Excerpts from Bill Hembree’s book, ’16 Hours in Heaven’. Bill Hembree is a stage 4 cancer survivor who was taken to heaven during surgery. Jesus directed him to return to earth and share his story about life. He is a sinner saved by the grace of God. He is a Christian, a husband, and a father. His faith has guided him on his journey. | Buy the book on Amazon |
Growing up without a father was very lonely, but God introduced many people who were influential in my life. Amazing events in my life allowed me to visit the White House in Washington, DC, three times. I met three presidents who were very influential in my life. President Jimmy Carter, President Ronald Reagan, and President George H. W. Bush gave me the honor of speaking with them and sharing ideas about the greatness of our country. Although these men were outstanding and very interesting to meet, it was a group of women who are most influential in my life: my mother, Monta Raye Hembree, my wife,
Elizabeth Hembree, my grandmother Martha Jones, and my schoolteacher Sandy Wilson.
Let me begin by telling you the story of my wonderful mother. Monta Raye Buchanan Hembree was born on a cold winter morning in December 1933. Martha Anne Buchanan delivered her at their home in Franklin, North Carolina. In those days, hospitals were only in big cities so Monta Raye was delivered by a midwife at home. They say it was a rough winter for baby Monta Raye. She had the measles with a fever and cough. It affected her eyes, and later when she entered school, she wore glasses because of the damage. The Buchanan family farm was located just outside Franklin in a community called Saunders town. My mother’s grandfather and the head of the Buchanan clan was Mr. Benjamin Evans Buchanan.
Her grandmother was Isabel Buena Vista Thompson Buchanan. This was all during the Great Depression and times were hard for all people, especially those living in the remote mountains. Martha Anne was a wonderful mother and a strong provider for little Monta Raye. She was called away to find work and left Monta Raye in the loving hands of her grandparents. She was a sweet, little angel for Grandpa and Grandma to care for. They provided a safe and loving home until she was five years old. She had memories of how thoughtful her grandparents were. One year she got overalls and long, brown knee socks for her birthday and patent leather shoes for Christmas. Grandpa had a special love for Monta Raye, and it was he who would comfort her when she was sad. These were tough times during the depression and the government would ration food. Grandpa would make a special order for grapes because grapes were her favorite fruit.
Grandpa had sugar diabetes and died when Mother was six. Although this was a sad day to lose such a loving grandpa, it opened the door of happiness for her. Her mother, Martha Anne, returned to bring Monta Raye to her home. This was in a small community called Otto, North Carolina. This was a very happy time to be reunited with her mother and experiencing the birth of her only brother, Dale. A few years later, a very special delivery arrived. Her baby sister, Andrea, was born. She pretended Andrea was her own little baby and treated her like a princess baby doll. Her family was whole again.
This was a happy time for my mother. She made a lot of girlfriends at school. Every day she led the way as they walked together on their way to school. The family attended a country church, and Mother loved Sunday school. Grandma came to visit one Sunday morning before church. Mother was taking a bath and Grandma was scrubbing her clean for Sunday school. Grandma said she was trying to wash Monta Raye’s freckles away. Monta Raye said, “You can stop. I already tried it, and it dosen’t work.”
After World War II ended, Martha Anne left the mountains of North Carolina and moved to the great state of Georgia. Martha found a steady paying job at a sewing factory in Atlanta. Monta Raye, Dale, and Andrea were with her and they lived in West Fulton Country. They all enrolled in school, and Monta Raye attended West Fulton High School. Martha then connected with her brother Wade Buchanan, and they moved to the Fairplay community in South Douglas Country. Monta Raye transferred to Douglas Country High School.
She was a good basketball player and got the nickname Speedy for her fast moves on the court, Her high school yearbook said, “Monta Raye Speedy Buchanan.” She graduated in 1952.
In the early 1950s, a hot spot for teenagers was the swimming pools at Johnson Lake. Our uncle Paul and aunt Lois owned and operated these swimming pools on Post Road in Winston, Georgia. In the summer of 1952, it was said that our father, Herman Hembree, was a handsome lifeguard. Well, there was a new girl in town, and her name was Monta Raye. She didn’t think he would notice her on that summer day, but Herman Hembree did see that pretty blonde girl, and it was love at first sight. They dated through the summer and fall of 1952 and became two lovebirds. They spent all their time together visiting family and friends. They did some fun and silly things that included raccoon hunting. Yes, Monta Raye went raccoon hunting during the night. The raccoon hunting group included Monta Raye, Herman, mother’s brother, Dale, and their lifelong friends Ed and Sarah Norton. I know my mother, and she loved Herman, so my guess is nighttime raccoon hunting in South Douglas Country was a good excuse for romantic parking.
Well, the romance blossomed and turned into a proposal. On April 30, 1953, Aubrey Herman Hembree asked Monta Raye Buchanan to marry him, and she said yes. The two lovebirds wasted no time. They went to the justice of the peace and were married at the Middle Courthouse on Post Road in Winston. As a wedding present, Herman drove Monta Raye, still wearing her wedding dress, all the way to Franklin, North Carolina, in his 1950 Chevrolet sedan. They surprised her aging grandma Isabel Buena Vista Buchanan with this exciting news. They took pictures and celebrated with family and friends.
When the newlyweds returned to Douglas Country, they rented an old home from my uncle Paul and aunt Lois, One morning Monta Raye woke up and said, “Herman, I can see chickens under the floor of our bedroom. We need to move.” Well, Herman wasted no time and found Monta Raye her dream home. He bought the two-bedroom and one-bath home from Buford Keaton. Their new address was 5746 Post Road, Winston, Georgia, 30187. This palace on Hembree Hill would be Monta Raye’s home for the next sixty-three years! The rest of her life.
I am happy to say that my mother started a career with an insurance company in Atlanta. She carpooled with her sister-in-law, Wilma Strickland, and Mr. Parker along Highway 78 to Atlanta from Monday through Friday. Well, Monta Raye soon decided that being a mother and homemaker was a much better job for her. The Hembree family was about to grow.
At just over four pounds, baby number one came into this world and Monta Raye and Herman named her Arubra. When Arubra turned one, Monta Raye told Herman, “We need a family picture.” They hired a professional photographer and were getting dressed for the picture. Monta Raye said, “You know, Herman, my favorite color is pink.” Well, Herman, who was a blue-collar, outdoors, strong man with a nickname of Bull, came out dressed in a pink shirt. The first Hembree picture of Herman, Monta Raye, and little Arubra was absolutely beautiful.
Monta Raye would do anything to help her children. Arubra’s elementary school class held a fundraiser. Our family was not rich, but Mother was determined to help Arubra. She sold chances for people to win a Bird of Paradise Avon gift set. She sold so many tickets that Arubra won the class fundraiser.
Then came baby number two, and Herman said, “It’s a boy!” Monta Raye got to name her baby boy. She loved a Hollywood movie actor from the 1940s and 1950s. His name was John Cameron Swayze. So they welcomed into the world Phil Cameron Hembree. Phil played the most remarkable role in our mother’s life. When our dad died, Phil was only twelve years old. One of our uncles told Phil, “You are the man of the household now.” Those words changed him forever, and he led the Hembree household flawlessly.
The Hembree family continued to grow with baby number three. Again, Herman said, “It’s a boy!” And this time, he got to name his son. Herman’s dad was Johnny Hembree and his favorite uncle was Walter. So the baby boy was named Johnny Walter Hembree. Johnny and our mother share the same birthday in December. Monta Raye thought her baby Johnny had the prettiest face. Gerber baby food was a popular in the 1950s as it is today. Gerber had a national contest to find the prettiest baby in America. Well, Monta Raye felt she had a winner and entered Johnny in the national contest.
Mother was a protector of her children. When Arubra started the first grade, she loaded her up on the school bus. Mother couldn’t let go of Arubra, so she quickly grabbed Phil and baby Johnny. She loaded them up in the blue Chevy Impala. She followed the school bus all the way to Winston Elementary School to make sure Arubra was safe. Arubra played her part by sitting in the backseat of the bus and waving to Mother, Phil, and Johnny all the way down the road.
Monta Raye and Herman welcomed baby number four, and she was a precious little girl. They joined to select the perfect name. Herman said, “We should name her after you,” and Monta Raye picked her sweet grandma, Isabel Buena Vista Buchanan. So they gave her the name Monta Vista Hembree. As the baby daughter with a caring nature, Vista shared a special bond with Mother during the final years of her life. She bathed her, rolled her hair, painted her nails, rubbed lotion on her feet, and treated our mother in a very special way.
Mother took a job at Winston Elementary School so she could drive Vista to school and be with her all day. She got her summers off work and we enjoyed amazing vacations. Monta Raye would plan them. Two of our favorite trips were Savannah and Tybee Island in Georiga and the other was Chattanooga and Lookout Mountain in Tennessee. We also made many trips to the mountains of North Carolina. Cherokee, North Carolina, was also fun, and we often had our picture made with local Indians.
Mother loved to read and write letters and encouraged her children to do the same. She bought many books and magazines for her children in hope to capture her passion.
I was baby number five in the Hembree family, and my mother named me after my father and her uncle: William Roosevelt Buchanan and my dad, Aubrey Herman Hembree. I am William Aubrey Hembree Sr. My mother called me Baby Bill.
All five of Monta Raye and Herman’s children were born at Villa Rica Hospital. They were all delivered by Dr. John Powell, and each rode home from the hospital in an ambulance. It was truly remarkable that after delivering five babies in the same hospital many years before, her last breath on earth and death of her body was at Villa Rica hospital.
One of Mother’s greatest legacies is her grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great-
grandchildren. When her grandchildren were babies, her greatest pleasure was gathering them all up and taking a Sunday afternoon nap. She babysat them and never missed a birthday or celebration. They called her Granny Raye and Mae Mae.
On Tuesday, September 30, 1969, tragedy struck. Monta Raye’s beloved husband, Aubrey Herman Hembree, died. Herman drilled water wells for the Atlanta company Virginia Supply and Wells. Mother once told me when Daddy left for the jobsite on Monday morning that he didn’t feel good. She recommended that he go to his doctor. His job was in Monroe, Georgia, that week, and he didn’t have time to see a doctor. Sometime around three o’clock in the afternoon on that Tuesday, Daddy must have had chest pains. He was working alone so he sat under a large oak tree to rest. He suffered a massive heart attack and died. At five o’clock, Herman was to check in at a general store in Monroe. When he didn’t show up, the store owner went to the jobsite. He found our dad in the field under the big oak tree. Mr.
Martin, the owner of Virginia Supply and Wells, called Monta Raye that evening to tell her that Herman had passed away.
Mother once told me that she was absolutely heartbroken. The love of her life was gone. She also told me her emotions hardened and she became very angry. How could this happen? She was a homemaker with five children. This is when her faith in God took over to start healing her broken heart.
Herman was a strong Christian man, and when Mother moved to Douglas Country, he encouraged her to join his church, the Methodist Church. So in 1954, Monta Raye joined Herman and became a member of the Flint Hill Methodist Church. Today, that church is called New Covenant United Methodist. It was the church members and her family who helped Mother and directed her on what to do in continuing her life without her beloved husband.
Book excerpts republished here with the express consent of the author. The book is available on Amazon.com
