Tribute To Our Mother From Caren

Our mother was the prettiest mom in the room. Creative, multi-talented, always doing much more than what was average. We never had a store bought dress and ours were gorgeous with ribbons, lace, and rickrack. Mom did not need a pattern. She would see a dress in a storefront and make one like it that night. Our birthday parties were filled with games, treats, prizes, and chocolate cake with seven minute frosting. My twin and I both tried to win Mom’s cake at a cake walk once. It was the only cake shaped like a fish with purple and green frosting. She never did anything simply. When mother was young an efficiency expert was sent to her family's farm to see if he could give them suggestions on how to be more efficient. He came from Iowa State University. There were seven children on that farm, and they all knew how to work and started about four a.m. The efficiency expert began sending other people out there, and he had no suggestions. Mom had the most fantastic sense of humor. She made fun out of every situation but she did not make fun of people. Mom’s biggest love was Christianity. She honored Jesus by teaching Sunday School and Bible School for over fifty years. She headed the Chi Rho youth group when we were teens. She taught us a game called wink’em which I teach to my students now. It is innocent but flirty. She knew it would have to be to hold our interest. Mom understood humans better than most. She had a brilliant mind. A keen observer she anticipated people’s needs and did whatever she could to help people. She was the hardest working person I have ever met. She baked the flakiest pie crusts, made the most delectable desserts and her beef and noodles were unbelievably delicious. She was always baking cookies, brownies, cinnamon rolls. Her quilts were done with love and tiny stitches. Mom knitted, tatted, crocheted, gardened, played word games and loved her Kindle and her computer. She was hysterically funny and witty. I thought she would live to be one hundred and fifteen because she was totally vibrant and young. She volunteered to deliver Meals on Wheels, held hands of people in the manner, knitted baby layettes with blankets, booties and hats which were donated to new mothers. At her apartment complex she delivered packages, popped the popcorn for movie night, ran the DVD player, prepared the presents for bingo and was the bingo caller. She was an angel on earth long before she returned home to heaven. We are totally proud of our mother.