My Mother, a true southern belle
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| Mommy's warm brown eyes showed me love every day |
My sweet southern belle Mama, Katherine Sue (Sue Dee)
left a legacy of faith, love, and laughter.
She was born and raised in Sumter, South Carolina,
content to never leave her hometown.
Her family was poor, and her mom and dad died
when she was a young girl.
Her first husband was murdered right before her eyes.
A few years later, she met my Daddy when he was stationed at
Shaw Air Force Base.
They soon married, had a darling baby girl (me!),
and five months later
they were on a train heading for California.
and five months later
they were on a train heading for California.
Mom's first trip across country. Mine too.
Before flying was in, traveling cross country
via trains, buses and automobiles was the norm.
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| My Mommy, the beauty queen, in the backyard of our 2-bedroom house in the 50's Downey, California |
When I was fifteen, Mom got up enough nerve to
climb aboard a Greyhound bus in Los Angeles,
along with me and my fourteen-year-old brother,
and set out east to Surfside, South Carolina for the summer.
To most of you, that's not a big deal.
But as I look back, I know that those two journeys for Mom
was a very big deal.
She was shy, fearful, a worrier, and a home-body.
She was happy staying home, taking care of John and me,
cleaning, ironing, cooking,
taking us to church every Sunday ...
all the things that were important to her.
all the things that were important to her.
But there were moments when she had to
lose sight of her safe shore and dive into a new ocean.
Yay, Mom!
When she died at the young age of sixty-six,
(heart issues and Multiple Sclerosis)
(heart issues and Multiple Sclerosis)
a big piece of my life was taken from me.
I was going through a divorce,
so I took refuge in God and
raising my two wonderful children.
raising my two wonderful children.
Mom isn't far from me;
she just moved to heaven where I will one day join her.
I know she is dancing and singing with Jesus,
talking her head off, as usual,
and making everyone laugh without even trying.
That's my sweet southern Mama in a nutshell.
There's much more, but I'll leave the rest in my
Memory Box.
There's much more, but I'll leave the rest in my
Memory Box.
My message today:
Wherever your mother may be, near or far,
take some time to reminisce of times gone by.
If she's still with you, ask her some questions,
because when she's gone, it will be too late.
I have so many questions I wish I had asked about her childhood, her younger years, her thoughts on topics-of-the-hour.
I knew she loved Tom Jones and The Beatles.
She sang Morning Has Broken and
When I Survey the Wondrous Cross
when she ironed and prepared dinner.
Her first love was Jesus.
To all of you mothers--and YOUR mothers--
I wish you oceans of Mother's Day blessings!
