Hats, skillet, fried chicken: Morven matriarch celebrates 90th birthday

MORVEN — Ms. Lee E. Love celebrated her ninetieth birthday this Monday, August 7, 2023.

Born and raised in Anson County, and now resides in Morven, Ms. Love has known the joy of bringing eight lives into the world as well as the pain of loss. She tragically lost a daughter to leukemia when she was only three years old. This tragedy came not far ahead of the loss of the love of her life, her husband.

Seeing that she now had seven children to raise on her own, Ms. Love put on her trademark smile and went to work for Tyson Chicken in Monroe. Working for them for over thirty years, she retired in 1989; Ms. Love never accepted any handouts or assistance.

“Our mother has definitely stood the test of time,” states Love’s daughter Alberta with pride.

During her lifetime, Ms. Love experienced the many changes that have come to America. She experienced the Great Depression, segregation and de-segregation, even sending a man to the moon! Ms. Love was taken out of school in the eighth grade in order to assist her sharecropper parents in the fields. The second oldest of fourteen kids, she began cooking for the adults out picking cotton at age eight. Her culinary talents recognized even then, Ms. Love still participated in picking cotton. Despite her stunted education, Ms. Love is known for her brilliant mind and ability to remember dates, births, weddings, graduations; she remembers all the family milestones!

“We call her our walking rolodex,” Alberta jokes.

Her imprint in the community cannot be overstated.

Ms. Love’s home is known amongst her family and friends as the place for Sunday dinners. A living embodiment of hospitality, good food and fellowship can always be found at her door. Alberta describes the sweet potato pie her mother is known for as, “so sweet it melts in your mouth.”

Also known for her fried chicken, Ms. Love uses a family heirloom cast iron skillet to serve up her down home masterpieces. The skillet dates back to the mid-late 1800’s. While to some it may seem an unimposing piece of cookware, to Ms. Love it is a testament to their families struggles and endurance. Believed to have survived with the family through slavery, it will be past down to one of Ms. Love’s daughters who shares her cooking passion. Alberta says her mom’s skillet may be old but it “still fries the best fried chicken around these parts!”

Love is the person her friends and family seek out for advice and wisdom. Her rich life experiences, unique ability to understand people, and placid demeanor have made her an anchor in the lives of the members of the Little/Love families. Alberta states that Ms. Love’s best piece of advice is to, “be true, be authentic. Tell the truth even if you know it is going to hurt.” She remarks that her mother can be brutal in her honesty at times but always remains neutral when giving advice on solving disputes.

Though retired, Ms. Love still likes to go out on the town, going on an occasional shopping spree to the Walmart in Cheraw.

Thanks to a tradition started by her late daughter, Lillie Love, each Christmas and April the family gathers for some much needed relaxation and fellowship at the beach. It is on these special trips that Ms. Love gets to take a break from cooking and dip her toes in the sand.

Another joy of Ms. Love’s is hats. Alberta states that her mother “is a very classy lady who loves her hats!” A wish on Ms. Love’s bucket list was for her family to have an elegant tea party when she passed away. The family decided not to wait, instead fulfilling their matriarch’s wish last year. A grand tea party was held in her honor at the Twin Valley Golf Club in Wadesboro. Yes, everyone wore magnificent, ornate hats!

This year, Ms. Love’s birthday coincides with the fifth annual Little/Love Family reunion, where her loved ones will celebrate her in style. Looking back at her mom’s long life, Alberta admonishes us all to “cherish and enjoy the precious moments with your family and friends.”