Tuesday, November 14, 2023
On October 14th, 2023 my dear Granny took her last breath. Born October 28th, 1939 my Grandmother was a rare breed. She was fiercely independent, rich in talent and intelligence and nurturing to anyone in need. Jean was not only a daughter, wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother and friend she was also an entrepreneur, a real estate guru, a seasoned stock broker, a baker, a nutritionist, a geologist, a singer, a dancer and a comedienne.
Jean was one of the strongest women I have ever met. As I mourn losing her, I think of so many memories. I remember her taking my 5 year old self along with my brother and 2 cousins, Justin and Cody, in search of aluminum cans to trade in for money. We were all so excited to be with her as she told us stories and congratulated us for each can we found. Imagine our faces as we take our booty to the station and weighed our bag of gold to find out we earned $3.00. This was a bit of a letdown to all of as we sorted the change 4 ways, but her ability to make any task fun was uncanny – pun intended, Granny would have laughed at this.
I remember being so proud of my Granny, the woman entrepreneur in Sonoita. Putting together my most professional outfit and riding in her Bronco to Sonoita Antiques. I spent countless hours there, looking through antique books, pricing her merchandise and listening to the stories she created of where they came from and what they were used for. I was up for any task: including polishing all the wood pieces – if I close my eyes I can still smell the orange oil on my fingertips.
Edna Jean Sewell has inspired me in so many ways: becoming a female entrepreneur, finding strength in times of darkness and always creating adventure. I still use her advice for my girls: “kill them with kindness”, “you’ll catch more bees with honey than vinegar”, “a 100 pennies equals a dollar”. Perhaps the most impactful attribute of my Granny was her leadership. She supported everyone in their dreams. There wasn’t a person in need she would turn away. Jean found ways to provide for those in need whether it was financial (even taking from herself to help someone else), emotional (she was a therapist to many – including me), physical (she would clear a yard, fix a roof, work on HVAC) or simply a shoulder to cry on.
God is so blessed to have an angel like my Granny. She will be missed, but I will never let her memory fade and will continue to pass her legacy on to my children and my children’s children so that she may live on eternally.
Jean
By Kellie Jean Long
“Kill them with kindness” you say
as I gently push my packages your way,
packages filled with my troubles
Lip sticked lips and nails polished
Your scent envelopes me
As I feel my stress unload onto your shoulders
You hold my heart safely in your hands
Matter-of-fact, confident in your words
You have always been the keeper of my trust
Attributes I strive to keep close and never lose
Poise, empathy, kindness, confidence, resilience and perseverance
All-knowing, following an unwritten recipe that everyone wants
A sense of belonging
Being where you are meant to be
The right place and the right time
Selflessly giving love, guidance and time
Spending life taking care of others, sharing laughs
Harvesting troubles, planting seeds of hope
Endless energy, limitless intelligence and timeless elegance
Forever you will live, your presence growing
Through my stories and my memories
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