The Selma Times-Journal

Kathryn Tucker Windham has made a living out of her ability to craft prose.

Whether through books, columns or live in a combination of tale-telling and music, people over the past 60 years have hung on her words.

Funny enough, during Windham&8217;s 90th birthday celebration Sunday, it was the audience members who had stories to tell.

It was as a Sunday school teacher at Church Street Methodist Church that Windham&8217;s tradition of passing around combs and wax paper began. Back then, it was Windham&8217;s way of keeping 30 or so kids from going stir crazy.

It has since evolved into a way to give a crowd of people with almost nothing in common something familial to share.

Almost to a person, the crowd outside the steps of the Selma-Dallas County Public Library had a personal memory to relate about Selma&8217;s beloved storyteller.

Whether from Texas, Georgia, Alabama or anywhere else, people blew into their combs upon Windham&8217;s command and celebrated the life of a true wordsmith.