Biography:
My mother died at 96 years of age -- almost 97 years old. In 2024, she would be 103 years old. She stayed "sharp as a tack" mentally, and longevity was her entire families' heritage. The 3rd of 8 children, she was born and raised in Oklahoma during the depression. HER mother had a little grocery store where eggs were sold that came from their chickens. They grew several fruits (there was a big grapevine I remember) and some vegetables, and I am determined that this was the reason for her en...
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My mother died at 96 years of age -- almost 97 years old. In 2024, she would be 103 years old. She stayed "sharp as a tack" mentally, and longevity was her entire families' heritage. The 3rd of 8 children, she was born and raised in Oklahoma during the depression. HER mother had a little grocery store where eggs were sold that came from their chickens. They grew several fruits (there was a big grapevine I remember) and some vegetables, and I am determined that this was the reason for her entire family's good health lineage. All of my mother's siblings were very independent, rare in those days, especially for the 5 girls. My mother went to college, was in the WAC (Women's Army Corp), piloted an airplane, rode a motorcycle, and eventually became a principal of an elementary school. She STILL managed to raise 4 children, packed lunches every day, set the breakfast table BEFORE going to bed at night, and made the best homemade roquefort salad dressing and homemade breads (including cinnamon rolls). She & my dad were both educators, and my dad also a high school football coach; meant he worked long hours. My mom was mostly the disciplinarian in our family and as we children got older, we all had many "run-in's" with her. But like many households, as she aged and slowed down, we saw her Godliness and kindness shine through that "all-business like" harsh exterior. She was a good listener and you had to catch her "subtle" responses, then go away and think about them, to understand her. We all used to tease her that if we believed in reincarnation, she must have been queen of a country in another lifetime. She had an "air" about her, holding her head up, and walking into a room, announcing "well here I am!" Many (except her children) still addressed her as "Mrs. Maxwell," and she loved that title. It's difficult to ever think of your mom as just an adult woman to another adult woman, because she is ALWAYS your mom. However, it was in those last few years of her life, that I came to appreciate her the most. She worked hard, she loved life, she loved people, she was generous with her money, she made us laugh with her sarcasm, her extended family was important, making sure WE visited and got to know them, and SHE visited them. She still walked (albeit SLOW, usually with a walker), and loved to sit outside in the sunshine and eat strawberry ice cream, right up until the end. My mom had a beauty inside and out, and I hope and pray that I will be able to exhibit just some of that grace and live out a life well served like hers.
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