Mabel Mae Riddle Smith Clinedinst

Born: August 4, 1906

Died: April 29, 1969

Mabel – or Big Go Go as I use to call her - was my grandmother and the mother of Robert Lee Smith . I called her that because she was all of 4’11” and my other grandmother was only 4’10". She was a very loving and caring person. She worked for as long as I can remember first in a factory and then at the hospital in Valparaiso, Indiana in housekeeping. She was always there to do whatever she could and would come and take care of me at times when I was sick and my mom needed to go to the store, etc. Sometimes too she would just watch me when my parents would go shopping, etc. I use to love for her to make me tuna fish sandwiches.

I can remember going to my grandparent’s house every Saturday night so that my parents ( Mom and Dad ) and grandparents could play pinochle. While they played cards my brother and I would watch tv in the living room and for a treat we would have Colby cheese and Orange Crush until the pizza came. I know that sounds strange, but it is what we wanted. I can remember going there for several years and then after my brother, Geoff, died in 1965 we would continue to go but I watched tv by myself and it was not as much fun. As I got older I was able to sit out at the kitchen table and “help” my grandmother play. I always had fun doing that. Sometimes it was so late when they got done playing cards I was able to stay overnight. I would get up on Sunday morning I would get up and have cold pizza for breakfast. I always thought that was wonderful.

We would always go to my grandparent’s house for New Years Day. The men would be watching tv and the woman were always cooking and cleaning up afterwards. I always had a good time at my grandparent’s house. Their house had an attic that had these really steep stairs to get up there and there were two twin beds up there and a large walk in closet. Sometimes I would go up there and lay down or play just to be by myself.

My grandmother got ill when I was in 6th grade with cancer. She had a real hard time too. Unfortunately she did not go to the doctor soon enough to find out what was wrong because she felt she knew what she had. She ended up with cancer throughout her stomach, female organs and it kept spreading. A matter of fact, they did surgery on her to try to get it and said that it was hopeless and closed her back up. I can still remember those last few months watching her lay there in the hospital. It was not something that I will never forget.

When my mom was in the hospital one of her roommates use to work with my grandmother and we sat and talked about her for almost an hour. It was nice to talk to someone that remembered her. I miss her and know that one day I will see her again. God Bless you Big Go Go. I love you.