By Tim Reeves, Dennis Palmer and Rick Couch

The Selma Times-Journal

Renowned storyteller and Selma jewel, Kathryn Tucker Windham died at her Selma home Sunday afternoon surrounded by friends and family.

Just days after celebrating her 93^rd birthday, Windham leaves behind her family, her volumes of literary works and her tremendous philosophies on life and culture.

“We talked about a lot of things over the final few days,” Windham’s daughter Dilcy Hilley said. “We talked about everything from summers spent along the Gulf Coast to money being the root of all evil.

“There was never a shortage of interesting topics to discuss with mother.”

The family is continuing to work through the arrangements and will announce those when completed.

In the coming days, as everyone begins to tell their stories of meeting Windham, it is the simplicity in her life and the sincerity of her interactions with others that may be most remembered.

“She was the kind of person that made everybody feel like she loved them,” said Fred Zeigler, pastor of Church Street United Methodist Church, where Windham was a longtime member and taught Sunday school. “She had a way of taking the common ordinary stories of life and turning them into something significant that could be shared. There was always a sense of humor about her. I could listen to her for hours.”

Zeigler said he first heard of Windham’s passing while driving to church for a meeting. When he arrived at her home, her friend and noted artist, Charlie Lucas, was there already along with a hospice worker. Together, they helped move her from her bed into the handmade pine casket Windham had commissioned many years ago for her burial.

“I never knew when I went to her house I would be helping place her in the casket,” Zeigler said, adding that after they got her settled they covered her with a red, white and blue blanket she wanted to be buried with before putting the lid on.

“Charlie drove the nails to close it,” Zeigler said, noting that Windham had given Lucas written instructions on how she wanted her death to be handled.

“He was probably, of all the folks there, the one who was the most practical in the whole thing,” Zeigler said. “He was the one taking care of everything that needed to be done that she had requested.”

Even though Windham’s friends and family spend time mourning the loss of their dear friend and mother, Hilley said there is so much more to think about.

“There is so much joy beyond the sadness,” Hilley said. “That was her mantra. She wanted to, and encouraged all of us, to bring joy to others. She did that so well and set the example for the rest of us to follow.”