My mother, Martha Louise Ashby Neal, was part of the first Logan County Tobacco Festival Queen’s Pageant in the 1940s. That was a long time ago, since Mama celebrated her 89th birthday on Sept. 23.
Instead of having a “Beauty Pageant,” the school staff selected one person to be its “contestant.” That contestant put money jars in various stores around Logan County, and the person who secured the most money, won the pageant. I think Mama said that the Queen that year was Ruth Blewett from Chandlers, although she’s not positive that’s the right name. The contestants were placed on a float, and a ladies group decorated them like tobacco leaves using crepe paper. They held tobacco leaves in their hands.
My mom’s maiden name is Martha Louise Ashby Neal. Until she met my dad, Guy W. Neal, people called her Louise. My dad had an Aunt Louise, so he began calling her Martha. When we’re out and about, if someone says, “Louise,” I know when they knew her. Same when people say “Martha.”
Mama graduated from Auburn High School in 1942. There were 12 in her class. Even though she had all A’s, she couldn’t be valedictorian because she did not attend AHS all four years. She was awarded several medals though, to show her high achievement.
Mama and Daddy were married for 64 years. They married December 15, 1946. They had three children. My brother Alan has made his home in Logan County, and my sister, Susan Neal Clapp, who lives with her family in Prattville, Ala. I don’t live too far away in Lyon County. There are 9 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.
She worked for the Russellville Board of Education at the middle school for 19 years. Daddy ran his insurance company in Auburn.
Mama served in the Waves from 1944 to 1946. She and her friend Betty Henry were sworn in at Bowling Green University on her birthday, 9-23-44.
She was in the Waves stationed in Washington, DC in World War II. The day the war ended, there was so much jubilation in Washington that she couldn’t get through the crowds to get home. Everyone celebrated through the night.