Goodbye to the Best Lady Ever

I have been absent from the blog for awhile. On October 4, 2010, my mother passed away unexpectedly.

Last week was rather surreal. Instead of the planned family get together to celebrate my brother and sister's birthday, my mother took a turn for the worse, and was gone that evening. I arrived the next day, which made it even harder. It is difficult when things happen quickly and you are a long plane ride away. I hope that she knew I was with her in my heart, and that is where I will carry her from now on. She was a beautiful lady, inside and out.

I was fortunate to write my mother's obituary. I hope it really says who she was in the few sentences allowed. I don't know how I wrote it, but I am glad I did. I wanted to honor her. So, thank you, Mom. For being the best. I'm sorry for all the pain you had the last couple of years, I'm sorry for the mistakes I made. I hope you know how much you were loved and appreciated. I thank you, and honor you, and will always miss you.

Margaret, 82, died Monday, October 4, 2010.

One of the most positive and upbeat people that you would ever meet, Margaret was a light to everyone she met. She spent her life dedicated to her husband, her children, and her grandchildren. She spent many hours volunteering and loved being around people - who in turn loved being around her. She was almost always smiling and her laugh was contagious. Even in the midst of a particularly painful period, she still looked at the best in everything. She always saw the cup as half-full, not half-empty, and never missed an opportunity to tell someone how much she loved them. One of the things she said often was: “I sure have great kids, and no one could ask for anyone better than Dad.”

She was born and raised in Michigan, where she met and married her husband. They met in high school, and then were married for sixty-one years. She did many things throughout her lifetime, working in banking and in credit, but most of her time was spent as a homemaker, mother, and in her volunteer work. Her devotion to her family was unwavering.

She is survived by her husband, her children, her grandchildren, many nieces and nephews, and countless friends. She will be remembered for her smile, her laugh, and her abundance for life. She will be missed forever.