CLAXTON: Nancy Tippins Lewis, 91, was called to her forever home on January 31, 2025. Oddly, our Mother also died on Jan 31 in 2002
Nancy was born October 9, 1933, in Daisy, Georgia and was the eldest of 10 children. At the time of her death, she was a devoted member of Antioch Missionary Baptist Church in Daisy.
Nancy spent many years in Savannah, Georgia raising her 4 children alongside her husband Floyd Lewis. She later worked outside the home in retail with the Lerner Shops in downtown Savannah. She finished her working career in hospitality with various hotels.
Nancy moved back to her hometown of Claxton in 1989 and enjoyed the remainder of her years in her little home in Daisy.
She could be found working in her yard and listening to old church hymns all day. She was known for the array of flowers in her gardens and her joy of sharing those with others.
Nancy had the most beautiful butterflies and birds visit her gardens and she could easily identify them all. She was featured in the Claxton Enterprise [Local Newspaper] showing her love for the hummingbirds attracted to her flower gardens and feeders.
She most enjoyed time spent here with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren explaining what types of flowers she grew and where they came from. The most precious to her were those transferred from her Big Mama’s yard that she nurtured year after year to become the most beautiful flowers nature can provide.
↑Big Mama↑
↑Big Ma's house↑
She was preceded in death by the father of children Floyd Lewis, her mother, Margaret Greene Tippins Smith; her fathers, Loren Robert Tippins and Claude W. Smith; her sisters, Roberta “Bobbie” Thorne Brierton and Sylvia S. Reynolds; Brothers, Joe Smith, Robbie Smith and James “Jim” W. Tippins; daughter, Darlene Lewis Brown Kemp and son Craig R. Lewis.
Nancy leaves behind a loving family to cherish her memory.
She is survived by her sons, Loren (Audrey) Lewis, Sr.
Loren and Audrey... Loren is my nephew, but he is 3 yrs older than I
and Lloyd (Donna) Lewis and her daughter-in-law, Cindi Lewis; her grandchildren, Morgan (Ed) Ortiz, Loren, Jr. (Jordyn) Lewis, Jason Brown, Adrian Brown, James (Vanessa) Rowlands, Patrick Lewis, Kathleen Lewis; great-grandchildren, Alexis (Ben), Tyson, Isabelle, Savannah, Sophia, Cason, Kipp, Jenna, Jessica, Jacqueline, Raymond, and Ariana and one great-great-grandchild, Paisley Mae; many nieces, nephews and other relatives.
Her brothers and sisters are John R. (Jeannine) Tippins,
Jerry E. Smith,
Claudelle Molnar, and Linda Smith.
Two special families include: Michael & Marjorie “Tooter” Harrison and Dr. Hannah Harrison & Jayson Treadway, also Janet Schaaf and her daughters Kiley & Katelyn.
My niece Christie who is very talented with a wonderful voice, sang "God on the Mountain" a very old song no one had heard by Lynda Randall
I played hymns as needed for the processional etc, then I played and sang Amazing Grace/My Chains are Gone by Chris Tomlin.
I have performed this song many many times, but when it first came out I cried and cried every time I heard it, because I was still dragging the chains of my addictions and emotional baggage.
This time, when I got to the "My Chains are gone" part, I choked up with tears and emotion, because my sister was no longer chained to her body and the dementia that had set in since she had to move to a care center after falling and damaging her hip (she WAS 91 after all)
Her daughter in law, Audrey texted me to thank me for playing such a beautiful rendition, and all the other music I provided:
Audrey:"Jerry, I wanted to thank you so much for your wonderful and touching song. It was so beautiful and you are so talented. You and Christie make a mean team!!! It was all just so perfect."
Me:'Well, thank you for that compliment, I was not happy that I was having to choke back emotional and tears there a couple of times in my solo, but apparently most didn't notice, or they were being kind. The important thing is, it was a good going away party,
Thanks for letting me participate 💚'
Audrey:"Hey, that song was straight from the heart and you getting emotional only made it that much more special.❤️"
I was gone from here from Sunday afternoon thru Tuesday afternoon, leaving right after the funeral.
While I was home, I had to visit our family place on the Canoochee River, where we once had a cabin and got some photos
(this was about where the master bedroom would have been, looking out over the water. The house was built on creosote posts)
Turning downriver, I got this shot from the river bank↑
Much to my surprise, the metal steps that once led up to the backdoor of the house still remain↑
I waded out knee deep in that frigid water, standing on what will be a white sandbar once the river level drops to get these next pics
It was a bittersweet journey, that first morning in Claxton I got up before my cousins (with whom I was staying) and went to Macdonalds.
It was very foggy, and I saw this sunbow
"My Sister's Homegowing"
by
Jerry E Smith
©2/7/2025
All images are mine
by
Jerry E Smith
©2/7/2025
All images are mine
She completed her journey now on to the next. She was blessed with many years, but never enough. I am sure she will be missed. How are you holding up?
Thank you Benjamin, this was not at all unexpected. She hadn't been much a part of our lives in several years, didn't even get online in the past couple of years.
All that said, there is a hole in my life where she once was, that will now only be filled with memories.
That is as it should be I think.
Y'all DO know that I will be 70 this Aug, so I am very likely not too far behind her. 💚
For some, the best years of their life are their last 10 - 15 years. It's unlikely you'eve even there yet, seems there's some longivity in your blood!
via Inbox
In the early 70's, a sort of "family census" was done.
Luther Greene (our grandpappa) was born in 1874 and died in 1954, the year before I was born
He spent the last 11 yrs of his life paralyzed by a stroke in a bed
↑Granddaddy Greene and Vidella, and 3 daughters, aunts Lucille, Judy and my mama, Margaret
↑Granddaddy, grandma and three sons, Seaborn, Robert and Luther
Grand Mama Greene was born in 1889 died in 1971
They had 10 children. Each of those had a bunch, so that by the 70's there were several hundred descendants, myself included
My Mama is almost dead center with the young man in a white jacket in front of her, my sister who just died is all the way to the right
As far as I know everyone in this photo is now dead
Sadly, much diabetes and heart disease and some cancer has plagued us since then, and we've stopped having reunions so we are not in touch with each other as a family.
I'm sorry for your loss, she sounds like a really cool person. I'd like to know so much about flowers and butterflies and birds! Cool pic of the stairs.
Thank you @stinawog
May her perfect soul rest in peace. She definitely lives a very fulfilled life
This is such a heartwarming and melancholic post 🥺 Nancy had an amazing life may her soul rest in peace.
Thank you @yugadi
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