MUMS

by Mary Arlene Grant Dunagan

Mums, as I knew her, was my mother's mother, my maternal grandmother. She was born Arlene Vincent Normile to William Toby Normile and Edna Vincent Normile on February 14, 1903. She was born in Venango County, PA, lived most of her life in Oregon and California, died August 10, 1987, in Roswell, Fulton County, GA.

Her father, William Toby Normile was born January 11, 1883, in Canada as was his father Patrick Normile (b. 1854). His grandfather, however, was born in Ireland. Patrick Normile married Nettie Toby in 1877, and according to the 1900 census they had four children living with them, Mabel (age 21), William Toby (age 17), Hattie (age 14), and Norman (age 2). Nettie Toby Normile's father was William Toby (b. 1826 in NY), married Jane Ann Mason and were living in Kingsley Forest, PA, in 1870, with the following children: Uius, Kate, Nettie, and Hattie

Mums' mother, Edna Vincent Normile was born November 27, 1882, in PA, to Henry Vincent (b. 1846) and Catherine Ramsdale (b. 3 Nov 1847, Yorkshire, England, d. 24 Dec 1924). According to the 1900 census, the following children were living in the Vincent household: Maud F., Nellie, Robert R., Catherine, Edna, Henry E., Mariam, and Jessie Vincent.

William Toby Normile, my great grandfather, worked as a civil engineer on mostly tunnel projects through out the country in places like New York, San Francisco, CA, Oregon, and Alaska. And according to my mother, he also worked for a period in China on some construction projects there and later became an aviator or what she called a bush pilot who flew one of the first mail air routes from Anchorage to Nome, Alaska. The 1930 census shows William Normile and Edna Vincent Normile living in Long Beach, CA, and his occupation listed was "aviator."

This union produced one child who became my Mums, Arlene Vincent Normile. She married Hart Leigh Browne (b. 13 Jan 1895). They were married June 16, 1925, at the Mission Inn in Riverside, CA.

Hart Leigh Browne, my grandfather, was a veteran of WWI and was born in Little Vally, NY, raised by his mother, Alma (Ahmo) Covert Browne (b. 1875) divorced when Hart(only child) was young. The 1910 census showed Hart Leigh Browne living with his mother, grandmother Sybill J. MacMillan(widowed) and his great grandmother Jane A. MacMillan(also widowed).

The 1930 census shows Hart L. Browne and Arlene Vincent Normile Browne living in Long Beach, CA and they had the following children:

Donna Leigh Browne (my mother) (b. 26 Feb 1926, d. 16 Apr 2020)

Jean Arlene Browne (b. 7 Jan 1930, d. 15 Feb 1991)

Arlene Vincent Normile Browne divorced Hart Browne and married Charles Pentolino on May 19, 1956, in Clark County, Nevada. I remember I called him Penny and he owned a dance studio and taught dance. Mums loved to dance but she mostly ran the office at the studio. I found that Charles Pentolino was born April 11, 1925, in Ohio, which makes Mums 22 years his senior. Way to go Mums! They divorced in 1974 or 1977(divorce record list both years) and neither ever remarried. Penny died June 20, 1980 in San Diego, CA and Mums lived in Hemet, CA, up until a few years before her death when she moved in with my mom and dad in Roswell, GA. She died August 10, 1987.

Daughter Jean Arlene Browne wedding with sister Donna and Mums in attendance (standing).
(Wedding date 10 Nov 1949, to Thomas C Coombs). Older sister Donna, my mother, had married two years earlier on 8 Mar 1947, to Robert D Grant.  I don't know much about the life of my mom's sister Jean other than the fact she had a beautiful singing voice apparently. She sang the National Anthem at the 1959 World Series game with Dodgers vs Cubs.

MY AFTERNOON WITH MAEVE

Mimi came to Lanier at 2:00 today to bring Maeve to me. She loves her Mimi. When I took her from her car seat, she hugged Mimi and said “I wuv you!” with the biggest grin on her face. While Maeve was at Lanier, she was greeted by many teachers who asked her about Martin’s near arrival. She looked at them and shyly said, “I’m a big sister” and “Mahtin’s not weady yet.” When we left school, I told Maeve that we were going to the store to buy a teddy bear for her to give Martin.

Once in the car, we began a precious conversation and it went like this:

Nana: Would you like to buy a teddy bear so you can give it to Martin when he comes to your house?

Maeve: OK. He’s not weady yet.

Nana: Mama’s almost ready to go to the doctor so he can help Martin come out of Mama’s tummy.

Maeve: UhHuh…and I gonna be a big sister. I gonna help my Mommy wash Mahtin’s cwothes, and I’m gonna change his diapers… He gonna have poopy diapers and I gonna wipe his bottom…he’s gonna be shuuu (giggling)! I gonna help Mommy put is cwothes on and his shoes on, like me (holding up her foot).

Nana: He can’t wear shoes now… he can only wear socks. He’s a baby and can’t walk right now.

Maeve: I will help him… he can hold my hand.

Maeve: And I gonna wear pj’s and we will sit on my bed and wead books to him.

Nana: Will Martin have on his pj’s?

Maeve: UhHuh… I will put on his pj’s and will sit on my bed weading books. I will wead to Mahtin.

Nana: Here’s the store. Do you want to find Martin a teddy bear?

Maeve: And a dog? A bunny wabbit! Uh, a tootle! (Giggling!)

After 15 minutes of perusing the stuffed animals at Target, Maeve selects a brown teddy bear. She never selected ANYTHING for herself; everything was about Mahtin! So Nana asked if she would like some play dough for her and she beamed! We walked to the checkout with a teddy bear under one arm and play dough under the other.

Nana: You need to put these on the table so we can buy them (as the cashier scans them, Maeve surprisingly speaks to her).

Maeve: I pway wif pwaydough at my Nana’s on the table, but not on the floor. That’s for Mahtin. I wap it for him.

Needless to say, Nana is desperately holding back tears. When we arrive home, Maeve informs me she needs wapping paper and tape. She beautifully waps his teddy bear “I do it myself!” with more tape then paper. She was so proud!

As soon as the car pulled in the driveway, Maeve was yelling for Papa to open her playdough. I watched and giggled as Papa taught Maeve how to roll the dough to make a snake, a snowman, pancakes and a smiley face. (I actually remembered to capture it on video!)(See Video)

After playdough time, Maeve proceeded to open the refrigerator door and say, “Nana, I want a snack. I want to cook somefing. I cook these eggs!” She hands me the carton and drags her stool over to the counter. Papa proceeded to get her a bowl and a whisk and then watched in awe as the master chef proceeded to perfectly crack 2 eggs! But scrambled eggs were not enough… my pantry and fridge are pretty bare right now but she managed to find a container of sliced peaches and a jar of mini pickles… YUM!!! By now she has managed to fill every compartment of her plate and eats every bite!

I spent the afternoon listening to a 2 and a half year old talk about her baby brother and her role as a big sister. She gets it… she knows what her role is… She knows what Martin’s role is… Leah and Britt have prepared her. She is ready to teach Martin all about life; reading, walking, dressing. Life in the Hulsey house will be a better place…Maeve is ready to be the big sister… and Martin will experience the blessing of having a big sister, just as Tyler was blessed to have Leah and Lindsey pave his way.

Watching and listening to Leah and Britt as they prepare Maeve for the changes ahead brings a lump to my throat and a knot to my stomach. Memories flood my mind of yesteryear when Brad and I prepared Leah for the upcoming arrival for Lindsey, and when we learned of Tyler’s arrival, talking to Leah and Lindsey about being big sisters!

I’m drinking from my saucer, ‘cause my cup has overflowed…