I, Pamela Belle Williams Carlson, was born in the Holy Rosary Hospital on the 20th day of November, 1952 in Ontario, Malheur County, Oregon. I arrived at 11:05 pm and weighed in at 8 lbs. 2 oz. and was 21 inches long. I had very little hair and hazel eyes. I was the fifth child of seven born to Otis Harland Williams and Julia Kathryn Grigg. At the time of my birth, my family lived 1 mile south of Ontario on an old 5-acre farm, called “The Ranch”.
According to me, I had been watching my mother since she had come to earth awaiting my turn to come. I wrote this poem to my mother when I was 16 years old.
My Mother
I watched her from the moment she came
From that wonderful heaven above,
I watched her when she was given her name
And I awed at how much she was loved.
I watched for the day when I could come
To the wonderful home she’d prepared,
I watched for the day I could call her Mum
And to say that I knew how she cared.
I watched her as the time grew nigh
To leave my heavenly state,
I watched for the last time with a sigh
My mother on earth, that wonderful Kate.
My name was called and I came down
And was put into her arms,
And there the gaze of love I found
Coming from her heart so warm.
There was never a doubt in my mind that my parents loved me. In 1985, my mother wrote me a wonderful letter to me for my 33rd birthday, and in it she mentioned a little about my birth.
"Dearest Pamy:
I’ve been thinking a lot about you lately. What a darling sweet baby you were when you were born. Your little face reminded me of a rosebud and I almost named you Rose. Aren’t you glad I didn’t? You were such a good baby, and little girl."
Who named you? Were you named after anyone or does your name have special meaning?
I remember asking my mother why she named me, Pamela. She said it was because it meant beautiful and she thought I was beautiful. I have always thought that my middle name, Belle, was given to me because my mother was such good friends with her sister-in-law, Orah Belle Rood Williams, who was married to Dad’s younger brother, Floyd or Uncle Bus as we called him. Aunt Orah Belle and Uncle Bus and their two children, Sherron and Linda, spent most every Christmas with us when I was little. I really loved Aunt Orah Belle. I remember getting a doll named fluffy from her when I was five or six years old, which became one of my favorite dolls.
Did/Do you have a nickname?
My nick name to this day, is Pamy. When I was younger, I was called Pamy Lamby. When we lived in Alabama, the family called me Pamy Lamby from Alabamy. My nephews and nieces call me Aunt Pamy. It is an endearing name to me and I love it when my family refers to me as Pamy.
Are there any stories your family told about when you were a baby?
When I was in fourth grade I wrote the following in my Book of Remembrance:
“I, Pamela Williams, was born in Ontario Oregon, November 20, 1952. When I was very tiny, I got bronchial pneumonia and was in the hospital for a week. My mother stayed by me every day and was very glad when I was well and was able to go home again. I was a very sound sleeper. Noises did not bother me a bit.”
My sister Lovell Taylor wrote about incident in my life this in the book, Heritage Treasures. It reads, “A couple of years after moving to Ontario, little Pamela Belle was born on Nov. 20, 1952. It should be mentioned that she is a special child to our household because of her loving nature. When she was only three months old she became critically ill with bronchial pneumonia. Bishop Holiday and Dad administered to her. Mom and Dad sat right there in the hospital with her for days and she finally pulled out of it, which we are all grateful for.”
What is your very first memory?
My earliest memory was when I was three. I was the flower girl in Sherron Williams’s wedding who is my cousin (Uncle Bus and Aunt Orah Belle’s daughter). I remember I wanted to stand by Marc, my brother, which was on the wrong side of the aisle because I felt safer there. I remember everyone trying to coax me to come over and stand by the bridesmaids. But I was determined to stay by Marc. Finally, they let me have my way and the wedding proceeded as planned. My older brother, Garth, was the ring bearer.
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