Longstreath

CAIN

Let’s Get Acquainted—Our Beloved “Aunty Geek” AKA Bessie Adeline Cain Longstreath

As we recently lost our dear “Aunty Geek” it seemed appropriate that this first publishing should feature her life and times. We realize there have been other recent family losses but hope no one will take offense.

Before we proceed we should explain how Bessie got to be “Geek.” Jessie started calling her by the nickname “Beek” when they were young girls, and it is believed that Janice Hilburn Patterson may have said “Geek” when trying to pronounce “Beek;” the rest is history.

Bessie Adeline Cain was born to her proud parents James Allen and Mary Lou Belle Garner Cain on July 17, 1914, in Logan County Arkansas near the small towns of Dublin and Blaine. The last of 12 siblings born into the hard times her family and so many others faced, she had a long row to hoe over the next almost 87 years until her death on Election Day 2000. Farming amongst the Arkansas rocks was a hard life, and after her father passed away, her mother and sisters Ada and Jessie, were forced to move to Pine Island, Louisiana to be near family. In fact, during these next few years, they lived with the Manning and Ward families in order to make ends meet. During this time, they “took in laundry” as well as other manual labor tasks to earn enough money to feed and clothe themselves.

During the time she lived with May and Elmer Ward, she met and dated Elmer’s half-brother, Dallas Richard Longstreath who was also living with May and Elmer. It is believed their romance was one of the more interesting in the family, since they didn’t have to leave home to have a date. Nevertheless they would go outside and sit in the car on a date with James Ward along for a “chaperone”.

They married June 30, 1934, and proceeded to make their way, working a variety of jobs in the Louisiana “oil patch”, the Beaumont TX shipyard, Kelly Field in San Antonio TX, and even tried a stint in Denver CO before deciding the mile high elevation was not to the liking of Dallas (who it is remembered had respiratory problems, as that it took too long to cook a pot of beans!). Moving back to Cotton Valley LA after the conclusion of World War II, they partnered with Meredith and Jessie Hilburn to open the Variety Five and Dime Store and operated that store for 2—3 years until Dallas found employment at CVOC (Cotton Valley Operators Committee) refinery. During their journey she gave birth to a daughter, Donna Longstreath Teague at Cotton Valley (March 29, 1940).

On December 31, 1947, a severe tornado hit CV during the visit of Ada Barker and her two children — Joyce and Jon. Eighteen people were killed and two-thirds of the buildings in Cotton Valley were damaged or destroyed including the Longstreath home, and Aunty Geek suffered severe injuries to one of her knees and her back, which caused her long-term health problems. Ada was also injured, suffering some broken ribs and the expected cuts and bruises. Jon was “banged up” but had no serious injuries. Donna and Joyce were not “blown away” as they were at the movie theater just a few blocks away which escaped the carnage.

They re-built their home, including a storm cellar, as this was the second time Aunty Geek had been in a tornado. Ultimately they sold their CV home and moved to CVOC Camp housing, then several years later moved to Sarepta LA. At Sarepta, they had 38 acres on which they raised a garden and livestock to include cows and pigs, and Aunty Geek raised chickens commercially for several years, supplementing Dallas’ CVOC income.

After a rather lengthy bout with diabetes and complications, she lost her dear husband Dallas May 30, 1990. The last two or more years Dallas lived, she was his care giver, seeing to his every need with minimal assistance from home health or neighbors.

Even though in her last years she was crippled with arthritis, she refused to leave home and was still taking care of all her basic needs with little assistance. She was unable to drive due to her poor vision and had on a couple of occasions become disoriented while driving, so Jessie and Linda Hilburn became her legs and eyes outside the home, shopping and running other errands for her.

As previously mentioned Aunty Geek passed away very peacefully of natural causes on November 7, 2000 at her home in her favorite chair. She is survived by her daughter Donna, her grandson Richard Teague and a great-granddaughter Dallas. Her memorial services were conducted Saturday Nov 11, 2000, at the Cotton Valley Pentecostal Church by Rev. Kenneth DeHart, pastor of the church, and by our relative, Rev. Nathan Dupree. She was laid to rest alongside Dallas at the Union Springs Cemetery located near Shongaloo LA. A map depicting the cemetery location is provided on the last page.

The following section contains some of the remarks attributed to family members that best describe Aunty Geek, some of which were used during her memorial services.

These remembrances say a lot about the kind of person we all knew and loved, and now miss so very much:

She was loving and caring and very tender hearted, loving both her family and her animals.

She knew how to make one feel special. As Nathan said during her services, he was convinced that he was her favorite, because she always made him feel special, even naming a cow after him — a city slicker. Donald Hilburn believed he was her favorite because she always spoiled him, especially with Apricot Crème Pie. She would always ensure that he got a piece of any pie she made, even hiding a piece until he was able to eat on the side when necessary. During a recent visit to Farmerville LA, Margaret (Babe) Ward told Donald that Aunty Geek made the same pie for her — Donald doesn’t care; he is still convinced he was her favorite!

She was fiercely independent, steadfastly refusing to receive anything, while willingly giving the “shirt off her back.”

She loved to work outdoors preferring to do the chores in the garden, barnyard or chicken house to house-keeping.

She loved flowers and raised some of the most beautiful Christmas Cacti.

She was willing to help others — always pitched in to assist the Hilburn family whenever they needed it, especially during harvest time.

She didn’t like to be outdone or “licked” by anything.

She loved the Dallas Cowboys, but could not bear to watch them lose. So whenever they would fall behind she inevitable would turn the game off. (She didn’t watch much Cowboy football the last couple of years!)

As previously noted she loved her cows but was not above meting out discipline with the infamous “wham pole.”

She missed her calling—she could have been a winning race car driver as she liked to “get on down the road.”

Other familiar quotes:

“I can hear the birds a singin.”

“Until you’re better paid”

“What did you come for, a coal?”