Maggie Lee Bland's Obituary
Mother (Maggie Lee Bland) was born December 22, 1933, to Sam and Samelia James in Shreveport Louisiana. She was one of seven children, Aunt Nettie, Aunt Birdia, Aunt Syletta, Aunt Bee (Minnie), Aunt Sammie, and Uncle Charles. Only two of mother’s siblings are still alive. My mother enjoyed spending time with her siblings and cousins. When they came together, it wouldn’t be complete without them gathering around a table to slam some bones. The name of the game is called “Dominoes”, and this was definitely their love language. Sometimes the game didn’t end well, but they all knew in the end, that the love they all had for each other outweighed a game of bones. Circling back, my mother moved from Louisiana in an effort to blaze her own trail. That trail blazing journey led her to Sacramento, California where she would reside for the most part of her life. She spent the last twenty-four years of her life in the great state of Washington, the Pacific Northwest. During mother’s time in California, she met and married Fred Bland, a respected blue collar man who owned “The Place” and a ranch with a plethora of healthy livestock. This union gave mother her son, Walter, and her one and only daughter, Freddie Renee. Mother also has a son named Gregory whom she gave birth to before she left Louisiana. Throughout mother’s life while in California, she worked at Mercy San Juan Hospital and the State of California (Library and Courts) where she ended up retiring after twenty plus years. When her children were young, mother made sure to be a staple in their lives by supporting them in their academic and athletic journeys. My big brother Walter says “mom was always present and supporting of us at our games, she should know that we all appreciated her so much”. In the year, 2000, mother decided to relocate to Washington, where her daughter Freddie Renee (Renee’s husband Larry retired in Washington after nearly thirty years of military service as a Sergeant Major), her little sister Sammie and little brother Charles resided. Finally, Mother was an excellent cook. To say “excellent is an understatement”. She cooked for her family every single day until I left home in my early twenties. Collard greens, hot water cornbread, fried chicken, fried catfish, neckbones, black-eyed peas, pork chops, cabbage, Sock it to Me Cake, 7-up Cake, peach cobbler, banana pudding (all of our desserts were homemade) grits, biscuits and gravy, just to name a few. Mother was able to enjoy travel in her latter years, visiting her grandchildren to places like Hawaii, Kentucky, South Carolina, and Washington state which she ended up loving. Mother is survived by seven grandchildren, Adrienne, Leticia, Shante, April, Katie Renee, Courtney, and Larry Jr, two great grandchildren, Treyvon and Jayce, a son-in-law, Larry Sr., her son’s Walter and Gregory, her only daughter Freddie Renee and countless nieces, nephews, and cousins. We love you mom and will miss you here on this earth, but knowing that you are absent from the body and present with our Lord Jesus Christ is the most amazing comfort that your family holds dear in their hearts. You are my heart print forever
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