And it was! When he came strollin’ into the shop, he strolled his way right into her life! He was the perfect gentleman; charming, witty, and handsome!!! I mean he was the “Hollywood Hunk” of that day. Ladies, before there was Denzel, Blair, Shemar, and Tyson … there was Leroy. Down to the faded haircut, tailor made slacks, perfectly starched shirt, and shoes … HE WAS A LOVER OF SHOES! Sharp. No scripted lines, just pure, uncut romance. And Mom fell for him … HARD! But why wouldn’t she want to? He was the “truth,” and Mom had ALWAYS been a lover of truth.
From that point on, they were inseparable; except when he had to return to active duty. She’d wait for him to return, and each time he did the whirlwind of love grew stronger and stronger. In time they got married and had nine children. She was a stay-at-home Mom; he worked hard everyday to support us all.
One day in early 1964, Mom heard a knock at the door. When she answered, it was a face she had recognized from years before. It was Mrs. Maude, one of her best friend’s sister. After a brief hello, Mrs. Maude began to tell Mom of the things she had learned as a Bible student. Mom wanted so desperately to prove Mrs. Maude wrong. Trying to contradict everything they talked about, Mom gave Mrs. Maude a tough way to go. The story in the family is that Mrs. Maude would often leave our house, go around the corner, and cry because Mom had made it so difficult for her. Everything Mrs. Maude spoke about she backed up with the Bible. Yet Mom was no pushover … she loved truth and if you were gonna teach her something, you’d better have proof …
The study between Mrs. Maude and Mom lasted six years. One day, Mrs. Maude came by at her normal time for the study. Instead of pulling out her Bible and publication, she took a deep breath and said, “Dorothy, I’ve taught you everything I know. I’ve shown you everything I had to show you and I can’t do anymore.”
