernestine Baker Sample