On Oct. 19, 1957, the day I celebrated my 12th birthday, in Gautier, Mississippi, down on the Coast, my friend, Glenda Cater, from Decatur, was born. And, in 2009, after I retired as ninth-grade English teacher at Newton County High School, Mrs. Cater took my place to teach English at NCHS. We had become friends before that, and it has been a pleasure to get to know her better through the interview for this column.
Glenda was born to Paul and Marjorie McElhenney and was reared about three miles north of Decatur. Her sister, Rhonda, Mrs. Mike Smith, 18-months older, lives in Union. Both her parents are now deceased. The family attended Mt. Zion Congregational Methodist Church, with her father going some, and her mother being the “spiritual leader” of the home, driving the girls to church, using the back roads, as she had never gotten her license. Glenda said of her mother, “She talked about the Lord all the time, had devotions with us at home. She shared the Bible and prayer with us, and had Christian books that she encouraged us to read.”
Mrs. McElhenney was one of 12 children born in 1930, during the Great Depression, and was a strong Baptist. She did later get her drivers’ license and a position in the Tax Assessor’s office, where she worked for 25 years. She was diagnosed with cancer less than a year after she retired.
Concerning her father, Glenda shared how he was a “great dad.” Mr. McElhenney was a skilled brick mason and taught masonry at East Central for about 20 years later in his life. He loved people and having fun with them. Glenda also shared, “He had lots of friends, and he made our house fun. We had lots of people over when I was growing up.”
When Glenda was about 12, the girls and her mother were at a revival. “Mother told me later—I looked at her and I said, ‘I’m going down.’ She knew by the look on my face that it was real. I couldn’t stay there. I had to go down. I was the first one to go that night, then about five other teenagers went down to be saved, including my sister. She has a very strong faith.”
Glenda continued concerning her own faith, “Mama died three weeks before Nicole was born. God had a plan. He knew I would need a daughter. Mama was my best friend. My faith definitely carried me through when Mama had her pancreatic cancer. She was diagnosed in June 1994 and died in November. Daddy died in 1999 with lung cancer. I could feel the presence of the Lord.” As we talked, sharing our common experiences, I mentioned seeing God’s hand, to which Glenda exclaimed, “You can see God’s hand if you look for it!”
Glenda came up through Decatur schools, graduating with honors from Decatur High School in 1975. She had been in the Beta Club and in chorus, then made Phi Theta Kappa at East Central Junior College, when she majored in business, attending one year. She then worked as a dental assistant for Dr. Rex Warnick in Union for three years. In 2005 she went back and earned her AA in 2006 before transferring to Mississippi State University. She graduated Summa Cum Laude, with her B.S. in English in 2008.
Glenda and Bruce Cater were high school sweethearts. May 16, 1975, after he graduated from East Central, they were married. Their oldest, Neil, was born Sept. 13, 1979; Nathan was born May 17, 1982; and Nicole came Dec. 1, 1994.
Glenda told me of the children’s major school activities and experiences. She said they enjoyed going to football games when the children were in high school, and shared, “Nathan was an all-district offensive lineman, but his football career ended with a bad break to his lower leg. He had to have several surgeries. Neil was on the drumline in high school and at East Central, and Nicole was in color guard in high school and at East Central.” The family still enjoys Mississippi State and New Orleans Saints football.
Neil has never married, but Nathan is married to Emily Pace Cater, and they have a blended family of five children. Nicole is the wife of Sky Tucker, from Collinsville, and they have two children. She is a registered nurse and works at Baptist Hospital in Jackson. Neil and Nathan own a logging business and a used car business in Decatur.
After Glenda and Bruce were married, he began working with the Teamster’s Union, hauling freight with Roadway Express and ABF Trucking Company, as a local driver. He retired in 2005 with 25 years and over two million accident-free miles. He was elected mayor of Decatur and served a term from 2005 – 2009. He helped the town provide a safe haven for a lot of people during this time, as 2005 was the year of Katrina, which made Decatur a refuge for many who had to leave the Coast. He was also able to get some grants for the town during his tenure as mayor.
Glenda says, “Bruce now loves retirement and enjoys piddling around in his shop. We both enjoy going to flea markets and traveling.” They especially enjoyed a trip to California two years ago and Costa Rica last year. Glenda’s hobbies are spending time with her grandchildren, flower gardening and reading.
Nicole was ten when Glenda went back to school in 2005. Glenda reported, “I was inspired by Carol Vickers when I was in high school, and had always wanted to be an English teacher.” After getting her B.S. in 2008 and her Master’s in the Art of Teaching, Secondary, she began teaching 9th grade English at NCHS in 2009. She has continued for 11 years, and is now teaching the dual program, meaning she teaches students courses that earn them both high school and college credits.
When the boys were small, the Caters moved their membership to Clarke-Venable Baptist Church, where Bruce had been saved as a young boy and had grown up attending. They have both been active in church since then, with Bruce serving as an active deacon for 10 or 12 years. He has taught a boys’ Sunday School class, Glenda sang in the choir for several years and now works on Wednesday nights, helping with a preschool choir.
I asked Glenda to recall her greatest miracle, to which she replied, thinking of her traumatic experience when her mother died, “I would have to say Nicole. She was just a gift from God, at a time when I needed her.”
Again, maybe we all need to look more carefully for the hand of God in all the experiences—good and bad—of our lives.
Live for Jesus! He’s coming soon!
You may contact me at lagnesrussell@gmail.com or 601-635-3282.
