I found the picture of my mom used above on the obituary not too long ago. I think it was taken by one of her church group friends at one of their regular outings who printed a copy for her and she gave to me. From the background I cropped out, I can see it was at Gruene Hall in New Braunfels. I had to scan it, therefore quality is not great. But this look is how I remember my mama when she was at her happiest - when she was still able to drive herself, was active in so many clubs and activities, did water aerobics regularly at Premiere Lady, and was still able to go on RV trips with me. This was my "favorite" mama, if you understand what I mean. Best I can guess, this was taken sometime in 2005. We had come through all the BS from our past relationship issues and had a lot of fun together through this period and I really miss that. 

She was very active in St. Catherine of Siena Church for many years, not just attending Sunday services, but a member or even President of some of the many clubs, like The Widowers, The Krafty Ladies and I can’t remember what else, but I remember they frequently prepared meals for luncheons held after funerals and how she would be happy that they all loved her cooking and that she always had special requests.

I had met a few of these ladies over the years, but after I started traveling, just heard about them periodically from my mom.  But when I got back to Austin to start planning her service, I talked to a few of them to let them know and they have been so helpful to me since I’ve never done anything like this before.

I am so thankful because they were like family to my mom and I well remember how much she loved her church community and the friends she had here and the many activities and clubs she participated in.

Not long after I got in touch with a couple of the ladies here to let them know about mom’s passing, I received the nicest note from Judith letting me know the Krafty Ladies of St. Catherine had enrolled mom in the Clerical Endowment Fund which included mass services being offered and other remembrances and prayers. 

But her personal note meant the most, so I want to share it here:

“Bertha was such a vital part of our craft group.  We still talk about how she told us she had no talent for crafts when she first came, and then she made countless Christmas tree skirts and stockings that could put to shame any we had previously crafted.  She was truly missed when she moved.”

(I remember watching her make those stockings and skirts and how proud she was of them as she told me how quickly they sold.  She was always volunteering and enjoyed being able to drive other ladies who couldn’t get to and from church and other places and loved the independence her car gave her.  It was a pretty big blow to her when she couldn’t drive anymore and she was the one having to ask for a ride instead of giving it.)

Her card continued:  “As a group and individually, we kept in touch with her by calls and birthday cards, etc.  Then the day came when a birthday card was returned to us by the post office and no one was able to track her down.  We could no longer stay in touch, but she was never forgotten.”

(I feel bad about this.  After she moved to South Carolina, they did move from their original house, but since they filed a forwarding address, we don’t know how this happened.)

Continuing… “On a personal note, she may have only made this once, but I have copied it for many snack occasions.  It was a cherry, a cube of cheese and a chunk of pineapple on a toothpick…so easy to make, so attractive on a tray, and yet so tasty.  I think of Bertha any time I copy her example." 

(I’ve also made that concoction a lot for pot lucks and people always comment that they would have never thought of combining those 3 foods, but how surprisingly good and simple it was.  I also remember her saying her most requested item was that pineapple coconut cake she said she was famous for.  And she’d always grin with pride that her cooking was so well appreciated.  My most favorite items were referred to as “mommy” foods - there was no other roast in the world like a mommy roast, or mommy soup when you were sick, and certainly nobody else could make a gumbo like mommy.  Sometimes it just takes my breath away to realize I’ll never walk into her house greeted by the smell of her cooking ever again.)

And finally, "Our thoughts and prayers are with you.  We share your loss.”

So I want to personally and sincerely thank all of the ladies who were such an important part of my mother’s life here in Austin.  She loved it here so much and the times that I remember her being the happiest was when it seemed she was constantly on the go to one meeting or another, a Bunco game, a funeral, a luncheon, a fun outing to see the Painted Churches, whatever.  I used to kid her that she “ran the streets” more than I did.  I don’t remember all of their names (after all, I do have my mother’s memory issues) - but I look forward to seeing these ladies at the Memorial on Saturday.  Joyce has been kind enough to want to host a luncheon following this service where she said “we will sit around and tell Bertha stories.” 

I’ll try not to cry remembering all the times my mom did this for others. 

The Obituary my brother wrote states “just the facts” for the legal notice, but I feel compelled to add something more personal in an attempt to be reflective of what my mom was really like and the person she was to me.

There are many stories and memories about my mom, and besides the RV trips I've already written about, I’ll share more of those later, but this chapter will be about a book that I had seen before, but never read in entirety until today.  It's a Hallmark style book that Angelique had given her to fill in the pages, and we had to both laugh and cry today at some of the things she wrote.  The book is called Grandmother’s Memories for her Grandchild and I think it gives some great insights the way she summed up some things she had learned in her life at that point.  It was filled out in 2010 and maybe some in 2011, too, before she gave it back to Angelique when she moved to South Carolina due to her declining health.

Although she didn’t complete the whole book, here are some of my favorites:

A Song I Want to Share With You:  “You’ll Never Walk Alone.’  Know that.  Even when I’m not there, I will be for you and with you in spirit.”  (Both Angelique and I sobbed when we talked about this one - basically my mom had said the same thing to me in a card I had kept and came across again recently.)

Her favorite treat:  “Candy - and more candy”  (OMG, this was SO my mom - she was absolutely obsessed with Hershey’s Kisses (Silver Bells) - I think that's partly where her diabetes came from - she could eat a whole bag in one sitting!)

God Seems Especially Close When:  “I’m scared and I stop to pray.  At times when I pray, I can find him. Sometimes I think I never will.” 

What My Mother Taught Me About God:  “To fear him.”

The First Time I Knew God Was Real:  "Is he?"  (My mom ran hot and cold about religion sometimes, but her basic faith in God was pretty solid, I think.  But this also shows the insecurity I can well relate to about the subject of God and where he/she is sometimes.  I admit to being jealous that I believe she has found out now.)

The Most Difficult Thing a Mother Has To Do:  “Let go.”  (Amen, Mama, Amen!)

The Thing I Love Most About Your Mother: (This is her answer to Angelique about me):  “Her boldness and spirit to do the things I would never have had the nerve to do.  Even though she was kind of dumb when she stole my car and asked the neighbors for help to park it.  Neighbor later told me I should teach her to park if I let her use my car.  She was busted.”  (She never got tired of telling the story about when I stole her car and rode around the French Quarter with my best friend.  I was probably 15 or 16 at the time - and while I could drive OK and miraculously didn’t hit anything, I didn’t think about a couple of things:  #1 - the same parking spot in front of the house may not be available when I got back. So I was freaked out enough about that since I figured she might notice it was going to be a couple of doors down from where she left it. But I was having a real hard time parallel parking into the spot that was available, when that neighbor did ask if I needed help.  I accepted, but I didn’t know he was going to rat me out!)

But here I have to say, I obviously got some of my rebellious ways honestly, because she wrote here:

Story About A Sister:  “When we moved to New Orleans during the war, Gloria and I would sneak off to the French Quarter and tell my mother we were going to the YMCA.”

How People Dressed When I Was a Girl:  “Most of our clothes were handmade cotton dresses.  The first silk panties I ever wore, I thought I had died and gone to heaven.”  (Uh, maybe TMI, Grandma?  LOL)

About her great granddaughter, Anna and great-great granddaughters, Cadence & Cailie:  “These three little girls are making me the happiest old lady in the whole wide world.  I am blessed.”  (This old lady feels the same way, mama, and we'll make sure they'll never forget their Great Great.)

Bertha LeBlanc Quimby, age 88 of Columbia, SC passed away on November 23, 2014.  Bertha lived for several years in Austin, TX and was a faithful member of St. Catherine of Siena Church. 

She is survived by her son, John May (Lois), her daughter, Malia Lane, and her brother Curtis LeBlanc.  She also is survived by four grandchildren; Heather Roberts (Gavin), Kevin May (Vera), Angelique McCravy, Keala Carr; two great-grandchildren Anna Carr, Caitlin Chambers; and two great-great-grandchildren Cailie and Cadence Nemetsky.

Bertha was the oldest of eight children.  She was born on a little plantation in LaRose, Louisiana on August 10, 1926 and was a true Cajun all her life.  She loved her family, spicy cooking, sewing, and poker.  She especially loved travelling with her daughter in the RV and being with her friends at the Krafty Ladies Club at St. Catherine.

A special memorial service is being held for her Austin friends and family at St. Catherine’s chapel at 4800 Convict Hill Road, Austin, TX on March 7 at 12:30 pm.

No flowers please, but donations in her name to the Krafty Ladies of St. Catherine would be welcomed.