Mom, the Quiet Heart of the Family

She was the glue that held our family together. She was patient, had a quiet manner, and remained calm no matter what the situation. She was a very private person and held her emotions in. She was warm, kind, and never spoke ill of anyone. She never complained, even though she probably had plenty to complain about. She never had a vacation or even a day off when we were growing up. She was seldom ill. She loved to read a good novel. Her favorite book was The Thorn Birds. She loved her Pepsi. She was an impeccable dresser, from her hair to her clothes to her accessories. She had style and good taste. Every Tuesday Mom was “Queen for a Day.” This was Dee’s day off and she devoted it to Mom. She would shampoo and set Mom’s hair, take her to lunch, and then they would shop and run Mom’s errands. One of the highlights of Mom’s life was coming to visit me and Charlie and Chris when we lived in Germany. She was there three months and what a wonderful time we had. Bernie also came to visit us while Mom was with us and we all traveled throughout Germany, Denmark, and Holland. Some of her favorite places we visited were Anne Frank’s house and hideaway in Amsterdam. The art museums such as the Rijksmuseum where Rembrandt’s Night Watch hangs, Tivoli Gardens, where Chris, then ten, got lost, The Little Mermaid statue in Copenhagen and Hans Christian Andersen’s home and the Museum in Odense, Denmark.