This is a picture of Marie, Edna, Bernie, Joan, George and their Mom

            (a.k.a. "Ma", "Aunt Marie", "Mer"... etc, etc) 

 I will gladly come right out and say that in spite of all her eccentricity, Marie was the best mother I could've imagined ever having; I really didn't have any complaints about her while growing up. Okay, so she was a little less than strict with the rules and regulations - letting us kids stay out skating and playing hockey on the back pond after midnight during Christmas vacation, for instance - but we actually were behaving ourselves, while simply enjoying our time off from school. And the four of us somehow managed to become productive members of society, regardless. 

She was surely the favorite mom of the youngsters in our neighborhood - anyone could see that they all enjoyed her easygoing interaction with them. A bunch of us would be swimming, catching turtles or picking raspberries, and "Mrs Mutschall" was often right there in the middle of us, just a natural part of the group. And often quite entertaining to be around. The members of our household were used to her comic outbursts, but it was always fun to watch the neighbor kids' faces when she would answer the phone, "Joe's Pool Hall!" 

I shudder to think how my life could have turned out if my mom had been content to remain in the city where I was born. Thanks to her, I learned at a very early age how to sit patiently on the bank of a lake or pond with a fishing pole in my hands. And if she hadn't been so "eccentric" it's a good bet that I might never have had the desire to pick up a paintbrush - much less to try my skill at creating my own Halloween masks or delving into the art of animated movies. Who knows, maybe I wouldn't have even mustered the nerve to climb aboard a motorcycle! But the sky was the limit in our home, and I was never discouraged from reaching for it. If Marie hadn't been a fearless admirer of wildlife, I might not have considered asking to keep a terrarium full of lizards in my bedroom, or wanting to cultivate a variety of carnivorous plants. I'm sure I could go on and on, trying to list all of the times when she inspired me in pursuits which many people considered "odd" - but Mom accepted everything I dreamed up as if it was an interesting challenge, and was happy to assist when I needed guidance along the way. 

  There is little doubt that "crazy" woman touched all of our lives in more ways than we are aware of... and I am pleased to admit that it's all her fault that I turned out to be the weird guy that I am!