When life gives you lemons, you make lemon pies…not lemonade
if you were Lottie Dickson Klos. Lottie, our Mama & Nana, left this
world on Monday, August 14, 2017. Her spitfire persona is
carried on by her four children, six grandchildren, seven great
grandchildren, and a whole slew of nieces, nephews, and friends
that she made from all over.

She experienced a lot in her 82 years. Her favorite stories to tell
were of her younger years, love & the trials and tribulations of
motherhood. As a child she loved exploring the woods of the
family farm, swinging from muscadine vines & eating wild berries
with her white terrier, Snowball. Hijinks like hiding pants & shorts
in the holes of trees along her walk to school to change into after
dismissal because she hated dresses; skipping school with her
best friend to catch a ride to Memphis to go to the Mid-South Fair;
the time she got caught dating two guys at once one summer
Friday night in Senatobia – she always ended the story with “not
my fault he didn’t go out of town like he was supposed to”; double
dates with her first husband and a cousin of his, named Elvis; her
big brothers coming home from the war with souvenir jewelry
boxes and a motorcycle -- which she loved to ride on the back of,
much to her Mother’s dismay!

She love to tell of meeting her handsome, immigrant husband,
Bruno, after she had been widowed with three young girls and his
persistency to win her over; the beloved tinsel Christmas tree
tradition she started with her kids; searching all over the city for
red patent leather shoes one Easter for her 5 year old daughter,
Debbie, who refused to participate without them; and the story of
her 4 year old son, Walter, asking where he was in the family
portrait taken before he existed – it drove her nuts and she
banished it under her bed forever, but always laughed at the story
when she told it.

Lottie was an enigma of a God-fearing, Southern woman. A force
to be reckoned with, a feminist before the term was defined.
Anyone who ever met her loved her, anyone who ever crossed
her love done, well let’s just say she made sure they remembered
her name! She taught us to do right by others; she was a rock on
the outside when needed, a rare gem on the inside; the voice of
reason even if you didn’t want to hear it. She always nailed it with
her witty, mouthy one liners; her famous baked goods like rum
balls she’d let sit for 10 days before letting you consume them --
you’d swear you felt like you had taken a straight shot of rum
afterwards! lemon pies better than any restaurant, white cookies
that got powdered sugar dust all over the place like snow; her
lead foot and speeding tickets; the prettiest aqua/sea foam/blue
gray eyes that seemed to make everything alright when you
looked at them, she loved Memphis music – Elvis and soul and
didn’t mind some “good” country music every now and again.
She had a distinct laugh that can be heard in every one of her
daughters & granddaughters when they laugh; a green thumb that
seemed to be passed on to all of her children (except her third --
but has been redeemed by the next generation). She had a deep
appreciation for a good cherry pie; she had the best hugs in the
world – she squeezed you like she meant it – and she passed that
trait on to her daughter, Carol, who is definitely a runner up in the
best hug-giver category.

She is survived by her children, Judy Batchelor (husband Bryce,
grandchildren Rick Johnson and Rachel Zambroni, six great
grandchildren), Carol Clark (grandchildren Jennifer and Matthew),
Debbie Sanders (husband Derrick, grandchildren Lauren
Brigance and Cody Sanders, one great grandson, Theo
Brigance), and son, Bruno “Walter” Klos, Jr.

Although we are heartbroken over losing her, we are at peace
knowing that she is no longer suffering. Most importantly, we are
happy knowing that she is reunited with the love of her life, Bruno.
They are surely cutting up together in heaven at a party headlined
by the one and only, Elvis.