Doris was the oldest out of seven children born to Colonia and Kley Cheesman. Kley was a fisherman and Colonia stayed home and took care of the kids and chores. Growing up was hard for Doris, they lived in a shack on the beach, no heat, no electric and barely had food. Since her father was abusive and an alcoholic, he didn't bring much money home to help the family survive. Doris watched her youngest brother die in her mother's arms. No one knew why this happened.

The school called social services on them because the children didn't have clothes or food in the house and Kley would beat Colonia bad. Social Services took Doris, Nancy, Marty, Kley, June out of the shack and put them in foster homes where they all grew up. Doris, being the oldest didn't hate her parents, she knew that things happen in life and you just have to make the best of it and try to change your life as you learn from life experiences. She kept in touch with all her brother, sisters and mother and knew she would be with them again some day. She had faith.

Nine years have passed, Kley and Colonia had another baby girl, they named her Lou Ann. Kley was still not providing for his family and still very abusive to Colonia so they decided it would be best to give Lou Ann away to some friends instead of letting the state take Lou Ann also like the other children. George and Lou Stiles decided to take little Lou Ann and raise her as their own. She was a beautiful little blond haired and blue eyed girl. When the Stiles moved away to California, Doris never heard from her little sister again.

Even though my mom grew up in and out of different foster homes she still grew up and changed her life. My mom treated us children with lots of Love and inspired us not to give up on our goals and dreams. Mom always says Believe and have faith in the Lord and always try to improve your life. She told us all kinds of stories about bad things that happened to her growing up but she never made excuses or blamed God.

I wish my Mom could see her baby sister again. It would make her very happy. See, my Mom could have grown up blaming her mother and father for their mistakes but she didn't. As soon as my mom got out on her own she found her Brother Kley, she found her sisters and Mother. Doris moved Colonia in with her and took care of her till my Grandmother died.

Mom always said times were different back then and her Father would beat her Mother bad sometimes so she knew that Colonia was afraid of Kley. Doris didn't hold any grudges, took her mother in and took care of her. She never found her Father or her Baby sister. My Mom still has a great personality even though she had a lot of bad things happen to her.

My Mom met my Dad and moved from the big city to Ashland Ky, a small town in the bluegrass state. She started her own family. My Mom had 6 children total. The oldest was my sister Dodie, and her twin Debbie. Debbie died 22 hours after she was born in my Mothers arms. Then she had a Son who also died after He was born. My mother tried again and had my Brother Rick, then Me and my little sister Billey.

In 1981 tragedy stuck again in my Mom's life and my own. My Sister Dodie met an older man when she was 16 years old and it made my mom's life hell as well as mine.
My Sister Dodie ended up marrying that man and he destroyed her life. His name is Bo and he beat my sister bad, we couldn't get help. One night in November of 1981 my sister was working at a pizza place trying to make money to take care of her two kids and also to divorce Bo.

He went in the restaurant with a 4/10 shot gun and shot my sister at 3 feet away. She lived for 23 hours, I will never forget what Dodie went through in her last hours. The Doctors and nurses had strapped her by the ankles and suspended them in air to keep the blood flow up towards her upper body because she was losing blood as fast as they was putting it in her. She told us she never thought he would really kill her and then she died.

Bo only served 15 years and now he is out and living back here in my hometown. My Mom, Doris raised my sister's two kids and still has never changed her outlook on life. Her brother and sisters were there for Doris when Dodie got killed. Doris even got a phone call from Lou Ann, her little sister she hadn't seen since Lou Ann was 4. Lou Ann told Doris she was sorry to hear about Dodie and told her she lives in Vine land, New Jersey and was doing good.

I wish my Mom could see her little sister again and I would like to meet her.
I wrote a book about my sister Dodie, called "Dodies Cry", I am just waiting for the right publisher to bring it to life so it will help others who go through abuse. I also wrote a song. My sister was a very good friend to me and at first when she got killed I did get mad at God because I couldn't understand how something so bad could happen to such a nice person with 2 little babies, left behind.

My Mom said don't blame God, bad things happen to good people sometimes you just have to have faith and remember all the good times you had because memories is the one thing you always have in your heart. I understand now and God has been very good to me and helped me heal over the years.

Lou Ann if you read this please call us. Mom would love to see you again.

Even though my Mom lives in a small town now, she still has the heart of the Big City. That is why I call this Small Town, Big City.

Tags & Keywords : small town, big city, new jersey, mother, sherri lynn, very poor, inspiration