Minnie Lou Ferguson

As we close out Women’s History Month my business partner, Shawna Ferguson’s Mom shares fond memories of her mother, Minnie Lou Ferguson.

For my mother Minnie Lou Ferguson,

There are many, many stories I could share about my mom, but this one comes to mind every time.

When I was an adolescent in the sixties the newest and most popular doll that every little girl wanted was a Barbie doll and all the clothes that went along with her; fancy gowns and frilly dresses and things like that. I remember begging my mom for a Barbie doll for Christmas one year and there under the Christmas tree was a Barbie doll just for me!

The only thing is that the doll was there, but the fancy clothes weren’t. All of the dresses were sold separately and were more expensive than the doll itself and mom was a single parent working to make ends meet. At the time, of course, I didn’t think about all that; I was just a kid and just wanted the same things that my friends had so I would fit in. But instead of the expensive frilly gowns and dresses for Barbie, there were only simple clothes and dresses that my mother had made by hand. I was disappointed, heartbroken, and hardly ever played with my Barbie anymore.

It took me a long while to realize the amount of love, time, and skill my mom put into every stitch of clothing for that doll. The precision it took for her to sew by hand those tiny seams to make clothes for a doll about 11 inches tall. It just boggles my mind now especially since I’m learning to sew in my old age. Mom was a parent that wanted to give me what she could and how she could in the best way she was able. Those clothes she made were priceless because her heart was in the making of them just for me.

I watched her put her heart into things for others as well; making life-size Raggedy Ann dolls on her sewing machine for both of my daughters along with a matching dress for them to wear, hand stitching quilts for family and friends, and making macrame plant hangers for anyone who wanted them. She also had her own hobbies that she loved to occupy her time when not working such as knitting, crocheting, growing plants (especially her favorite African violets), and painting her collection of Indian statues. She loved all that. She was especially well known for her one-of-a-kind delicious cupcakes- sorry, there are no pictures of them because they never lasted long enough! Whatever she made she never sold; if someone showed an interest in having something she made, she gave it to them. Mom’s greatest gift was the gift of giving. It took me a while to see it, but I finally did.

Sometimes it takes us so long to see what family means to us and tries to teach us in their own way; and the only way they know how. Once they are gone, we lose the chance to say “Oh…now I get it! Now I understand why! Thank you! I love you!” We lose the chance to say that face to face. Please take the time to do it now. For all those thousands and thousands of times I should have said it and I should have said it face to face, “Thank you Mom! Now I get it! Now I understand why! I love you!” …and I miss you, Mom. Rest in peace.