By Jack M. Willis
Journal Correspondent

There is a very gracious lady residing in the Ebenezer Community of Jackson Parish who is one of the best home-style cooks Almighty God ever created. Her fried apple pies are some of the tastiest in the world, and she is known in her home church of Caney Lake Baptist as the "Pie Lady" because of her penchant for blessing new attendees at the church with a visitation and a gift of her home-made specialties.

Mrs. Roby Barr Ryals is also a Master Quilter and her hand-sewn masterpieces are much desired as gifts by her kin and special friends. A year or so ago her sister, Jean Brown, felt led to document the early life of this very precious lady. Here is her version of the biography of a grande dame possessed of a lot of intestinal fortitude and faith in her Lord.

"It is difficult for many people today to picture the way of life that existed during the late 30's and the early 40's. In rural America electricity was generally not available. It was common to cook the food and heat the home through the use of wood. In Jackson Parish, Louisiana, like the rest of the nation, the citizens were just coming out of the Great Depression. Their wealth was not determined by dollars, rather by land, livestock, pigs, chickens, and the food they had canned from their gardens.

It really was a time when self-sufficiency and their faith in God was the most valuable possession they had.

The modern conveniences we know today were rare in the rural country, and yet it was from this society that a large number of our citizens came, traveling across the nation to large military bases to prepare and train to defend our country. Cell phones were unheard of, and many came from an area where phones were inaccessible. Communications depended heavily on U.S. Mail and Western Union Telegraph. This was the setting of the old Dave Barr home in the Ebenezer community. Pearl Harbor was bombed. The war had started.

The draft notice came in the mail and Edwin Ryals had been drafted. Like many other families, a going away party had been held at the old Barr place.

Other families in the community came. Edwin and his wife, Roby Elizabeth Barr Ryals had built their home on the place, and only about mile away lived Roby's mother and two sisters. The party was held at Verona Barr Brown's home. There was an undercurrent of sadness at the party, but everyone attempted to think of a better day to come. Conversation turned to the subject of dogs. Someone happened to mention that Gloria Jean's dog had been killed on the road. When she began to cry, Mr. Evan Wyatt said, "I don't blame her. If it was one of my dogs, I would cry too." Nothing was said but Edwin knew he would be separated from his valuable dog. He had a very good squirrel dog that he would be leaving. After he left, that prized dog, whose reputation was well known, went missing, never to be seen by the family again.

The sad day of departure came in November, 1942, as Edwin departed with other boys from Jonesboro to go to Camp Joseph T. Robison in Little Rock, Ark. He asked Roby not to cry. This was a hard day for everyone who knew and loved Edwin. Like many other families, no one knew what the future would bring. Changes in what had been known as a good normal life were coming fast.

After basic training, Edwin was shipped to Eureka, California. He and Roby had been married 5 1/2 years, and separation was not part of their plan.

Roby determined that she would go and join him but she did not share this with Edwin. Her plans were known at Ebenezer Baptist Church, and people were helpful to give advice. They also told Roby about a family who had migrated to California years before. Their last name was Adkins, and she was encouraged to look for them, but no one gave an address or other information.

Roby was young and had not traveled very far from home, but this didn't stop her from making plans to go and be with her Edwin. Her mother did what she could to help Roby on her trip. Verona fried chicken so that Roby would have food to eat on this long trip. She started her trip on Wednesday, May 24, 1943. A kindly neighbor came for her, and as they pulled out on LA 4, her last remembrance was seeing he younger sisters, Gloria Jean and Imogene waiting for the school bus. At Jonesboro she boarded a bus and traveled to Shreveport. It was there that she began a new experience, one that would last for five days; a train trip to Eureka, California.

To Be Continued

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