Frances Snipes

I am going to a funeral tomorrow for a woman, who could be best described as the mirror-image of my Mother. Her name was Frances Snipes. She and her husband Roger knew my parents in New Orleans around the time I was born. In fact, Roger was one of my father's students. When Daddy went to Columbia to be head of the South Carolina Baptist Convention's Sunday School Department, he asked Roger to be his right-hand and had up the Adult work. The Snipes were so close to our family, that my father would often call me "Roger" instead of "Walter". Mrs. Snipes and my Mother had many things in common. For one, they looked a lot alike and could have been sisters. They also loved to read. They had three children--Vonda, Cynthia and Stephen. Vonda was the closest to my age. She was the one who invited me to join the youth choir on January 4th, 1970 at Kilbourne Park Baptist Church. She was the catalyst that effectively saved my lfe. I would be dead now, if it hadn't been for that invitation. I taught Steve how to read. So, I have a lot of history with that family. When I decided to leave Macy's last year, Frances Snipes was the first person that I told. We rejoiced in the decision. The next day, she and Roger came in the store, and we had a prayer on the floor. Roger has been the one with ill health, having heart problems. Frances was the one with the strength, but she was called to Heaven first. We cannot plan things like that. We always thought that Daddy would outlive Mother, but that was not God's plan. So, the next two days will be difficult. The visitation will be this afternoon, and I will see a lot of people I haven't seen in years, but it will be just like yesterday. The funeral tomorrow should be a celebration. A celebration of love, faith, and going forward. But, there will be tears. When someone dies rather suddenly, you can't prepare for it as well. You must hold on to your faith. It is okay to cry. When my Mother died, many people referred to her as "a lady". Frances Snipes was a lady. I wish there were more of them.