Reflections from a Mother’s Heart

Tell us about your name. How did you get it?

“I was named after my great-grandmother, Elisabeth Savory, who was my grandfather Marionneaux’s mother. I was also named after my daddy’s mother, Victoria Bird.”

Although formally named Elisabeth Victoria, she remembered that everyone called her Betty. The nickname became so familiar that when a nun addressed her as “Elisabeth” in college, she did not immediately realize she was being spoken to.

“The other girls had to punch me and tell me to answer.”

What do you remember about your childhood bedroom?

One of Elisabeth’s strongest memories was the view from her window.

“Out of my window was a large bell on a stand as tall as the house. It had a rope to pull it. It rang at daybreak, noon, and six.”

The bell marked the rhythm of plantation life. Eventually she became so accustomed to its sound that she scarcely noticed it. When the sugarcane harvest ended, the bell fell silent. She also remembered a favorite picture above the fireplace, a keepsake she later inherited.

Were you baptized as a child?

“Yes, I was baptized in Brusly.”

Her godparents were Aunt Ellie Marionneaux and Uncle Sidney Bird—a pairing that reflected the close ties between the two sides of her family.

What are your earliest church memories?

One Christmas memory stood out.

“Uncle Sidney and Aunt Irene gave me a small figurine with perfume. Somehow it was broken that same night.”

Even decades later, the brief story carried a touch of humor and regret.

What did your father do?

“Daddy only worked when cane was planted and when it was cut for the sugar house.”

During the months between planting and harvesting, he raised a large garden. After the plantation was sold, he took a very different job.

“Daddy became a game warden.”

What about your mother?

“My mother liked to work in the yard.”

Agnes Elisabeth Marionneaux Bird held a degree in education and had taught school in Brusly before marriage. Elisabeth remembered her primarily as a homemaker with artistic talents.

“When they played bridge at home, first prize was one of her paintings.”

Describe your family living room.

“There was a fireplace, a couple of chairs, a sofa, a radio, and a large table.”

The radio occupied an important place in family life.

“Daddy always listened to the news, and of course they listened to the LSU football games.”

Did your family say prayers together?

One cherished memory came from visits to her Marionneaux grandparents.

“Every night we said prayers and knelt on the stairs going upstairs.”

Her grandmother led the prayers while the house was filled with relatives—Aunt Doris, Aunt Ellie, Uncle Jimmy, Aunt Rita, and Uncle Paul.

Where was your childhood home?

“I lived at the intersection of St. Delphine Street and Levert Road.”

The home stood on St. Delphine Plantation and was already old when she lived there.

“I enjoyed living there as a child.”

Nearby stood the plantation’s grand house, occupied by members of the Levert family. Elisabeth often played with neighboring children Mary and Louise Levert.

“Louise always wanted to play dolls. Mary and I didn’t.”

What do you remember about your grandparents?

Her paternal grandmother, Victoria Bird, lived in Baton Rouge.

“She was in bed with a cap on her head. As a child, I think I was scared of her.”

Her maternal grandmother, whom she called Mama, inspired warmer recollections. When Elisabeth’s parents went fishing, she often stayed with her Marionneaux grandparents.

“Mama would put me down for a nap with her shoes next to me.”

While Mama worked downstairs washing clothes, young Betty would put on the shoes so her grandmother would have to come upstairs to retrieve them.

“Mama would fill one of the wooden tubs for me to play in.”

What do you remember about your brothers and sister?

“Daddy woke me up to tell me I had a little brother, Peter.”

Peter was the family nickname for Henry Levert Bird Jr. Like many older siblings, Elisabeth remembered sometimes being blamed for things she had not done.

“I always got blamed for things Peter did. Daddy did not think Peter could do anything wrong.”

She felt that she and Edwin shared similar personalities, while Peter and Ruth were alike.

“All of us are alike in many ways.”

What else do you remember about Mama and Papa Marionneaux?

“I remember Mama and Papa Marionneaux very well.”

Mama was known for her cakes, and Elisabeth always received the small “trial cake” baked to test the oven before the larger cake went in. Papa Edwin Marionneaux delighted in practical jokes and family traditions.

“He always gave us money on our birthdays. The older we got, the more money we got.”

Papa frequently misplaced his eyeglasses and sent everyone searching, only to discover that they were resting on top of his head. Although the house had indoor plumbing, he preferred the outdoor privy, where he often sat reading for long periods.

What do you remember about school?

Elisabeth attended grammar school at Levert School in Addis, walking through the cane fields with other children from the plantation.

“Grades one through seven, we walked.”

For high school she rode the bus to Brusly High School. Her favorite teacher was Mrs. Daigle, a young English and literature teacher.

“She was young and so nice.”

Looking back, Elisabeth admitted one regret.

“I wish I had studied harder in high school.”

What was life like growing up?

“The night sounds—crickets and things like that.”

She remembered little concern about money. The family bought supplies at the St. Delphine store, and she helped the storekeeper with bookkeeping one summer when he was having trouble writing. Unlike many children of the era, she had neither chores nor an allowance.

“We had no place to spend money.”

What treats did you enjoy as a child?

“Whenever I went to the store for Mother, I would get a piece of candy.”

Her grandmother’s cakes were favorites. Family pig-butchering days brought another treat: cracklings.

“They used every part of the pig.”

Do you remember any storms?

During a hurricane, water leaked through the windows. Mother turned the crisis into a game and encouraged the children to mop up the water.

“Now I realize how worried she must have been.”

Meanwhile, her father was stranded at Grand Isle on a fishing trip. He and his companion eventually returned safely.

What activities did you enjoy?

“Aunt Alice always gave me beautiful dolls. Levert would take them apart to see how they worked.”

Elisabeth was not particularly interested in dolls. She preferred active games and sports. In high school she played basketball, the only organized sport available to girls, and later enjoyed tennis throughout college.

Tell us about college.

Elisabeth attended college at Grand Coteau, Louisiana, where she trained to become a teacher.

“I enjoyed college.”

She lived on campus in a large dormitory room.

“We played cards in the closet after lights out.”

What was your first job?

Her first professional position was with the Department of Welfare.

“I visited people all down the bayou.”

Some visits required traveling by boat to reach isolated families. The job also required her to own a car.

“I drove a Chevy coupe.”

Do you remember your first date and first kiss?

“It was as boring as the boy was.”

His name was Austin. Her first kiss fared no better in her recollection.

“It really wasn’t worth remembering.”

How did you meet Lee Mooney?

Elisabeth met Lee while working in a laboratory where he was her supervisor. Her first impression was less than romantic.

“I did not like him very much. He was my boss.”

Despite that beginning, they were married on December 26, 1944.

Tell us about your wedding.

“I wore a blue three-piece suit with a white blouse.”

They began married life in a small garage apartment while Lee was serving in the Navy.

“We didn’t even have a shower.”

They often ate at restaurants because neither had much experience running a household.

What was married life like?

Lee enjoyed taking drives, sometimes crossing state lines simply for the pleasure of the journey. Later they traveled extensively together, visiting family in Illinois and exploring other parts of the country.

“The best trips were the ones Lee and I took together.”

One especially fond memory involved overnight drives to visit Lee’s parents near St. Louis.

“We would drive all night and say, ‘Isn’t it fun to stay awake in the middle of the night?’”

What friends were important to you?

Betty and Ernie Wroten, along with Margaret and Bert Scheck, became lifelong friends. The couples bowled together, shared meals, and attended crawfish boils.

What was the hardest thing you ever had to do?

“The hardest thing I ever had to do was call all of Mama’s children and tell them she had died.”

What was your deepest loss?

“When Lee died, it left a hole in my life.”

What did motherhood mean to you?

Asked about Daniel, she remembered his habit of bringing flowers from the yard.

“You always brought me flowers, even clover.”

When teachers compared him with his older brother Robert, she defended his individuality.

“I told them you were not Robert.”

She saw potential in each of her children and cherished family gatherings above almost everything else.

What did you value most in life?

“My children and grandchildren.”

She remembered the happiest times as the occasions when the Bird, Marionneaux, and Mooney families gathered together.