Eleventh Generation

13223. Maybelle Delores "May" BIRMINGHAM²⁰⁵² was born on 19 January 1917 in Houston, Harris, Texas.²⁰⁵²

She appeared in the census on 10 April 1930 in Houston, Harris, Texas.⁴⁹³ Age 14, born Texas, parents born Texas, living with parents. Name on census: Maybelle Birmingham. She died on 29 April 1979 at the age of 62 in Houston, Harris, Texas.²⁰⁵² May was buried at Rosewood Memorial Cemetary in Houston, Harris, Texas.²⁰⁵² What can I say about Mom other than she was Mom. Quite probably the
best Mom in the world. Yes, I know everyone thinks their mom was the
best but mine really was. There was nothing she wouldn't do for me or
my wife and children but it all starts farther back than that. Mom
could be as gentle as a lamb or as fierce as a bear. When I was young
she was always there for me as a lamb and if someone ever said
anything derogatory about me she was there for me, as a mamma bear.
There were times when I got in trouble with her but most of the time I
ran across to Aunt Evelyn's house and hid under her dining table. Now
that little Aunt would talk mom out of being mad and I would come out
of the situation without a scratch, so to speak.
Mom was a very generous person especially toward those who were in
need. I remember when we would go buy groceries and take them to a
Mr. and Mrs Peterson. These folks were very old and lived on social
security but they needed additional help and there was Mom. These
folks had no other person that would or could help them except Mom and
she stayed with them until they both passed away. This was not an
isolated case but I don't remember any other names. You just need to
know that this lady was one of the kindest and dearest people I have
ever known. Thank God I was lucky enough to have had the chance to
be her son. It would have been a generous gift from God just to have
the privilege to know her.
Mom was the same with her grand kids as she was with me. If she
could do anything for them she did. The kids called her Me maw and
they loved her very much. I think she did have a favorite but I will
not divulge who it was for 70 years from today. Looking at pictures
of mom when she was 3 or 4 years old you can easily see that Cathy and
Cathy's youngest daughter Christi look very much like her at the same
age.
Sadly, Mom had the first of many strokes when she was 53 years old.
She spent the next 9 years in nursing homes that could provide skilled
care. She had difficulty with motor skills to the point that she even
needed someone to feed her. Then on April 29, 1979 at 2am, I got a
call from the Medical Arts Hospital where she was being treated for
the effects of another bad stroke. They told me that if I wanted to
see her alive one more time I needed to come to the hospital
immediately. I was there for only about an hour when she died. I
think she knew I was holding her hand at the time. I got back home
around 6am. Sally was up and getting breakfast ready for the kid and
we sat at the table having coffee while I told her about Mom. We
heard Cathy's alarm and she came into the dining room still half
asleep. She said I just had a weird dream about Me maw. I dreamed she
came to me and said [IT:Everything is OK now. There is no more pain.
:IT] Then I told her about Moms passing. Cathy was a high school
student at the time so she must have been 19 years old. CL and Sandy
had graduated from high school and had jobs.

Maybelle died of Cardio Respiratory Failure due to Cerebral VascularAccident, Terminal Stage

Walter Lee DERIEUX²⁰⁵² was born (date unknown).

Maybelle Delores "May" BIRMINGHAM-52108 and Walter Lee DERIEUX-52182 had the following children:

Robert Conrad BREWER²⁰⁵² was born (date unknown).

Maybelle Delores "May" BIRMINGHAM and Clyde Louis "Sweed" PRAY were married on 6 May 1933 in Houston, Harris, Texas.²⁰⁵²

Clyde Louis "Sweed" PRAY²⁰⁵² was born on 2 January 1910 in McComb, Pike, Mississippi.²⁰⁵²

He died Complications due to Alcohol, TB and Lung Cancer on 31 October 1981 at the age of 71 in Houston, Harris, Texas.²⁰⁵² He was buried at Forest Park Lawndale Cemetery in Houston, Harris, Texas.²⁰⁵² Medical: Clyde was an alcoholic. He spent time in the state TB hospital in Tyler Texas, he had lung cancer which was probably the result of smoking, He fell and broke his hip in his later years, around 65.

Clyde Louis Pray, as an early teenager, moved several times with hisfather. From McComb Mississippi they moved to Lake Charles, Louisiana, toBeaumont, Texas and then settled in Houston, Texas. When Clyde took ajob, he went to work for Star Furniture Company. He was responsible fordelivering new furniture and for repossessing furniture when necessary.Clyde was a big man at 6' 3" and 235 pounds but he was also a very kindand gentle person. He was a good friend to all who knew him. Clyde hada problem with alcohol and this was his downfall. Before he died, he wasphysically and mentally deficient to the point he could no longer carefor himself. He died in a nursing home.

Maybelle Delores "May" BIRMINGHAM-52108 and Clyde Louis "Sweed" PRAY-52165 had the following children: