Edith Orelia Direaux

Edith was the second child, first daughter of six to Willie and Clara Harrison.

She was given many titles, Sistee, Ma. Mama, Sugar, Nana, SugarNana, Aunt Edith, Edie and Mama E. Although not sure when this happened she elected, voted for and won the self-appointed title of Boss!

My grandma was a character and told us many funny stories:

She briefly attended Dillard University studying Nursing. While on rounds as a student she was asked to help a patient with his leg in a cast. She lifted the man’s leg and he screamed in pain. She got so rattled that she slammed his leg down and ran out of the room, thus effectively putting an end to her pursuit of nursing.

She was just about as Bourgeois as they come. We went to Lerner’s clothing store for me. The sales associate walked up to us to ask if we needed help, my grandma, with her nose turned almost upside down said, does it look like I would shop in a place like this?! As I had done many times before, I just said oh my God, hung my head and walked away.

Although she couldn’t fight a lick, her wit and her tongue were very sharp! In her younger years Uncle Bubbie (brother, Willie) and Tonti (sister, Ruby) fought her battles in her later years it was Lauren (great granddaughter)and I.

Once while arguing with a very disrespectful neighbor, he called my grandma out of her name, before Lauren and I could beat him down, my grandma screamed, YOMAMA, SIMPLE SIMON!! I mean, how do you come back from that.

She was also a fashion horse and loved shopping, not just for herself either. She loved dressing my grandfather, me and Lauren.

She was so well known at Nordstrom that salespeople would call her to let her know about upcoming sales and would put items away for her that they thought she would like. She had so many clothes that we STILL have clothes in the closet with tags on them from Bullock’s*.

She was very caring and giving and if she loved you, you knew it and felt it. If she really didn’t care for you, you knew it and felt it. To her, there was no one greater than a Harrison and because I was raised by a Direaux and many Harrison’s I can’t help but agree.

–Mechelle Direaux (Granddaughter)