A Daughter's Eulogy of a Life Celebrated
June 9, 2010
Just a week before my mom’s passing I wrote in her Mother’s Day card that I was excited for the coming year. I felt because of the good fortune that was finally being sent her way, that it would be a year filled with hope, joy, and new adventures that she would take pleasure in. Little did I know that God had a much bigger and greater adventure prepared for her, and I take solace in knowing that HIS plan is always better than our own. However, had I known it would be the last card I would write her… I would have dramatically changed my words. So with not wanting to live in regret, I have written some of what I would have written, so I could share a bit of my mom with you today.
My mom was a woman of CHARACTER who lived by core values and basic rules. She taught us to be kind and courteous to others, that there is a God and He is tangible and alive in our lives, that you play with good sportsmanship, that you surround yourself with good friends, you work hard and strive often to go that little bit extra, to be creative and find worth in what others consider trash, and that it is important to finish your commitments without quitting prematurely. I appreciated these lessons and I have found that by practicing them I find success in all facets in my life.
As a child my mom was ACTIVE in our school. She worked on the PTA board, did unique programs to encourage kids to read, and single handedly convinced our school that 6th grade camp was a must for every child to experience.
My mom was a CREATIVE soul and her talents were something to be admired. First, she had the gift of music. Our house was often filled with her singing or humming her favorite songs. As a child I often sat with pride in the sanctuary of this very church to watch her sing with the choir. Secondly, my mom loved to make crafts. She could take everyday household items, and even what most would consider trash, and turn them into treasures. One summer when I was a kid she collected 5 gallon buckets from 31 flavors so that my friends and I could make personalized trash cans by pasting magazine pictures of our hobbies on the outside of the bin. I loved that trashcan! On another occasion I witnessed her staying up all night to recreate a human size Crest toothpaste costume for my brother. The next morning she was putting the final touches of the costume as she wrote every symbol and letter from the back of the tube onto this costume. No detail was too small for her. It was no wonder my brother usually won the Halloween costume contests. Thirdly, she was a terrific cook. Some of her signature dishes have been so popular that all of us kids have taken a few and made them our own over the years. After this service you will have a chance to enjoy a few of her favorites, such as her Spaghetti salad, ham & cream cheese appetizers and the Chinese Chicken salad. Lastly, she had her famous Christmas trees made from the cardboard rolls from toilet paper. Again, what we think of trash she could turn into treasures with a bit of craftiness and creativity. They were so popular that she would ask family and friends to save those DARN rolls. I often felt guilty when I threw them away instead of giving them to her first. She also loved to pass on these craft secrets and today I am proud to say that my sister, son, and I have made these Christmas trees and can pass the tradition on to others.
My mom was DEVOTED & LOVING towards others, which may explain her working in retirement care facilities for over 25 years. She liked to hear of individuals life stories and was able to remember even the tiniest details by memory for years after. She remained lifelong friends with each of the men she loved in her life and kept active friendships with each of their extended families. My mom was that type of person who would make a lifelong friend by simply starting a conversation in the local grocery store. She also loved her family! She had such pride in her parents and siblings and was with each of them during their lengthy and difficult battles with Diabetes. It was difficult for her to be the oldest child in her family and to have been the last survivor of them. However, she persevered and carried on and we are all comforted in knowing that they are now all reunited again in Heaven.
My mom was a person of TRADITION who felt strongly about family customs and was very committed to knowing the importance of each branch of our family tree. For many of us, we feel we have lost one of the historians in our family.
And Lastly, my mom could be FUNNY… she could tell stories that seem to go on forever even if she knew you were in a hurry. She had this way of starting a story by saying do you remember so and so? She is a member of the church and she is married to Mr. so and so? Come on… you must remember her, she has white hair (but when she was younger it was blond) and she usually wore bright colors and had two daughters that were younger than you? Seeing that I still didn’t recall who she was talking about she’d go on to elaborate on more details which usually brought more confusion to my already cloudy memory. In the end I would find out she was taking about one of the ladies who knew me when I was in the nursery here at First Baptist and that I hadn’t seen much since. That was my mom and those stories would just make us laugh.
In conclusion, I thank the Lord for giving me the opportunity to be my mom’s daughter and for the lessons she taught me along the way. We will continue on by continuing to practice her lessons and in celebrating her traditions.