FAIRHOPE, AL, UNITED STATES, October 24, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — Author Lila Marie Pennington Ryals highlights the lasting influence of a mother’s love and guidance in her memoir, What Would Mama Do?: Growing Up An “Almost” Orphan in Fairhope (available on Amazon).
This memoir is set against the backdrop of the Great Depression and World War II. It portrays Ryals’ childhood after the death of her mother, Demmie Pennington, in 1941. At a very young age, Ryals and her younger brother, Buddy, faced the challenges of growing up with limited parental support while learning to care for themselves during a difficult period in American history.
I promised my brother Buddy that I would write the story of our lives during the years we lived in Fairhope alone together,” said author Lila Marie Pennington Ryals. “We lived a life of hunger, fear, and loneliness after being left to our own devices at only seven and nine years old, but whenever we had a problem, we always asked ourselves, ‘What would Mama do?’ Her influence continued to guide us long after she was gone.
Rather than focusing solely on hardship, the memoir examines how the lessons, values, and example left behind by their mother continued to shape the decisions of her children long after her passing. Throughout the book, the question “What would Mama do?” becomes a guiding point that positively impacted their choices as they encounter uncertainty and change.
The memoir also offers readers a personal look at life in Fairhope, Alabama, during the war years. Through recollections of family life, community relationships, food rationing, wartime concerns, and childhood experiences, Ryals preserves memories from a generation whose daily lives were shaped by both national events and personal challenges.
At the heart of the story is the bond between two siblings determined to remain connected despite circumstances that often threatened to separate them. Their shared memories of their mother provided a source of comfort and direction as they adjusted to a new reality following her death.
Through personal reflection and firsthand experiences, Ryals documents the role that family values, faith, and perseverance played in helping children navigate loss. The memoir presents a portrait of how one mother’s influence continued to guide her family even after she was gone.
What Would Mama Do?: Growing Up An “Almost” Orphan in Fairhope is available for purchase on Amazon:
https://a.co/d/07mCOOs2
About the Author
Lila Marie Pennington Ryals is the author of What Would Mama Do?: Growing Up An “Almost” Orphan in Fairhope. Drawing from her own experiences, she shares memories of childhood in Alabama during the Great Depression and World War II, preserving family stories and historical perspectives for future generations.
Lila Marie Pennington Ryals is available for book signings, author appearances, and media inquiries. Requests may be directed to the contact information provided below:
Lila Marie Pennington Ryals
Author
+1 (410) 660-3198
epstamp@yahoo.com
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