Begin with the right ingredients…
I was born on a Monday. My father Sam Crutchfield was headed to pick cotton in Frost, Texas, and my mother Viola Bell Crutchfield went into labor there. I was raised in Dallas with my only brother Otha Ray. I attended J.P. Starks Elementary and Lincoln High School in Dallas. I spent most of my youth on the "prair" better known as the "prairie" near downtown.

Blend with a Husband and Children…
A young man pretending to have car trouble came to my father for help. By the time his car was "fixed," he had won my heart. Sims Willie aka S.W. or "Dub" Washington was the man of my dreams. Together with our children, Dwayne and Debra, I had the family I had always wanted. Our children brought us so much joy through the years. Then came the grandchildren! Sandy Chiffon was the first and she held our hearts alone for many years until Debra married Phillip "Joe Buck" Wade and Phillip II and Dustin LaNeil came into our lives as well.

Mix in the Love of Extended Family….
We were part of the Bell family, a large, well-known and respected family in Dallas. My mother was one of twelve children so the Bells were plentiful in the area. I didn't have any nieces or nephews but I had numerous family members (both mine and Dub's) that I cared for through the years. In these latter days, they graciously returned the favor. I can recall the countless times our family gathered through the years. I made it a point to be the family historian. I can tell you who belongs to whom, when they were married, how many children and grandchildren they have and so on.

Sprinkle with hard work…
I held various jobs through the years. I worked in the employee cafeteria at Sears & Roebuck. I helped my brother with his bail bond company. I even worked at the DC Employment Agency and I was able to find jobs for church members and neighbors. I loved living in the city where I grew up. If you ever drove around town with me, I could tell you about parts of Dallas that have been forgotten or overlooked. I passed as much knowledge as I could to my children and grandchildren.

Fold in the Fellowship of the Saints….
We worshipped at Lawrence & Marder Church of Christ where S.W. was ordained as one of the first four elders in 1963. It was an honor serving alongside him there and later at Marsalis Avenue Church of Christ. I shared a special bond with the first elders' wives Pauline Hooper, Mary Jones, and Versie McGilbra and the other wives whose husbands would later become elders. Working with our minister and neighbor Grover C. Washington and his wife, my dear friend Claudia Faye, was especially rewarding. Through the years, I served as best I could with the Busy Bee Club, singing with the Senior Chorus, traveling with the National Youth Conference, working in the Culinary Ministry, stuffing pillows for Lifeline Chaplaincy, and helping to organize the Sunshine Visitation Ministry. I really enjoyed the Precious Hearts activities. I was even the Valentine's queen in 2010. I especially enjoyed playing games on Super Thursdays with my friends.

Add a Heaping Scoop of Hospitality…
Our home was always open to family and friends. Dub loved hosting guests and I loved cooking for them. Two generations of my children's and grandchildren's school friends slept in our home and ate at our table. Many church leaders and ministers dined with us often, however, two ministers became like second sons. Dr. Kenneth Greene and Dr. David L. Lane as well as their respective families are part of our family legacy, too.

Finally, Serve Well Done…
On Monday, January 1, 2018, just before the break of day, my recipe for the good life was finished. I heard the words I had been waiting for all these years: "Well done, they good and faithful servant!" My time on earth was done and the doors to the great life opened. To see my parents, brother, and my beloved S.W. again is all I ever wanted. Now, all that remains is for my family to continue what they've been taught so we can all be together again.

To my son Dwayne; my daughter Debra and her husband Phillip Wade I; my grandchildren Sandy, Phillip II and Dustin; my great-grandchildren Samile, Malcom and KeYanna; my brother-in-law O.J. Jones and his wife Leola; my sister-in-law Ruby Barnes; my many cousins; my extended family; and, especially my Marsalis Avenue church family who helped my children care for me in these final months: I simply say, "Thank you. Thank you for Everything."

Keep living the good life as I've laid out for you and I'll see in you some glad morning in the great life!