Tribute

A Tribute to Our Mother. The world feels forever changed by her absence. Our mother was born in 1946, a bright, confident, and talented little girl who loved to create. From an early age, she was drawn to crafting, art, and beauty in all its forms. She once dreamed of being an elementary school teacher, and although motherhood and marriage came before she finished college, she carried a teacher’s spirit all her life—patient, encouraging, and endlessly giving. She married my father at 26, and they shared 53 years of deep love and devotion. Our dad often said, “Your mother has a heart of gold,” and everyone who knew her would agree. Together, they built a home filled with warmth, laughter, and faith. She became a mother at 27, welcoming her first daughter and 21 months later her second daughter, her only two children, but the greatest pride and purpose of her life. One of the most important decisions she ever made was choosing to become Catholic. Though she grew up attending a Lutheran church on her own as a little girl, it was in the Catholic Church that she found a faith that felt like home. Her devotion was pure and strong, a quiet force that guided her life and gave her peace. She lived her faith through kindness, generosity, and love-never just in words, but in the way she cared for others. She loved her two brothers dearly and carried a deep, lifelong tenderness for the sister she never got to meet. She often spoke of missing her mother, sometimes through tears, holding her memory close. In many ways, she was a keeper of memories for everyone she loved. We've found her handwritten notes carefully tucked away on so many of her possessions-each one marked with who gave it, when, where, and sometimes even the date and time. She understood the importance of remembering, of holding on to the details that make life meaningful. Mom had a surprising and delightful sense of humor. She leaned toward optimism, finding reasons to smile even through difficult times. She was loyal in every sense of the word-if she loved you, she loved you fiercely. And if you hurt someone she loved, she never forgot it. She also had an unmistakable style. She always looked beautiful, polished yet natural-with her own fashionable flair. She smelled like fresh flowers, and she carried herself with a quiet confidence that made people take notice. She read voraciously, spoke eloquently, and knew every song from her generation, every famous face, every movie line. Her mind was as vibrant as her heart was kind. She taught us how to cook, sew, and create a home filled with care and meaning. More than anything, she taught us how to love- deeply, steadfastly, and without conditions. And later in life, her heart expanded even more. Becoming a grandmother-and then a great-grandmother-brought her joy beyond words. The love she poured into our family flowed into the next generations, and they adored her in return. She was, and always will be, our heart’s home.

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