Stephanie Southworth
The first time I met Jady, she was a single mom taking care of Morgan. She came to a Sunday family dinner at the Southworth home. Whenever a family member brought someone they were dating to family dinner, it was always fun to watch how the new person reacted to the organized chaos that surrounded them. There are 8 kids in the Southworth family, 6 being boys. Sam’s mom is a more the merrier kind of gal, so family dinners have always been noisy, full of guests, and lots of conversations going on at the same time. Usually, the new person who arrives is completely shocked and stares at the entire dinner scene with a sort of awe and wonder. They can’t fathom how anyone in the family knows which conversation they are participating in with at least 3 going on at the same time. Jady was different, from the time she arrived, she seemed to know exactly how to get involved with our crazy Southworth family. She was entertaining, kind, and easily engaged in our conversations. I watched her interactions with our family in amazement and wonder. It was like she was meant to be part of our family. I knew then that she was a special lady who was meant to be a part of our family.
Jady knew what she wanted and wasn’t afraid to work for it, when the opportunity to build her own home with Habitat for Humanity came available, she jumped at the chance. She worked so hard on that house, and other houses in her neighborhood to earn the equity she needed to buy the house. She showed her strong work ethic and willingness to put in the labor needed to get the reward, a beautiful home.
I don’t think anyone could keep Sam in line the way Jady did. Rod once joked that Jady was the “Warden” for Sam. She appreciated his fun, wild, and crazy nature, but she also knew when to draw a line and tell Sam, “No.” Sam trusted her judgement and listened. I think Jady ensured Sam stayed alive and didn’t do anything rash.
Jady was fiercely loyal to her family. She loved Sam and her two girls more than anything in this world. She shared her joys on Facebook freely and we all benefited. Whether you lived close or far away, you knew of her love for her family through social media. I would watch Jady at family events, and those girls would run to her with joy in their eyes, she’d give them a hug or a smile, and off they’d go again to play with their cousins.
Jady will be deeply missed. She leaves a legacy of hard work, loyalty to family, kindness, and goodness. All our lives were better because we knew and loved her.
