My grandmother, Babe Ruth Mount, died 19 November 1979, when I was 9 years old. I cannot believe it has been 40 years -- I have been without her a lot longer than I was with her. I was her only grandchild from the only child she ever had -- my mum.

She was born in Jackson, Tennessee in 1925 to Luke Mount and Virginia Mae Newsom. She had an older sister named Doris.

In 1930, the Mounts moved to Union, Arkansas -- a small township near Newport in Jackson, County, where Luke supported his family by working as a collector in a general store.

By 1940 the Mounts were living in West Helena, Arkansas where Luke worked as a machinist at an auto body plant and Virginia was a general merchandise clerk.

In 1943 Ruth met and married a young Sergeant in the Army Air Corps whose name was Calvin Alexander Hastings II. In 1945 the only child that Ruth was ever to have was born -- my mum Janice LaRayne Hastings.

Ruth was a long time employee of The Beall Company in Helena, Arkansas. I can remember going to her place of work when I was very young. Sadly though, she had to resign when she developed cancer. She did not deserve the treatment that Calvin meted out to her after she became ill. Even though my mother did her best to shield me from seeing most of the abuse, I still witnessed some of it which is partially the reason why I really do not have too many memories from that time -- grandma was not the only person who was abused by Calvin!!!

It is extremely difficult to write this but I am the only one left who can -- the truth must finally come out!!!

Before grandma got sick I had such good times with my grandparents -- going on trips, my grandad taking me to games and flying in his plane and we all watched Hee Haw and The Waltons together. But after my grandma got sick the good times ended as Calvin became very cruel and cold. He became very sadistic especially after grandma became bedridden -- he ripped up her clothes, threw water in her face and sold her car. He would also get her father drunk in vain attempts to acquire the lake house -- I remember stopping at liquor stores to get beer.

It was a relief when grandma died on 19 November 1979 as she was finally away from Calvin's sadistic abuse.

I remember right before she died -- when she was comatose in the hospital -- I was told that I was too young to go back to her room to see her but grandad took me back there anyway. I think she died that night. I was staying with some family friends, the Helzers, because my mum was at the hospital with grandma. I called the hospital and a nurse told me that my grandma had died. The days leading up to the funeral were difficult -- grandad got drunk and ran my mum's car into a ditch on the way to the funeral home for the viewing. I also remember during the funeral seeing grandad crying, but I have never been sure if they were genuine tears of grief or not. I also remember him bending down and kissing grandma in her casket as we went past.

She was buried at Sunset Memorial Park near Barton, Arkansas where her grave is still unmarked while Calvin is buried in another part of the same cemetery with a very nice headstone!!!