Felicia rejoices in the fact that her two daughters and their families live in the Glennville community near her. Felicia hardly allows a day to go by without talking to or seeing her grandchildren.
Since her mother and grandmother were both very family centered, this mothering instinct comes naturally to Felicia.
“My dad was the late Arlian Brannen, who farmed. Years after he died, my mother, Winona, married Billy O’Neal, who became a special part of our family,” said Felicia. Winona worked at Glennville Bank for 34 years.
Felicia grew up in the area off Harris Kicklighter Road with her sister, Wynette, and two brothers, Kenny and David.
Wynette is married to Charles Burkhalter, and they live in Claxton. Wynette is retired from Lynn Construction Company and Charles from Georgia Power. Their three sons are Chad, Casey, and Clay.
Kenny Brannen and his wife, Traci, live on the family farm. Kenny is retired as a rural mail carrier for the U.S. Postal Service, and Traci is a homemaker. Their children include Nick Waters, Kendall Neese, Jesse Brannen, Arlyn Sellars, Spencer Brannen, Samantha Hooks, and Maggie Brannen.
David Brannen and his wife, Tina, live in Glennville. He drives a gas truck for Mike Crummey Oil, and Tina works part time for Rusty Pig in the office. She also has her own bakery business in her home, known as Anytime Sweets. Their children include Josh Brannen, Tabitha Rogers, and Trey Brannen.
Felicia’s husband, Larry, is the son of the late Clayton and Pauline Walker. Clayton retired from the Mascot Pecan Company after over 40 years of employment there. Pauline worked part time at the Mascot.
Larry has three brothers: Randy, Mike, and Jimmy.
Randy is retired from civil service at Ft. Stewart, and his wife, Karen, is a retired teacher. Their children are Stephanie McWilliams and Charles Walker.
Mike, who is retired from MATES at Ft. Stewart and the Georgia National Guard, and his wife, Ruth, have two sons, Jason and Clayton.
Jimmy Walker and his wife, Cindy, live in Glennville as do Randy and Mike. Jimmy is maintenance supervisor for the Long County Board of Education, and Cindy is employed at Rotary Corporation. Their children are Danielle Dubberly and Tyler Walker.
“I worked for 26 years in bookkeeping for Clyde’s Market until it was sold to EnMarket. Although I had planned on working a few more years, it was best. It was a very sad time since we lost three parents within six months: Billy O’Neal in March, my mother next in May, and Larry’s mother in September,” said Felicia.
Larry is retired from a 35-year career in civil service on Ft. Stewart, and he managed the Ammunition Supply Point his last 11 years there.
Even though he officially retired in 2018, he stays quite busy tending to their 35 acres of pecan trees, which number over a thousand.
“I planted quite a few of our trees over 25 years ago, but then really got busy planting as I neared retirement,” said Larry. Larry and Felicia have their own cracking and shelling equipment, packaging and selling the bagged shelled pecans under the Walker Pecan Farms name.(walkerpecans@yahoo.com)
“Our fall is fairly busy with the pecan harvesting. Even though we sell most of the pecans in bulk, we sell quite a few shelled ones, too,” said Felicia.
Their two daughters, Sabrina and Daphne, simply light up their lives, and Larry and Felicia are delighted that they have daily interaction with them and their children.
Sabrina and her husband, Stevie Page, are parents to three active children: Madison, Walker, and Mia.
Madison will be entering ninth grade at Tattnall County High School (TCHS) this fall and is already on the cheerleading team, including competitive cheering. She plans to be on the school’s tennis team as she was at South Tattnall Middle School (STMS) as well as Beta Club; Family, Career, Community Leaders of America (FCCLA); Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA); and the Interact Club at TCHS. She also dances for Studio South Dance Academy, formerly known as Jennifer’s School of Dance.
Walker is entering seventh grade at STMS and is a Beta Club member who will be among those attending the national convention in Nashville, Tennessee, this summer. He plays football and baseball for STMS, and is also on the Sluggers traveling baseball team.
Mia, who is entering fourth grade at South Tattnall Elementary School (STES), enjoys softball and basketball at the Glennville Recreation Park and has taken dance as well.
“I help out with taking the children to their various activities, since they often have games at the same time. Larry and I also really enjoy attending their games and other events in which they are involved,” said Felicia.
Sabrina is the Work-Based Learning Coordinator at TCHS, from which she graduated in 2001. She has been with the Tattnall School System since she completed her first college degree. Sabrina taught math before becoming the Work-Based Learning Coordinator. Next year, she will also serve as the TCHS Interact Advisor. Her husband, Stevie, is the Safety Manager at Rotary Corporation.
Daphne and her husband, Jim Richardson, live less than half a mile from her parents. They are both in the Tattnall School System. Daphne is the Early Childhood and Nutrition Wellness Educator and FCCLA advisor at TCHS. Jim, who has been a teacher at TCHS previously, will be teaching seventh grade math at STMS in the fall.
Their family include Jim’s daughter, 17-year-old Marlee, who will be completing her senior year in Arizona. Daphne’s daughter, seven-year-old Alexa Duff, will be entering second grade at STES in the fall. She also enjoys playing softball and gymnastics, and Larry and Felicia look forward to attending her events and games.
The extended family enjoy visiting Ponce Inlet every summer for several weeks, and they look forward to that relaxed time together at the beach.
However, their Sunday lunches at Felicia and Larry’s home are the highlight of their week. Felicia cooks for ten or eleven EVERY Sunday, and Sabrina and Daphne enjoy catching up with each other’s families. Of course, both Felicia and Larry look forward to this fellowship, too.
“My grandmother (Marjorie Kicklighter) did this, too, and my mom followed that tradition. I guess I naturally took it on as the third generation. My mom and Granny looked forward to these Sunday dinners,” said Felicia.
“I suppose my favorite hobby is family, and they keep us busy,” she added.
Like her mother and grandmother and Larry’s mother, Felicia cans and freezes a lot of vegetables. Their garden includes corn, peas, butterbeans, okra, squash, cucumbers, and potatoes. Sabrina and Daphne help as they are available in canning and freezing vegetables. One of Felicia’s favorite items that she learned to prepare was Zucchini Relish, which she said is superb on hot dogs and hamburgers. (You can simply Google the recipe.) Others are pickled okra and pepper jelly. Felicia prepares quite a few pecan recipes, with their abundance of these nuts.
Crafts has become another pastime that Felicia enjoys, such as crocheted hand towels and Christmas ornaments.
She shared that someone once asked her to take a favorite item of clothing that had belonged to that person’s deceased mother and make a Christmas ornament from it. (See photo.)
“This is a wonderful keepsake that brings back memories of your mother or father, especially when you recall them wearing that item of clothing often. I just wish I would have thought of this before I gave my mother’s and grandmother’s clothes away after they died,” said Felicia.
“I enjoy cooking, especially when I can share what I prepare with my family. We make a lot of memories over the kitchen table on Sundays,” said Felicia.
Felicia Walker’s Recipes
CRAB SALAD
2 (8-oz.) pkgs. imitation crab
1 small bell pepper, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
3 or 4 stalks celery, chopped
1 small jar pimento (drained)
1 small box seashell noodles
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 to 3/4 cup mayonnaise
2 to 3 Tbsp. sour cream
Cook and drain noodles. Mix first seven ingredients, and then add 1/2 to 3/4 cup mayonnaise and 2 to 3 tablespoons sour cream. Mix well and refrigerate.
CANDIED PECANS
1/2 cup sour cream
1-1/2 cups granulated sugar
1-1/2 tsp. vanilla flavoring
3 cups pecan halves
Mix all ingredients and cook over medium heat till temperature reaches 234 degrees F. on a candy thermometer. Take off heat and stir in 3 cups of pecans. Pour onto a cookie sheet and let cool. Break apart. Store in an air-tight container.
PECAN KISSES
1 egg white
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 cup pecans, halves or cut up
Beat egg white until it stands in peaks. Add sugar until well blended. Stir in pecans. Drop with teaspoon onto a greased baking sheet (preferably, line baking sheet with parchment paper). Bake at 200 degrees F. for 1 hour. Turn off oven and let the pecans stay in the oven for 1 hour. Then put in an air-tight container.
SQUASH PUDDING
1/2 stick margarine (melted)
2 cups cooked squash (well drained)
1-1/4 cups sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup evaporated milk
2 eggs
1/2 cup flour (self-rising)
1 tsp. vanilla
pinch of baking soda
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
Mix melted margarine and one cup of sugar with all other ingredients (except 1/4 cup sugar and the cinnamon) with an electric mixer until thoroughly mixed. Pour into a 9”x13” baking dish that has been sprayed with Pam. Mix the 1/4 cup sugar and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and then sprinkle on the top of the squash mixture. Bake uncovered in a preheated 375-degree F. oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until firm.
