38 Toombs County Magazine
a concentration in drawing and painting. She
and her husband Casey, a home health physical
therapist, married in 2016 and were living in
Atlanta when they got a call. “When our friend,
Kate Shiver, called about a job opening, I was
surprised when my husband applied for it.”
Even though Elizabeth hoped to return home
to be closer to family at some point, she never
dreamed the opportunity would come so soon. “I
was surprised how quickly Casey fit right in. He’s
going into people’s homes and meeting people. He
knows more people here than I do, now.”
Elizabeth planned to go to work, but before
she could even put in an application, a job
literally came to her. “I was at a shower on
a Saturday, and someone asked if I might be
interested in teaching at the middle school. I said,
‘Maybe.’ Dr. Reid called the next day. At 8:30
Monday morning, I went for an interview. At 1:00
she called and said, ‘You have the job. There’s
a staff meeting at 2:00 and open house at 5:00.
School starts Wednesday.’”
Artist Insight Elizabeth shares her thoughts
on some of her paintings.
OPPOSITE TOP This is a photo of my grandfather on
my daddy's side. The painting shows my daddy as a
child with his daddy who we called Papa. He was a
great man and a true patriarch of the family. I loved
him very much. He passed away when I was 14 years
old, and the family was forever changed. My daddy
reminds me of him so much. They are both wonderful
examples of what a man and father should be.
OPPOSITE BOTTOM LEFT This is my mama's Aunt Rena
(short for Lorena). She and my grandmother were very
close. Her daughter and son were always considered
to be my aunt and uncle on Mama's side since she
was an only child. I have heard so many stories about
her... how beautiful and funny she was, and how much
she was loved by everyone who knew her. She passed
away in a car wreck with her newborn baby when
my aunt and uncle were very young. She and my
grandmother were from the Andrews family in Darien.
My mama always talks about her pretty green eyes
and auburn hair that made her so beautiful. So, in this
painting, (which was based on a black-and-white
photo), I tried to give her that coloring.
OPPOSITE BOTTOM MIDDLE This one is a little less
sentimental than the others. It is an old photograph of
my daddy's uncle and his son at a parade. I love their
expressions and the nostalgia of the photograph!
OPPOSITE BOTTOM RIGHT This is my great-grandmother,
Josephine Winge Odom. She was the only
grandmother I knew on my mama's side. Visiting and
spending time with her as a child really shaped me
into the person I am today. She lived across the street
from my mama and helped raise her. She passed
ever lost. We all loved her dearly.