I was in Charlotte, North Carolina a few weeks ago for my aunt Catherine's funeral. Koki, as we called her in the family, was my father's next younger sister.

As part of Schoettler's works she has developed a number of textiles known as the Mecklenburg Women Series. Among those works is a piece on Catherine Diggle Brown.

Koki was the 43rd woman in North Carolina accepted in to the Women's Auxiliary Army Corps in 1943. She mustered out a Captain. As I stood next to her coffin to tell a story about her I felt rough cloth, a United States flag, under my hand. She was buried, as she wished, with full military honors.

A dozen years ago when I became interested in family history I went straight to Koki. She had the bibles and the pictures and, best of all - the stories. And how she loved to tell them.

Once, when I called Koki she told me.  "I went down to the Court House the other day to visit Grand-daddy Cobb."

Now John Walter Cobb died November 9, 1926 but I knew exactly what she meant. A while back she sent me down for a visit. An early Register of Deeds of Mecklenburg County, NC, his portrait has hung on the Court House wall since he died.

"When I came in a young clerk came out from behind the counter and asked me - "can I help you, Ma'am' - just like I was an old lady or something. No, thank you, I told him.  I just came in to visit  my grand-daddy - that's him, third from the end."  She giggled as she told me about it.  

"Ellouise, you should have seen that boy's face - so, well, of course, I had to tell him all about John Walter."

Koki spun those yarns for me many times. She brought John Walter Cobb and many other of the "old ones" I never knew to life for me.

Koki spent years preserving the history of our family for us. She leaves a rich legacy of love, caring, humor, and many, many stories which let us know where we come from and who we are. I hope you have someone like Koki in your family.

Koki was particularly proud that she had the original uniform with the round hat - in perfect condition. The last time I visited with her she pulled the uniform out of the closet - declaring I can still fit into it - and modeled her hat. To learn more about women in the Army and the evolution of the WAC uniform go to www.awm.lee.army.mil