my mother (93) died last night ........ hard to know where to post this

She had been in assisted living since Sept 2003 and in a nursing unit since New Years. She had been rapidly going down hill since the beginning of December; at Christmas holidays she said she didn't like being old, told us never to get old, and was clearly ready for 'the next stage.'

She was born on Valentine's Day, 1913, and was raised in Saint Louis by her grandmother because her mother died shortly after she was born.

One of her favorite stories was about how she was playing 'up the street' and saw her favorite uncle 'coming up the hill' coming back from WWI. Another was about how her grandmother (when mother was older) would put on her hat and take the trolley out to the park on Sunday afternoon and sit on a bench and eat an ice cream cone.

About 10 or so years ago, one of my brothers and I were at the house talking about the wonders of the internet. And we were marveling at how Xerox machines weren't available when we were in college. And Mom said, 'You do realize I remember when we got our first radio?...... and my grandparents and my uncles and aunt would sit around in the evening listening to music.'

Mom was fascinated by space. My son, her first grand-child, was born in June 1969, and the first men walked on the moon shortly thereafter. Mom watched the whole thing on TV (as everyone did) and knitted a crib blanket with the date on it for her grand-child. She had smoked since she was a teen-ager, but at this time she quit cold-turkey. She said, 'If they can discipline themselves so they can go into space and walk on the moon, I can certainly stop smoking.'

From the first radio to the first men on the moon.....God be with you on the next part of your journey, Mom.

your mom sounds like she was a neat lady.

I'm so sorry for your loss. She sounds like a wonderful woman.

and thus has enriched the lives of those around her, may she be at peace now.

She sounds like a lovely woman. My condolences on your loss. :hug:

We all are so sorry to hear about your mother's passing. Thanks for letting us know a little about her :hug:

You've shared so many years with your mom. Others should be so lucky. She sounds like she was really special.

May God be good to her (and I know she will) and please feel blessed that you had this lovely woman in your life for so long.

I never knew any of my grandparents and my parents died young and so I really miss the history and tradition that I never got.

I hope you can be at peace with her passing.

May you and your family find peace and comfort in the days ahead.

In them she'll always be close to you.

Thank you for sharing those wonderful memories - it sounds like you had one terrific mom.

for you loss. May she rest in peace.


:hug:

and to your mother, wherever she may be

was a great old gal. DU does have a bereavement forum if you want to post there as well.

Remember her fondly. Think not of the last year or so. She lived for 93 years, now you have her forever.

My sympathies on your loss.

It sounds like she must have packed in a lot of life.

It sounds like your mom lived her life to the fullest (and longest, too!) We should all be so lucky.

When you feel like it, take a minute to write down some of her stories and your own reflections and put them in a scrapbook. Future generations will thank you for it.

I wish you and your family peace at this difficult time.

...but a well-written tribute, nonetheless, and one that brought up stories my grandmother used to tell about her first plane ride: when a barnstormer came to her Missouri town, when she was a young girl (or early teens, I think) and she was the first person to agree to go up in the plane with him...

...and amazing story to hear from a lady who by then was slowly clambering up and down the steps of passenger planes when she'd fly the 500 miles to visit her grandkids...

Your mother had a long, rich life.

:hug::loveya:

She sounds like a wonderful woman. My thoughts are with you and your family at this difficult time.:hug:

i lost my mom in 2001. i know what you are going through. god bless you, and godspeed to your mom

:hug:

I am sorry for your loss.

I am still at a loss, and in deep pain. If you want to or need to call I will PM you my cell phone number.

I am sorry for your loss, truly. It has been hell this year for me. Dad was in surgery a month later, wife (AutumnMist here) had an asthma attack, two other people I knew died around same time.

I hope things can get better for you, they will over time. I still break down and cry out of the blue - almost daily. I bought the house next door to mom in August, wanted to be here for her. In October (31st I think) she went in for surgery for an infection. Week before christmas she came home, christmas eve back to hospital and died new years eve.

It is hard, it sucks, and I am still lost. But I have my dad and brother to talk to each day - they can relate. And in this sense I can relate to your sadness. Again, feel free to call me anytime on this. I am seeing a 'shrink' (if you will) weekly and it has helped me a lot.

Just call, talk, cry, whatever. Hell we can cry together, lord knows I need it sometimes.

You hang in there, and message me if I can be of help. Still all fresh in my mind, and I know it helps to have someone to talk to.

Sorry my friend, it will get better - but it sure as hell takes time.

I saw the pictures of your Mom's stories in my thoughts as I read this. She sounds like she was a wonderful parent. She will always be in your heart and with you in spirit always. May you find comfort and peace in these memories of her.

I did when my mom passed away, she was 86. It was sad, cause hey, it was my mom. But I was happy that she got to live 86 years. Many people have parents gone way before that.

into what sounds like it was a long and interesting life.

Thank you for sharing the memories. :-)

I hope she also has a full and happy eternity, and that you have even more wonderful memories of her to cherish. :hug:

I know your life was enriched by having her as part of your family. My condolences.

She sounds like a sweetheart. And she imparted some special knowledge to you about what life was like while she was growing up. That's priceless.

"Another was about how her grandmother (when mother was older) would put on her hat and take the trolley out to the park on Sunday afternoon and sit on a bench and eat an ice cream cone."

Money gives you wealth but family and friends make you rich.

O8)

She's at peace now,and I hope you and yours find it too.

may you find warmth and comfort in your memories, and my your mother Rest in Peace.

I especially liked that she drew the resolve to quit smoking from seeing men walk on the moon. Inspiration comes from all kinds of places!

May you find comfort during this time. :hug:

God bless.

Thanks for sharing the story about her, sounds like she was a terrific Mom!

Thoughts are with you....

Your memories will carry you forward. Think of her sitting all dressed up as they were on a bench eating ice cream. That's a lovely image, yes?
They were a great generation, a gifted and decent one. They gave us a world that was made firm and well and its not their fault we screwed up. Bless your mom and you too, honey.

What a beautiful tribute.

Who knows, maybe she'll get to see the moon for herself now.

You wrote a lovely tribute to a lady who sounded so wonderful. My deepest sympathy.

...and I still think of her every day. We talked about everything, but politics and current events were her favorite subjects.

She didn't talk much about her family other than her parents and two brothers, but it was still a real shock to me to discover hundreds of pictures dating back to the 1870s of people I had never heard about.

She saved everything, something she had learned to do during the Great Depression. And when I say "everything", I mean everything! But that's another story, not worth discussing here.

Mom's favorite memories include seeing her brothers return from WWII, alive and well, visiting the family home during the summers, learning to swim in the pond at her father's family farm, earning a BA degree in 1948, getting married in her parent's home, as well as having and raising two children. She also liked to talk about all of the important events of the latter half of the 20th century.

Funny story: I caught myself attempting to dial her number a couple of weeks ago when I saw something on tv that I knew would interest her!

As others have said, what a beautiful tribute.

:hug:

Your mother lived a most extraordinary life. Thank you for sharing with us.

She sounds like she was an awesome woman.

Cherish your memories.

Mz Pip
:dem:

It's hard losing a parent. My thoughts are with you.

Is the right place. She obviously was an imporant and welcome part of poeple's lives. And the more you share her lovely story the more she will continue to exist.

My sympathies to you, your family and all those who loved her.

It sounds like she had a wonderful long life.

I think living through the 20th century had to be the most interesting and exciting time of change to have lived a life.

It's so very hard to lose one's mom, regardless of age.

That was a beautiful tribute to her. :)

My condolences. :hug:

So sorry for your loss.

it brought tears to my eyes. I am so sorry for your loss. I'm glad though you have such wonderful memories of your mom.

May she rest in peace.

:hug:

and some pretty amazing changes too. my condolences and deepest sympathies go out to you and your family.

pass on (I think). You will have her love to think about and comfort you every day for the rest of your life.

your mother sounds like a very special person, part of her will always live on in you and your children. :hug: