Edith Leona Knox Ellison

These commandments that I give you today are upon your hearts. Impress them on your children.

Deuteronomy 6:6

This scripture is the pathway – the road map – here is the direction for all mothers to teach children the way of the Lord. It has been said that "A mother cannot teach what she does not know, she cannot lead where she does not go." If a mother is to teach it, she must live it. The Jewish faith has a saying, "God could not be everywhere, so he made mothers."

Edith Knox Ellison was born September 14, 1908. She was the third child of Joseph and Francis Knox and grew up in Cherokee County with three brothers and three sisters. She joined the United Methodist Church at a young age and remained a faithful member all her life. She was a member of the Friendship Sunday School Class, the Happy Voyagers and the United Methodist Women.

She married Andrew Jackson Ellison on February 29, 1928 and they were blessed with five children, four daughters and one son. (Betty Jean Ellison Ragsdale, Edith Wynelle Ellison Hughes, Dorothy Belle Ellison Russell, Robert Edwin Ellison and Helen Jo Ellison Harrison) Edith was called home to meet her creator on November 7, 2004. She was preceded in death by her oldest daughter, Betty Jean Ellison Ragsdale on August 24, 1987 and by her husband, Andrew on March 17, 1995.

Edith lived her faith. She loved her family and was the happiest when all of her children and grandchildren were around the table. She cooked with zeal and always had enough food to feed "Pharaoh's Army" but keep apologizing because there wasn't more. If you did not eat much, she would think that she did not have enough on the table. People from near and far praised her cooking and the open doors of hospitality. She made everyone feel welcome to her home and table.

Her family and home were her first loves and a close second was her garden. She loved her flowers and vegetable garden. Edith was always happy when she was working her garden plowing, planting, hoeing, weeding then gathering the fruits of her efforts always brought her great joy. She loved to pick, clean, and prepare fruits and vegetables by canning or freezing. Preparing for the feeding of her family for the coming year. She wanted everyone involved in the process too – it was nothing to pick, shuck, clean and prepare a pickup truck load of corn with every family member doing their job – all before lunch.

Helen Keller said, "The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched. They must be felt with the heart." As her family we understand we cannot see her, but she is and always will be with us. A mother like ours is more than a memory. She is a living presence.