February is Black History Month and in recognition of this the Choctaw Historical and Genealogical Society hosted a presentation by Mattie McDaniel who has done research on the first slaves who were brought to Choctaw County, the first landowners with more than 500 acres and the first entrepreneurs, but on the occasion she chose to focus on the present.
Johnnie and Alice Batts instilled in their children a number of pearls of wisdom including, “Stand tall and proud. Go out on a limb, Remember your roots. Drink plenty of water and be refreshed. Be content with your natural beauty. Enjoy the view from where you are.”
Dorothy Batts Lilly, the daughter of Johnnie and Alice, took these to heart and forged a path in her life that would take her to places she never imagined. After working at
Choctaw County Hospital for 20 years in housekeeping Batts took a new direction when she decided to take an EMT course at Webster County Hospital. Shortly after receiving her EMT certification Lilly was offered a job at the hospital, which she accepted even though she did not initially want to take the job.
Within a year she was in school to become a registered nurse and eventually became the
director of the nursing home in Webster County. She was offered the chance to travel to California as a nurse, and Lilly stated that upon her return she was restless and ready for more travel. She was working as a travel nurse when she retired.
Lilly said, “It has been awesome, a magnificent career!” Her decisions led eight more family members to follow her into the healthcare field.
Her advice to young people is to put your Heavenly Father first, and be persistent, take small steps and never stop growing because once you stop it's the end.
