Sassy’s Journey A Memoir of Perseverance

Sassy's earliest memories are of her first home in post-WWII makeshift housing in southeast Arkansas where she lived with her parents and four siblings.

Sassy was curious and persevered in her quest to learn more about her world, although her thirst for knowledge and her need to connect with others drew the ire of her father. Sassy was a frequent target of his outbursts, but his verbal and physical abuse never dampened her spirit.

The profound effects of her father's alcoholism both fueled and hindered her as she persisted in her quest to be the best possible version of herself. Her supportive, fun-loving mother and four siblings, a beloved grandfather, and a garden of friends created the necessary respites for her to flourish.

A high school dropout, she was still in her teens when she moved to California with her young husband and two babies. There she discovered the life-altering opportunity of becoming a nurse, her secret dream. She used college credit hours to obtain a high school diploma, a prerequisite for the nursing program.

She never waited until she was ready before accepting a challenge, but having to arrange care for a third child while the oldest two were in school and additional vehicle expenses could not be overlooked. Her husband clamoring to move back South was another stumbling block.

From humble beginnings, Sassy became Georgia and found doors opening to a career far beyond any childhood dream. Through it all she always remained Sassy, a title she earned at the age of two.