Mattie Blanche Lasiter Allred of Spring, Texas passed away Sunday, January 7, 2018. She was born on September 1, 1932 to Albert and Wilma Lasiter in Shreveport, Louisiana. Her hearts desire was to show her love for God and share her love to others. To those she loved she had many names: Mattie, Pat, Aunt Pat, Momma, Ms Allred, and Memaw.

She was known as Mattie to her friends and family that she grew up with as a little girl in the Queensborough section of Shreveport. In that small section of a small town everyone knew all their neighbors, and their neighbors' family. Everyone walked to school and church. She grew up in a time where nobody locked the screen door. Children played outside together all day gathering on porches or vacant lots. The only limit to the games they played was their imagination. Radio was their window to the world.

As a teenager she gave herself the nickname Pat. That was the name our Dad called her when he didn't call her "Honey'. They were married on September 11, 1950 at Queensborough Baptist church. Mom and Dad shared fifty-six happy years together.

On her wedding day she added the name Aunt Pat, since my Dad already had several nieces and nephews. Mom's sisters gave her many more nieces and nephews. Each of them still share fond memories of staying with Mom and Dad.

My sisters and I called her Momma. We knew that she loved us as she taught us manners. We were taught to respect others and their property. She was not the kind to wait for Dad to get home for discipline, and there was a switch on top of the refrigerator to remind us.

To our friends from school or church she was Ms Allred. All the kids in our neighborhood came to our front yard or back yard to play because we had rules to play fair and respect each other.

To her grandchildren and great-grandchildren who could do no wrong she was Memaw. She was not shy to express her opinions to them though.

Her prayer was that all of us would know the Lord and join her one day in heaven. We will all miss her.