I’m a Yankee, born and raised in the Great Lakes State. However, many of life’s most valuable lessons were taught through the lens of a memorable Texan, Vada Mercer Pitchford. Vada and her husband, Louis, (another proud Texan) were our neighbors where Louis taught history at Hillsdale College.
When I think of Vada, enthusiasm immediately comes to mind! Vada began her teaching career near Texas City where this enthusiasm offered a life-line during the 1947 disaster, our nation’s deadliest industrial accident. She recounted the fear, confusion, and challenges in the days that followed. After the shock of the initial explosion, she stood in front of the class, smiled and enthusiastically announced as if they were about to embark on a field trip, “Alright children, follow me!”
Vada also thought of food and recipes as heirlooms. While many northerners from my generation learned to avoid instant grits from the movie, My Cousin Vinnie, Vada demonstrated this lesson while teaching how to make her famous, cheesy pepper grits. She insisted that the dish must simmer for at least 30 minutes, sampling along the way. I can still hear her words of wisdom in that Texas drawl, “It’s the only way to know if you have the right amount of cheese and butter, honey!”
While growing up on a college campus offered many educational opportunities, Vada taught the value of what I like to call ten cent words. She shared the importance of looking beyond simple words: “Oh, that’s more than nice-it’s just lovely!” This gift extended into my years teaching Freshman Composition where I would encourage students, as Vada encouraged me, to dig deeper and find that perfect description.
Vada also passed along a love of classic jewelry, especially pearls. Louis and Vada were my sister’s Godparents. Each year, Muriel received a few pearls from them, completing her necklace on her 16th birthday. When Vada returned to Hillsdale to launch a scholarship in Louis’ memory, she noticed that I still didn’t have my own necklace, so she gifted hers, a wedding present from Louis.
In addition, Vada taught many of these lessons from a distance, imparting another valuable skill: The art of correspondence. When Louis began the long, slow march of Alzheimer’s, he retired to move closer to Vada’s family. I was around nine years old at the time and still remember that early, misty morning, waving from the yard as they drove away. Vada quickly began sending letters. I wrote back, putting those ten cent words to paper with a proper salutation, Dear Vada. We exchanged letters for over 30 years.
Vada’s legacy lives on through those many lessons and heirlooms. I only have to wear her string of pearls or prepare one of her recipes for those beautiful memories to surface. While these lessons of enthusiasm, vocabulary, correspondence, and cuisine are not unique to the Lone Star State, this “Great Lakes’ Yankee” will always view these gifts through that tough and lovely Texan.
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