Florine Langston Savage

She was preceded in death by just about everyone - 20+ siblings and siblings-in-law, but most importantly, her adoring husband, Brinson Savage, whom she was married to for 53 years until his passing. Florine leaves a devoted daughter, granddaughter, and grandson-in-law, Earlene Griffin and Margo and Ken Henke. She also leaves a host of loving nieces, nephews, grand nieces and nephews, other relatives, and friends who will miss her joyful playfulness.

A memorial graveside service was held on Friday, November 11, 2016 at Holly Springs Cemetery with Rev. Donna Banks officiating.

A memorial service to celebrate Florine's life will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, January 28, 2017 at St. Francis UMC in Cary, NC.

Since Florine loved being outside in nature, outdoor plants that may be nurtured in her remembrance are appreciated, or memorials in Florine's name may be made to Transitions LifeCare.

-The following is a narration from Florine's 100th birthday celebration-

1912 was an eventful year - Juliette Gordon Low started the Girl Scouts, the first two Yoshimo cherry trees were planted in our nation’s capital, the Oreo cookie and Lifesaver mint were created and the unsinkable Titanic sunk. It was also the year of the formation of the country’s oldest black athletic conference, the CIAA (Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association). Born during a time of lynchings and Jim Crow, the CIAA survived and prospered – and as of last year drew a crowd of 190,000 fans who left $44.3 million in North Carolina’s Queen city.

Born in that same year in Sardis, MS on April 12th, Florine Langston has much in common with the CIAA. As the fourth child of ten born to a sharecropper, John “Big Poppa” Langston and his wife Lucy Hodges, Florine was born two generations from slavery into that same era of segregation. Not that she noticed – at first. As a little girl, Rena, nicknamed after her maternal grandmother, spent her days at school or working in the field and evenings full of chores like shelling peas or staying up all night to pick the white balls out of cotton. Big Poppa kept a tight rein on his children and was a hard taskmaster. But he also taught his ten children to sing gospel songs in harmony and shared his expertise in farming. Mama Lucy was a lovely and gentle spirit who taught her girls how to sew and her children about God and love. Although there was always work to do, Rena did have some opportunities to play with her rag doll “Scootchie” and tease her sisters about EVERYTHING – which they would later repay her. Still, Rena longed to see the world outside of the farm. She would run to the edge of the property in Memphis, Tennessee and watch cars drive by with white people going to and fro. She would wave at them and some would wave back. They looked like they were having so much fun! And Rena wondered where they were going and what they would do when that got there. So one day she thought she would find out when a little white girl ran over to her and slowly touched her hand. Instead, she heard a shrill cry over the girl’s shoulder, “Don’t touch that nigger! Don’t ever let me catch you touching no nigger!” The little girl returned to her mother, looking back at Rena. They looked each other in the eye - both still curious about the other and not understanding what just happened. This first encounter with racism was a cruel and sad memory.

Although Rena would come to understand more about racism, she did not let it define her life. An outgoing young lady d5, she caught the attention of a hardworking and determined young man named Brinson Savage. When Big Poppa refused to let him marry Rena, Brinson told him “You just whilest to give her to me cause we’re going to get married.” To which, Big Poppa told his older brother, Andy, who had accompanied Brinson, “She can marry him but I ain’t gonna give her to him.” This was the beginning of a stand- off that would last 2 years where Big Poppa carried a rifle and told everyone that he was going to shoot Brinson on sight. On January 2, 1934, Brinson (or as Rena called him, Brent) would become her life partner and major force throughout their 53-year marriage. In fact, Big Poppa would eventually come to rely on Brent as well – living with the couple at one point, having Brent help to build his last home and Brent & Rena helping him with his home care toward the end of his 98 year old life. The relationship with her Poppa, brought full circle, underscores Rena’s philosophy about life – love, forgiveness and more love.

Although Rena seemed to understand how to love and forgive intuitively; she was more naïve about other things. During her first pregnancy, she was so excited that she made a huge pile of clothes for her little baby. So when her mother and sister quietly started sewing more clothes, she realized that her clothes were too small and would only fit her doll - not a real baby. Even her sister, Johnella,- notorious for her sharp tongued criticisms - felt sorry for Rena and said nothing.

Raised, having a great work ethic, Rena was never idle. Her first – and only – job was working as a domestic for the Rutlands where she cooked and took care of their daughter Kim. Never stingy with her love, she fell in love with Kim and raised her like her own. Brent never wanted her to work, so she became a homemaker whose main interests were gardening, sewing and children. Eventually, wanting to have her “own” money, Rena persuaded Brent to send her to Beauty School. She opened a shop in their home and Saturday was her busiest day – she would work late into the evening then get up and go to church all day.

Rena absolutely loved children and had planned to have a house full, but she and Brent only had two. Unfortunately, their first, Pauline, died after a month. However, Earlene, their second child would be the sole recipient of all the motherly love she had stored up. What a lovely family the three of them made. She was proud of Earlene and VERY protective. She would put a bow on Earlene’s hair, so that she could find her in the crowd. She was known to shout “Leave that little girl with the bow on her head alone.” to anyone foolish enough to bother Earlene at the segregated pool in the Orange Mound suburb of Memphis, Tn. Eventually, she would have a grandchild, Margo. Although this child technically belonged to Earlene, well…. In her first marriage, Earlene had been told she would not be able to have a child, so when she did, Rena was right there in the Chicago hospital to take her only grandchild into her arms. Back at home, Margo’s light skin gave Rena an opportunity to navigate racism in a different way. When the beauty shop appointments seemed unusually slow, word got back to Rena that some said, “I’m not going to help her pay for that little white girl’s milk.” On the other hand, when riding the city bus, bus drivers would tell Rena repeatedly to “sit up front with that child.” Finally, getting the gist of how this could play out, Rena would take Margo, sit her at Kress’ lunch counter, in Memphis, Tenn., in the early 1960’s, order a grilled hot dog and drink, eat in companionable silence, pay and leave. It wasn’t until recently after Margo asked HOW did we sit at that lunch counter? - Rena smiled and said, “Nobody asked me.”

Still Rena’s love of children was that unselfish kind that always seemed to expand beyond her immediate family. So throughout her life her home was full of nieces, nephews, cousins and Earlene’s friends and later, Margo’s friends. Besides good country food like homemade biscuits and small, tasty pancakes (that really didn’t need butter), “Mrs. Savage” would dish out sound advice using risqué examples too colorful to be put in print or read aloud. Let’s just say that the recipient always remembered the advice and it was added to a long list of “did you hear what Aunt Rena said? – or what Ms. Savage said? depending on the audience. Even neighbors’ kids would find their way over and church kids would stay between 11 o’clock service and evening service (saving the parents a trip home) – since Rena lived across the street from Mt Zion Baptist Church. One of her favorite punishments was to put the unruly child’s head between her knees with their hands and legs flailing behind them – the kid would half – heartedly struggle to get free, screaming “let me go/get me out of here.” When released, the child would come right back for more, abandoning the bad behavior that got him/her there in the first place. Not sure what child-care experts would say today, but it sure was fun and effective then.

Rena and Brent also ministered to their siblings and elders bringing Earlene and Margo along to help. Besides, Big Poppa, they cared for each other’s siblings and friends – once taking in a family of 9 into their small home, visiting the sick and shut in as well as those in the hospital and taking care of some through hospice circumstances.

In 1987, a life-changing event occurred that would forever shift the dynamics of the Savage family. Brinson Savage, husband, father, grandfather, brother, brother-in-law, uncle, cousin and friend died of cancer in July 1987. For the first time in her life, Rena was without Brent.

Nobody – not her daughter, granddaughter, family or friends – could help her with this grief.

Florine remembered when she prayed to God to give her a husband. Then, she looked back over the long road they had travelled as a young, inexperienced couple. This quiet man with his strange sense of humor c3 had shown her what lay beyond the farm. He had loved her family like his own had enjoyed being a husband and father acted like a little boy each Christmas buying apples, oranges and nuts that would last throughout the summer. Because of their love and commitment, they would enjoy renewing their vows on their 50th wedding anniversary put together by Earlene. She remembers how they sat on the edge of their bed – waiting nervously like a collective bride to be – for Margo to come get them and bring them in front of the pastor. She also remembers Brent being a great provider. After being laid off at Illinois Central railroad a few years before retirement, Brent worked 2 jobs long enough to ensure she got the best benefits when he passed. Above all else, she would miss their time together when they would go on Sunday drives in the country (Mississippi) or walk through the mall and giggle at silly jokes that only they understood. Rena would miss this God-fearing, church going man who was always right.

As Rena worked through these memories, her dear sister Elizabeth and her daughter, Mary came down from New York to support her. Rena and “Sistah” had talked some before the service and planned on talking more afterwards. That was not to be. Unbelievably, at Brent’s funeral, Rena’s sister, Elizabeth, had a stroke and died that same day.

That was 25 years ago and there is not a day that passes where she doesn’t think about or talk to Brent. She is certain that he is just as amazed as she, at her opportunities for adventure and travel -- which brings tears of gratefulness all the way to and from any destination. After several visits to NC, she called one day – at the age of 91 – and said she was ready to put her house on the market and move to NC. Margo is convinced that she moved to NC to be closer to her grandson-in-law, Kenneth Henke. Rena always wanted a little boy and now she has him. They are both doers who love to tease and share a joy in gardening. In fact, it was during a trip with Ken to a strawberry patch, she fell, hitting directly on her hipbone, breaking it. Since that day in 2005 she relies on her “rollator” to get around and no longer has an appetite for strawberries.

Along with travel and gardening, Ms. Flo still enjoys sewing, keeping her grand-dogs, wearing her hats and gardening- which she performs by sitting in a chair, working one area at and time and then moving to another. She is a last survivor from both the Langston and Savage siblings and has lived through 100 yrs of history – Jim Crow, the Civil Rights Movement, sanitation workers marching right downtown led by Martin Luther King Jr and hearing about his death on the local news. On the other hand, she got to vote for the first Black President. She has listened to radio dramas, black & white TV, Color TV to cable, DVD, 3D and more. All of that is impressive. But the main thing that moves her is love – being able to give and get love – to great neighbors, new friends, church family, and new generations, in addition to her beloved family. She is still that little girl reaching out to touch hands.

Many things are different – her hearing is not as good, she can’t hop up quickly if she falls like she used to do and her sinus troubles strangle her voice off, making it difficult to talk. But look into those eyes and you will see that little girl – giggling, still curious and ready for the next big adventure.