She was raised in the mountains of southern West Virginia by her grandparents, served in the Navy during WWII, married my father because she was homesick and she ran into him in New York (they had gone to school together) while he was recovering from a wound received in the Pacific, moved all over the place and came to rest in Ohio because that's where Dad could find a job. After 20 years of marriage, she found herself a single parent to a 16 yr old, 5 yr old, and 2 yr old. She endured all of the ups and downs of single parenthood and finally had seen all of her children married. She's gotten to hold 5 granddaughters, 7 great-grandchildren, and 1 great-great grandchild. (The picture shows her holding the newest of the great-grands.) She was a teacher's aide, a lunchroom lady, a Sunday School teacher and a library volunteer.
Today, she sits in a wheelchair, uses oxygen, and has trouble remembering things and people. She lives in a nursing center and receives really good care. She gets to come to church on Sunday because some wonderful van drivers at our church take a handicap van over to get her. We usually take her out to dinner on Sundays and then take her back to the nursing center. We go visit with her several times through the week, but she will tell everyone that she doesn't get many visitors.
She has seen so much in her lifetime. She saw the beginning popularity of cars & motorcycles (which still scare her!), television, movies, public transportation that wasn't rail-bound, computers (which fascinate & intimidate her) and cell phones.
She's been an amazing woman. She's loved me, taught me, disciplined me (when she could catch me), frustrated me, antagonized me, forgiven me, and patterned a relationship with Christ for me.
I love her and will miss her when she goes to her Heavenly Home.
1 comment:
Oh I am sending happy birthday wishes to your wonderful mother. What a loving tribute you've written. May your fellowship today be rich and dear and your dinner out a joy.
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