A Sister's Tribute

Dec. 8, 2011

Memorial to Sue Taylor Mills

Sue was my big sister, and she was a good big sister.  She taught me a lot of "girl" things - how to do my hair, how to put on lipstick, how to pluck my eyebrows.  We gave each other home permanents and haircuts.  She taught me to drive (in her car).  Not too many years ago, we were talking about our growing up times, and apparently when I was a teenager, our mother would ask Sue if I should be allowed to go certain places and do certain things.  It seems that Sue occasionally said No.  She wondered if I hated her for that. I said I didn't know about it, and if I had, I would have just thought she was looking out for me.  Once, when I was pretty young, I rolled out of bed.  I was still half asleep.  Sue got out of bed, picked me up and put me back in bed.  Another way of looking out for me.  She was 7 when I was born, and she said she got a new baby sister to play with.  She was always warm and loving to me.  As well as being a talented musician, Sue was an excellent seamstress and made beautiful clothes, which I got to wear.  Our family always ate meals together, most of the time around the kitchen table.  Sometime in my childhood I started giving my mother a kiss after every meal.  Sue once asked why I did that, and Mother said it was my way of saying Thanks.  One time the seating around the table got rearranged and after the meal I kissed Sue.  We were both surprised.  If there was anything odd about our family, it was that we all liked each other and enjoyed being together.  Meal times were always fun, and we laughed a lot.  My friends thought I was lucky to have a big sister like Sue, and I thought so too.

Leta Jo Taylor Harlow