Grandma was born 16-Feb-1911 in Knoxville, Tennessee. She was one of 5 children born to John & Elizabeth Fowler. I don't know a lot about her lines, but am adding a link to her Grand daughter who is in process of extensive research of this line, Kathy. Her e mail link is included at the bottom of this page. Please do contact her if you link, have information or questions.
For me, this page will cover my knowledge of grandma.
When my blood grandmother (Ethel Bolden Stinnett) died back in 1935, she left 3 children for Grandpa (Bob Stinnett) to raise, the oldest, Raymond was 19 and grown, but there was still remaining at home, Helen (12), Clara (8) and baby Billy (3). I don't ever remember ever hearing where or how , but Grandpa met and married Lena Fowler Braden. Lena had been married prior to Charles Braden and was the mother of a small son, Charles jr.
I can guess that taking on a ready made family was quite a task, but I have never heard that any partiality was ever shown between the children. I know for certain that my mother always held Grandma in deep respect and the oldest son, Raymond, even named his first daughter Ethel Viola after both his blood mother and his stepmother.
At the age of 41, Grandma thought that she was going through the change of life, but instead the Lord blessed them with a baby girl, Vicky. Vicky was the light of their lives and my best friend as well. She took good care of her mother until her own death in 1994. After Vicky's death, her son Junior and his wife Mernie took her home to Washington, DC to live. Steven, Vicky's son, remained in NC as it was home.
Grandma was quite happy in DC with her son, but later he died and it seemed to affect her deeply. Her mind seemed to go but for many years her daughter in law and children took care of her. Later, it became too much as Grandma had developed Alzheimer's and she returned home to NC to live out the remaining years of her life at an assisted living home.
Her grandson, Steven made his home right across the street from the home and visited with her almost every day.
Despite the fact that there was 21 years difference in the ages of Bob & Lena Stinnett, they had a marriage that lasted until his death in 1965. Though Grandma was a mere 54 years old at the time of his death, she never once even thought about marrying again and remained his wife until her death.
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