Blog 94: A Tribute to a Kind and Loving 5-Foot Giantess

     

By Attorney Deborah A. Nance (Guest Writer)

The Late Christine Long Nance

     The year was 1938.  The event was the birth of a baby girl to a homemaker and a brick mason apprentice. The wonderful thing was that the baby grew up to be a 5-foot-tall giantess.  The baby’s name was Christine Long Nance.
     Most would define a giantess as a woman who is super-sized in height. So, how can a 5-foot-tall woman be a giantess? Well, Christine Long Nance was a giantess in ways too numerous to relay here.  But indulge me a bit and I will give you several examples.
     First, Ms. Nance was a woman with a giant faith in the power of God.  Early in her life, she united in Christian fellowship with Tabernacle Missionary Baptist Church. She shared her faith with many whom she met during her earthly life journey, including her daughter, the author of this story. 
     The elder Nance lived her faith in a giant way.  She housed, fed, clothed and/or provided financial gifts to numerous family members.  She offered words of encouragement to family members, neighbors, friends, her church family and strangers alike.  For many years following her retirement 20 years ago, she volunteered at Crisis Assistance Ministry, a non-profit ministry serving persons facing housing evictions, power turn-offs and other financial woes.
     Second, Ms. Nance was a giant believer in the power of education.  She commenced her formal studies at Biddleville Graded School where she was an honor student.  She continued to excel in her studies, including advanced math and science courses, at West Charlotte Senior High School.  Graduating near the top of her senior high school class in 1955, the giantess aced the national college preparatory test and furthered her studies at Good Samaritan Hospital School of Nursing.
     In 1958, she embarked upon a nursing career spanning over three decades in which she served in many capacities, including staff nurse and charge nurse, at hospitals in Charlotte, Huntersville and Greensboro, North Carolina and in New York City.  She obtained Registered Nurse licenses in two states, North Carolina and New York.  A lifelong learner and avid reader, the giantess amassed a giant vocabulary, was well-versed regarding many subjects and enjoyed solving cryptogram and crossword puzzles.
     Third, Ms. Nance was a giant of a parent who provided the author of this story with unconditional love and tremendous joy.  The giantess taught the author racial pride by gifting her with books depicting African American history and with dolls of color. The giantess did this even when such dolls cost more than “white” dolls and when such books cost more than books depicting non-African American subjects. As a child, this author happily trailed behind the giantess to public libraries and museums where the giantess reminded this author to always use a “quiet voice.”
     Despite her best efforts, the author was never able to emerge victorious when she and giantess played many word games, such as Scrabble, and other games, such as Checkers.  This was true, even after this author obtained two post-high school degrees. Although cooking was not one of the giantess’ passions, the giantess prepared delicious meals in which she had invested a lot of love, soul and energy.
     The giantess stood so tall in this author’s eyes, that the author did not realize until the giantess’ health began to decline that the giantess was actually very short in physical stature.   In November 2011, the giantess departed this earthly life.  However, the giantess left a giant legacy of love, faith and life lessons to the author.  The author of this story thanks God daily for blessing her with such a giant of a parent.
     In addition, the author prays that you have been blessed with giants or giantesses in your life, including the greatest of them all, God.  And if you have not done so, let the giants or giantesses in your life know how much you love and appreciate them. 
     The year is 2012.  Have you been a giantess or giant in someone's life? Well, my time is up.  Thanks for indulging me.