January 31 1885

Exactly one hundred and twenty three years ago, my maternal grandmother Maria Antonia De Vidts was born in the Koestraat in Pamel as the second child of Felix De Vidts (Pamel 1853 - 1940) and Blondina Muylaert (Denderhoutem 1849 - Pamel 1942).

The couple had five children :

Maria Adelina De Vidts (Pamel 1883 - 1883) - she lived for less than two months ;
Maria Antonia De Vidts, my grandmother (Pamel 1885 - Okegem 1949) ;
Adelina De Vidts (Pamel 1887 - 1890) - she died less than two years old ;
Adeline De Vidts (Pamel 1890 - 1981) ;
Petrus Joannes (Wannes) De Vidts (Pamel 1893 - 1922).

How soon memory fades : neither my mother nor her younger brother remembered more than three children : their mother, her brother Wannes and her sister Line.

My grandmother passed away in her house on the Rattenberg in Okegem on September 25 1949 after a very hard, difficult and painful life. She lost two sisters and a brother, although she will have had no memories about her elder sister ; she lost two sons ; and her life was marked by illness.

She had seven grandchildren, but knew only four of them. I was her first grandchild and she was my godmother. She was devoted to her grandchildren, but especially to me.

I was almost 9 years old when she passed away, but I treasure the memories I hold. I have written about her in previous posts.