Ella May Jackson Weathers was born on May 1, 1928 to James P. and Lula Louise Jackson, the sixth of eleven children. She was born in her parents’ bedroom in Reading, Pennsylvania. Her mom described her as, “a cute little baby that slept all day and stay up all night.” She continued the pattern throughout her life. Mom often spoke about her fond memories of Reading. A thick blanket of snow always brought excitement and memories of sliding down the hill near her house in the snow. Her father taught her, at six years old, how to exchange money when selling newspapers on the corner. She got up every day before school and sold papers. One week she made 30 cents. This began her attitude toward saving money. A host of early experiences, such as these formed the industrious, tenacious, and untiring spirit we saw in Mom.

She married the late Reverend Joseph Tull and they relocated to Philadelphia. There she gave birth to a daughter, Deborah Ann Tull. She and Reverend Tull later divorced and Ella and Deborah moved back to Reading.

She entered a nurses training program at Wernersville State Hospital, to support her young daughter. Ella landed her first job on the Psychiatric ward. She was responsible for calming down agitated and uncontrollable patients and putting them in an immersion tank. She loved working on the Psychiatric ward and had some wonderful stories to tell.

Industrious and visionary, she, in her early twenties, considered buying land to open up a restaurant across the street from Howard University. Before her venture could materialize, a terrible motor vehicle accident derailed her plans. The accident resulted in critical injuries—a fracture of the hip, patella, sternum, and skull, along with internal bleeding. Attendants placed her on the side of the hospital room to die. The next day the doctors were astonished she was alive, fighting for her life. Unconscious for twenty-nine days, they thought she would be a total “vegetable” and never walk or talk again. They did not know Ella May! Not only did she walk again, those injured legs marched with Martin Luther King Jr. to fight for civil rights. She walked the entire neighborhood to raise 36 pints of blood for a young boy with an unusual blood disease. She delivered Meal on Wheels for seniors. Those legs stood for hours in her husband’s office while he sutured patients. She walked back and forth soothing many babies, as a nurse, in The Well Baby Clinic where she worked. Not only did she talk again, she became an advocate for Domestic Violence Victims and for women. She used her voice to help keep the Catholic Schools open. She organized raffles, sold chicken dinners, held festivals. One summer, she raised over five thousand dollars to keep the doors of the school open. Not only did she regain her mental faculties, she became campaign manager for several elected Aldermen. She registered hundreds of people to vote. In 2000, she made 1,964 calls for her political party. Nothing was going to keep her from recovering and from living her fullest life. That industrious spirit and God Almighty keep her going.

While living her fullest life, she met Dr. William Weathers, and after dating briefly, they were married. He was a Captain in the U.S. Army. After several years of traveling in the military, they ended their travels in Louisville, Kentucky in1961. Mom devoted the rest of her nursing career to her husband’s practice. The first week of his practice, he did not have one patient. Mom went door to door to promote his practice. She handed out cards to everyone and told them, “There is a good looking doctor in town.” When patients came to the office and saw her there they would say, “What are you doing here?” Mom told them, “That good looking doctor is my husband.” She built his practice from no patients to the point they had to turn away patients.

Two things you knew if you visited Ella’s house. Frist, you were going to experience great southern hospitality and gain five to seven pounds. Mom was a true “Kentucky Gal.” Whatever on the menu, ribs or cake and ice cream, she served you with flair, insisted you eat seconds, and you prepared a plate to take home. No matter if it was seven people or seventy, she never ran out of food or Kentucky Bourbon. Second, you knew you were going to the horse races. She loved Kentucky horses and threw extravagant Kentucky Derby parties. There is a saying in Kentucky, “Kentucky is the land of beautiful women and fast horses.” Some people say it is “the land of beautiful horses and fast women.” Pick your choice.

Ella traveled and lived all over the world. She survived the typhoons of Okinawa. She watched the beautiful rains come down in Japan. Mom sat on the shores of Korea. She toured all of Germany and The Black Forest. She drank Pina Coladas on the beaches of Antigua and Montserrat. She marveled at Anne Frank’s home in Amsterdam .She camped out at the foot of the Eiffel Tower in Paris with her grandson William. Twenty years ago, she joined her daughter, Vivian, in North Carolina.

The biggest joys of her life were her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great grandchildren. She was so proud of her four daughters, the fruits of her labor. Ella would tell anyone who would listen about her girls. When Deborah first became a Methodist Minister, Mom told everyone Deborah “could preach better than T. D. Jakes.” When Rita was an accountant for Habitat for Humanity, Mom told all her friends “the only reason people were able to get free housing is because Rita managed the books.” When Vivian joined the faculty at East Carolina University, Mom told everybody “Vivian ran the whole school of Medicine.” The moment Denise became President of the Board of Alderman, Mom told everyone “Denise was more important than the Mayor of Louisville”. Ella Weathers was a trailblazer from the first day of her life to her last 90 years.

Ella leaves to celebrate her life two sisters, Mrs. Ruth Jackson of Reading, Pennsylvania; Mrs. Shirley Jackson of Maryland; four daughters, Reverend Deborah Speakes of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Mrs. Rita Mason and her husband, retired CMSAF Maurice Mason , Jr. of Richmond, Kentucky; Dr. Vivian Weathers-Bryant and her husband Dr. Dwayne Bryant of Apex, North Carolina; and, The Honorable Denise Bentley of Louisville, Kentucky; seven grandchildren, Jamal Speakes and his wife Bernadette; William Robinson and his wife Kristie; Michael Robinson and his wife Brandy; Jeremiah Speakes and his wife Toya; Maurice Mason lll and his wife Beth; Candice Bentley-Braxton and her husband Xavier; Marcus Bentley, and James Mason; thirteen great grandchildren, Ashley Miller and her husband Shakil; Sharar Speakes, Amber Robinson, Dymond Robinson, Jamal Speakes, Jr., Michael Robinson, Jr., Hazel Speakes, Aleyah Bentley, Jade Robinson, Zander Mason, Ezekiel Robinson, Jeremiah Speakes, Jr., and William Robinson, Jr.; three great-great grandchildren, Jayceon Miller, Camerie Fishback, and Callie Miller.

It takes a village to care for an aging senior. Everyone tries to do their part. A few people deserve a honorable mention. William Robinson came over to his grandmother’s house every night, for four years, to watch television and eat a bowl of ice cream. Ashley Miller gave up a summer to help her great grandmother. Yolanda Morris, Delores Plummer, and Fatima Bardon assisted with Mom through the years. Dr. Dwayne Bryant, her son-in- law, supervised her medical care in the hospital, sat with her in the emergency room, took her to the doctor, help pay for her care, and laughed with her when he fed her dinner . A very special thank you for Rex Rehab and Nursing Care for the excellent care they gave Mom.