SUNDAY MEMORIES
Judy Wills
Last week, I did a repost of my big brother, since it was his birthday. Well guess what – today marks my Mother’s birthday – just one week after my brother’s! She would have been 111 years old today. She died when she was 80 years old. But I would like to repost what I wrote about her some years ago. We bloggers wrote a “Mother’s Day Collage” one year, and this is what I wrote about her. I would also like to include what my brother Bill, wrote about her that day.
Here are my thoughts:
How do I describe my Mother? She was so unique in all her ways.
One of the most unique things is that she met, fell in love with, and married a man who was 20 years older than herself. And yet, the marriage was one that I hoped to emulate with my marriage. She created a loving and secure home for her husband and her children. She was heart-broken when her husband died.
She loved to sing and to play the piano. She had a great alto voice. She had a good ear and would just go and sit down at the piano and begin playing. I’m still frustrated that I can’t remember the names of the songs/hymns she played. My brother and I tried to remember them, and have them played at her funeral, but neither of us could remember.
She was a good cook. She made a pot roast that would just melt in your mouth. And that’s something I’ve never been able to duplicate. I never learned her technique. My Dad used to tease her by saying “this meat is no good – it just falls off the bone!” She made the best cherry pie. She made home-made peach jam from the peaches in our back yard.
One time, as she and I were sitting in the living room watching TV, we heard a terrible sound! We both ran to the kitchen – only to find that the pressure cooker had “blown” out the pressure valve and pinto beans were all over the ceiling! What a mess!
Although I suspect she would have loved to be a stay-at-home mom, she worked as an accountant at Kirtland AFB, to make money for “extra” things in our life. She bought a new piano for our house.
But one of the best things about her working there, was that she would find young military personnel – usually men – who were away from home and homesick, and bring them to church with us on a Sunday, then home to Sunday dinner. She kept in contact with many of them throughout her time there. One time she broke her ankle and couldn’t climb the steps to her office upstairs. The officials were so insistent that she not “retire” that they placed a desk and lamp under the stairway just for her. They really liked her work.
When my Dad retired and money was tight, Mother bought a Merle Norman Cosmetic Studio, trained for the job, and set to work. She had a really good, strong work ethic.
Oh my………so many more memories, but these fill my heart and mind.
I miss her still.
And here are Bill’s thoughts about her:
Thank You Mother
My mother was such a great influence and inspiration in my life. She taught me that God loved me and wanted to guide me every step of my life, if I would only ask Him. She taught me to be a gentleman in every area of my life. She taught me to learn all the details and to never take anything for granted. She taught me to always give the other person the benefit of the doubt, and to do to others as I would have them do to me. She taught me to be observant, to work hard and to be patient with others, and to always be kind and loving. She taught by example and there was never any question about her love, acceptance and forgiveness toward others and me.
Judy is living in Central Florida with her retired U.S. Air Force husband of 50+ years. Born in Dallas, Texas, she grew up in the Southwestern United States.She met her husband at their church, where he was attending the university in her town. After college and seminary, he entered the Air Force, and their adventures began.They lived in eight of our United States, and spent six years in Europe, where their oldest daughter was born. She was a stay-at-home mom for many years .
Judy has always been involved with music, both playing the piano and singing. Always interested in exercise, she was an aerobic dancing instructor, as well as a piano teacher for many years, and continues to faithfully exercise at home.
After moving to Central Florida, she served as a church secretary for nearly nine years.Her main hobby at this point in time is scanning pictures and 35mm slides into the computer. She also enjoys scrapbooking.She and her husband have two married daughters and four grandchildren, including grandtwins as well as a great-grandson and a great-granddaughter. She and her husband enjoy the Disney parks as often as possible.
Old Things R New 