My mother was the standard. I am Brenda Pike, and telling Beatrice Robertson’s story closes a circle for this family: with her, all nine of Big Ma’s children are finally accounted for. It mattered to us that not one of them be summed up in a paragraph — each deserved something made just for them. This is hers.
Come with me back to the 1940s, to the edge of a quiet, unpaved country road just before the break of dawn. There, in the crisp morning air, you will find my youthful mother standing alongside her older siblings, waiting for the familiar heavy rumble of what was known as the ‘Labor Bus.’ It is important for you to know that our family originated from hard-working, goal-driven people. Long before they were called ‘migrant workers,’ my mom and her siblings were willing to follow opportunities in all forms and within all farms — work was their way out. The Labor Bus not only served as their connection to work on various farms around the parish, but it was also their vital connection to other African American communities and societies. Beautifully, one of the most important connections that came by way of that Labor Bus was the meeting of my mother and my father, Daniel James Bowman.
Though my parents were blessed with the resources to live anywhere they chose, they made the beautiful decision to call Pine Grove home. In doing so, they continued the Robertson traditions and customs, keeping the family legacy alive in the place we have always called home.
Her greatest pride was her amazing marriage to my father, D.J. whom the rest of the family affectionately call Uncle D.J. To this union, nine wonderful children were born: three sons — Pete, Donald Wayne, and Torrence — and six daughters — Brenda, Patricia, Diane, Stacey, Regina, and Sandra. It is impossible to tell the complete story of my mother in a single bio, just as it is impossible to tell her story without highlighting her boundless heart for extended family. She generously embraced Mary Ethel and Sabrina, raising them in our home as her very own, treating them as our additional sisters whom we deeply loved. Taking the baton of family continuity that Big Ma started, my mother raised some of the most generous and compassionate children our family has ever known.
Even with a bustling household, her heart was always connected to her sisters. Though they were a few hours away in New Orleans, she loved them fiercely and made sure they talked as often as the kids and daily chores would allow.
My mother loved learning, she excelled in math, and she faithfully served as the church secretary for over 40 years. Within the Bowman family, it became a beautiful tradition that my mother named all of her grandchildren. Because she did not believe in day care, she proudly became her own day care, personally raising and nurturing her grandbabies. Today, that family tree has blossomed so vastly that her legacy now proudly includes 34 grandchildren, 60 great-grandchildren, and 17 great-great-grandchildren!
Though she was one of the youngest among her siblings, my mother was the undeniable bedrock upon which this family was built in Pine Grove. Because of Beatrice’s constant, unwavering watchcare over Big Ma, her older siblings in New Orleans could rest easily at night. They had the ultimate assurance knowing that their little sister was providing their mother with the absolute pinnacle of attentiveness and genuine care in her later years.
That same boundless heart was on full display when Big Ma passed away. When the entire New Orleans branch of the family migrated back to the country to mourn, my mother immediately became the undeniable face of the family seat. Even in the midst of her own profound grief, she selflessly made our comfort her top priority. She made a way out of no way when it came to accommodations, somehow finding a place for everyone to sleep and ensuring that every single mouth was fed. She never turned anyone away. Because of her endless hospitality and grace, she became the reason we continued to make that journey down to Pine Grove long after Big Ma was gone.
My mother’s legacy is that of a true Matriarch. She held the highest social and decision-making authority within her household, yet she beautifully shared that authority with my father. Together, they displayed the absolute perfect family structure, serving as a shining example for anyone needing a blueprint on how to build and sustain a loving family.
For every generation that has come behind her: that was the bedrock of Pine Grove. Beatrice Robertson Bowman — my mother, who made a way out of no way, and who never once turned a soul away from her door.