Good Bye, Mom

My mother died October 11, 2011. This was the tribute I wrote to her. 

It appeared in our November/December issue of Classic Boating magazine, the family business.

We had to say good-bye.

Some memories stand out in my mind. Like the day my headband fell into the curb. Mom pulled me back as a car turned the corner, telling me she could replace the headband, but she couldn't replace me.

She had our school lunches ready for us when we headed out the door.

Mom organized our birthday parties with games and prizes and cakes she baked.

Together we bicycled in California and when we returned to Wisconsin twenty years ago, we cycled for miles, exploring our new territory.

When Dad and Jim traveled to boat shows, Mom and I traveled to Brookfield to attend Elmbrook Church and dine at the Olive Garden, sharing a calorie-laden dessert.

I came home from a get-acquainted party to find Mom had finished the top I had struggled to sew, wanting to wear it for the first day of college classes. The sewing machine and I never became good friends, but Mom could sew anything and made many of our clothes.

When her health began to fail and her lifestyle became restricted, it wasn't fair. I'd see other couples enjoy travel and think, that should be my parents enjoying their golden years. Instead, Mom had little enjoyment at all in her final years. She didn't deserve all that pain.

She's at peace now. Happy, laughing, free of pain. She fought the good fight, finished the race, and kept the faith. God has wiped away every tear from her eyes. We know we'll be reunited someday. Until then, bye Mom. I love you.