Yesterday would have been my mother’s 100th birthday! Her goal was to live to 100, unfortunately she left us a year ago, just a month short of her 99th birthday.
She was quite the woman. Born on a farm in southeast Minnesota she never out grew her love for planting and harvesting. In high school she played “old fashion” girls basket ball. In that game girls were not allowed to cross the center line. The thinking at that time was that girls should not run that far. I don’t know how they balanced five girls; I suppose two from each team on each end of the gym, but where was the fifth player allowed to play? She graduated second in her class, better than any of her nine kids, including me. We teased her that Immaculate Heart of Mary school only had three graduates that year, but she insisted there were more and I’m sure there were.
When she married my dad no one from Dad’s side of the family was allowed to come to the wedding except one of his brothers and his oldest sister. The rest of his family, and there were lots of them, five sisters and four brothers, were quarantined because one of the girls had scarlet fever. At that time, there was no treatment for scarlet fever, so those who had it were not allowed to go out of their house for fear they would spread this dreaded disease to others. Now, of course, penicillin cures scarlet fever in a few days.
She spent the first 15 years of her married life in tiny farm houses with a wood burning cook stove and another wood burning stove in the living room. Her first four kids were born at home. In 1947 my dad’s mom had a stroke and needed live in help, so my folks moved their six kids in with them. I’m sure it was with mixed feelings for her; she now had Grandma to take care of, Dad’s brother, Dad, and six kids to cook for and clean up after. But, she had indoor pluming, a year later central heat was added. Her dedication to her M.I.L. was more than admirable. Grandma soon developed very early dementia with all the problems that accompanied it. Grandma died in 1952.
My folks were married 73 years and had nine kids. The first and last only 1 day apart and 25 years. In 1984 the youngest girl married and Mom made her wedding dress. Not many 70 year olds can say that.
Looking back, I think most people who knew my mother would thing she had a charmed life because she was always happy. She was involved in church women’s guild and every other church organization there was. And she laughed at everything. She had somewhat of a sarcastic perhaps even cynical sense of humor. She laughed when I know others would cry. But, she was never down. She and her seven daughters would sit around the table and laugh until their sides hurt. This same behavior continued to the time of her death.
She worked hard, prayed hard, and laughed hard. I think that was one of the reasons she lived so long.
Enjoy your mother while she is alive. Too soon, no matter how long, she will leave you.
May God bless you and your mothers.