MEMORIAL FOR CONNIE CULBERSON

     A precious friend crossed over the river, that she sang about so often, this passed weekend. Connie Culberson. A wonderful wife, mother, grandmother, friend, and Christian person to just be around. Her husband sang a song titled "Sweet, Sweet Spirit" and that was Connie. Her sweet spirit could be felt just being around her. And her singing could lift you up to heaven. "I've never been this homesick before" or "The Anchor Holds" would send chills throught you and you knew that the Lord was in the house and was in her singing. She will be missed by her family and friends. The following are a couple of comments from her facebook page where everyone left messages for the family.

  "My sweet friend Connie Culberson
You fought a good fight with this battle of Cancer, but God saw fit to call you home today, I am so thankful he brought us together as close sisters in Christ. When you woke up and told Fay and Me that you would tell Mama hey for us I knew it would only be a matter of minutes before you went home to be with OUR HEAVENLY FATHER, Now you have your perfect healing, with a beautiful smile you went home, I will see you again one day, but until that day I will miss your smile,and will always remember the love you had for me, this is not a good bye my sweet friend it is I will see you later."
"My love and prayers go out to all. What an awesome lady my Connie has been. She sang like an angel, soared like an eagle through storms of life and marched as a mighty warrior! She was one of my blessings. So thankful God sent her and her family my way. Rest in peace, sweet Connie! And may ministering angels be with all of us who were left behind."

OBITUARY

Mrs. Connie Faye Smith Culberson, age 62 of Shannon, passed away Saturday morning at her home surrounded by her loving family.  She was born Dec. 3, 1949.

Connie was a lifelong resident of Floyd County and a 1967 graduate of Coosa High School. In 1981 she became a graduate from the Walker Technical Institute where she obtained her Associates Degree in Accounting. She was employed by Riverside Chevrolet in the accounting department. Connie was of the Baptist faith and served on the WMU at Eastview Baptist Church, Unity Baptist Church, and Bible Baptist Church. She is preceded in death by her father, Tip Minton Smith and a niece, Donna Maxwell of Forney, AL.
Survivors include her husband Jerry Thomas Culberson; her mother, Anna Kate Smith Justice; six sons, Kiley Smith, Jason Culberson, Jason Morris, Jeremy Culberson, Bryant Culberson, and Randy Randolph; two daughters, Jennifer Culberson and Katie Culberson; two sisters, Barbara Maxwell of Forney, AL. , and Christine Simpson of Gaylesville, AL. ; fourteen grandchildren and ten nieces and nephews.
Funeral services will be conducted Tuesday August 21, 2012 at 11:00 AM from the Mt. Calvary Free Will Baptist Church with Jackie Culberson, Milford Williams, and David Blasengame officiating. Interment will follow in the Pisgah Baptist Church Cemetery in Rome.
The family will receive friends Monday August 20, 2012 at Mt. Calvary Free Will Baptist Church in Shannon from 5:00 until 8:00 PM.

Lady Isabella Matilda of Mar, Countess of Carrick

When I started this journey many years ago, I never knew where it would take me. I met many cousins in the different areas of the United States and sent them numerous e-mails to stay in touch. But the most amazing fact that I found was a King. I had studed this person in History and had seen Braveheart many times but I thought that my line was no where near related to Royalty. One cousin who contacted me sent me knowledge that a distant cousin had traced our line through the Magruders back to Robert the Bruce. Well I did some googleing and started with Verlinda Magruder. She was the great grandmother of Martha Peyton Beall and Gen. Frederick Beall who are my third great grandparents. Verlinda was the daughter of Samuel Magruder and Sarah Beall. So this family of Bealls and Magruders married in the families for many generations.

     Verlinda's great grandmother was Lady Margaret Campbell of Perthshire, Scotland. Margaret's great grandmother was Lady Isabel Elizabeth Stewart, Countess of Argyll. The Stewart line traces back to Sir Walter Stewart III of Scotland and Princess Margaret Marjorie Bruce, daughter of Robert the Bruce. There are a lot more interesting facts between these generations. But one thing that I read about was Lady Isabella Matilda of Mar, Countess of Carrick. She was born in the year 1277 and died in 1296. Her Scottish Gaelic spelling is Iseabail. She was the first wife of Robert the Bruce and the grandmother of Robert II of Scotland, founder of the royal House of Stuart. She died before Robert was crowned King of Scots and never became queen. Robert mourned her death for over 5 years.

     She was the daughter of Domhnall I, Earl of Mar and Helen (or Ellen) of Wales (1246-1295), the illegitimate daughter of Llymelyn ab Lorwerth ("the Great")Prince of Wales; she had previously been the wife of Maol Cholouim II Earl of Fife. She was a wealthy woman in her own right. Her lands were most of the northeastern section of Inverness. Isabella spoke Gaelic and High English. She was an educated lady of medieval time. Her father was one of the seven guardians of Scotland who believed Robert Bruce to be the rightful King of Scotland. Despite the considerable risks, the Earl of Mar could foresee the advantage of the two families joining in marriage and bearing an heir to the throne, and the marriage of Isabella and Robert was arranged. Mar was the first to sign over the estates of his family to the Bruce.

     Isabella was married to Robert at the age of 18 and legend has it that they were much in love. Shortly after their marriage Isabella became pregnant. She had a healthy pregnancy but she died soon after giving birth to a daughter, Marjorie Bruce in 1296. Isabella is buried at Paisley Abbey, Renfrewshire.

     Robert married his second wife, Elizabeth de Burgh six years later. Isabella's daughter, Princess Marjorie (died 1316) married Walter Stewart, 6th High Steward of Scotland, and their son became Robert II of Scotland. From him descend the monarchs of the House of Stewart and the later royal families of the United Kingdom.

     Any reference to Isabella being taken prisoner by the English in 1306 I think is false. Robert's marriage to Elizabeth took place in 1302 so she is probably the one taken prisoner. Robert was born in 1274 and died in 1329.
source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isabella_of_Mar