Naomi Lorene Webb-Harris

There are people in this world who don’t just live—they light up the lives of those around them. Granny, was one of them. She was fiery, direct, and strong-willed, with a heart big enough to hold an entire family together. She was the glue that bound us all, the voice that guided us, and the warmth that filled every room she walked into. She loved and she loved hard! She made everyone she knew feel like they were her family.

Granny had a way of making every moment unforgettable. Whether we were gathered around the kitchen table, sitting in the car, or just lounging in the house, when she spoke, we listened. Her stories weren’t just words—they were lessons, laughter, and love wrapped up in the way only she could tell them. Being born in the midst of the Great Depression, she lived a full life. She not only lived through a lot of changing times, but she overcame every obstacle she was ever faced with and she did it with grace. This is just a brief example of why she was the most resilient woman many of us will ever have the honor of knowing. Her life stories were not only inspiring and empowering, but they were the true definition of strength and determination.

Nothing brought her more joy than having her home filled with family, especially the sound of children’s laughter echoing through the house. She loved each of us fiercely, without condition or hesitation. She was stunning—inside and out—wise beyond measure, and simply extraordinary.

Granny knew this day would come. She prepared us and warned us of what we would feel and what we needed to do so that she could leave this world in peace knowing her family would not be sad but rather be happy that she gets to dance with Angels and breathe deep again. She understood grief. She lost many along her long journey through life. She knew exactly how she wanted to go: surrounded at home by family. She was not scared. She was not worried about us; she knew she had done everything right. She passed in peace with grace, beauty, and dignity. She met God exactly how she wanted to and she gave us the strength to handle this moment in life. Granny never failed us; she always guided us. Even through the hardest part of life, she helped us get through it and she will continue to do so from up above.

We will always remember her quirky, southern sayings, such as “any old barn looks good with a new coat of paint”, her firmness when she didn’t want to do something as she said “Now, I ain’ta gonna do it!”, or her way of saying “don’t make a mess in the kitchen” as “quit messin’ and gommin’!”. We will carry her lessons, her strength, and her warmth in our hearts; forever grateful that she was ours. Though we will miss her beyond words, her love, her stories, and her fiery spirit will live on in each of us.

Granny, now you’ve got your new coat of paint and like LeeAnn Womack said, “we hope you dance!”.

Rest peacefully, Granny (GG). You were, and always will be, so extremely loved.