Miss Emmy Witt

Today is a sad day for Miss Emmy Witt. She is morning the loss of her sister "Sissy". Emmy has taken care of her sister for the past few years. Before that Emmy took care of her mother and another sister. Emmy has been a caregiver her whole life. Emmy taught P.E. in the Paragould Public Schools until she retired. Having no children of her own she made the girls of her P. E. class her children. She was involved in the choir at the First United Methodist Church for as long as some can remember.

I know Miss Emmy well. Others know her better. My family moved to Paragould my Junior Year of high school. We moved here from Clarksdale, Mississippi. My dad had a business in Clarksdale and for several years he and we commuted. We moved because in 1971 the Clarksdale public schools were in turmoil and not many could afford private school for four while paying for a new freshman in college. I was devastated when my parents broke the news to me on my return from cheerleader camp at Ole Miss. It was a difficult decision for them and I am quite sure I made it more difficult for them. I left behind my friends, boyfriend and my way of life.

Miss Nancy Mahan and her children were already living here as well as Sam and Mary Virginia Smith and their children which in some ways made the transition more bearable. Blog followers will remember these two women and Sam, I might add had been friends of Sassy's since childhood. I would grow closer to these two families as we now not only would share an early childhood but a young adult life.

In spite of the fact that I had siblings and mother and her friends I was stubborn in my anger and sadness. Emmy is the one who saved me from drowning in my sorrows. She eased me into life in Paragould by involving me in activities that the active kids were involved in. I had fulfilled my credits in P E but for some reason Emmy liked me and wanted to help. She checked me out of other classes to drive her red convertible to the Dairy Queen for her lunch. Of course the happening kids wanted to go to. She made me a part of homecoming assemblies in any way she could. She pushed me into activities that a new girl was not usually involved in. I met people and began to like living in Paragould. I found myself wanting to stay here to participate with my new found friends. Months before would find me back in Clarksdale trying to maintain those relationships.

I will not question why she chose to help an angry teenager from Mississippi but I will always be grateful. I love Emmy Witt and I am sad for her today. How lucky we all were to have Emmy love us "Sissy" , me and all the others.