This was my great aunt Willa…

She was my grandfather’s older sister. I forget what year this was taken, but I remember her looking like this. She was in my life until I was about 18.

Willa was a milliner by trade; she went to the white trade school and learned how to make beautiful hats. Then she took that knowledge into our community and taught others (which was often how it was done).

With my grandfather (who was a cobbler) she built a business where people bought hats and shoes. The shop was on Canal St in New Orléans, and people also got their shoes and hats repaired there.

I inherited some of the hats she made.