She was an English war bride. Swept up by love to a handsome American soldier, she left everything she had known to move to an old coal mining camp in Alabama. She arrived in a boat with hundreds of other war brides. The trip was long and she spoke of how ill the women got on this voyage sea sick, crying children. Having a brand new small baby girl herself, she found ways to make the best of things. Laughing, she told of how awful it was to take care of diapering the children and then to find out almost when the passage was almost complete, a storage room of disposable diapers.
As most American GI's came home, they found not enough housing available so they did what that had to do - move back in with their parents. This bride was used to the modern conveniences of city life and now found herself using an "outhouse." Now, if you don't know that an "outhouse" is, well, Webster calls it a privy, a small building having a bench with holes through which the user may defecate or urinate. This must have been quite a change for this young woman. His family was fortunate; they did have electricity and other modern conveniences. As you may know, war brides were not always welcomed by her new country. Some were upset that they had taken their future husbands. This bride also had a somewhat difficult mother-in-law. In all the years anyone knew her, however, she never spoke ill of her mother-in-law.
Eventually, this couple purchased their own home and had 3 more children while moving to a little town called Sipsey, Alabama and for another time, Texas. In time, they moved back to Alabama to the same neighborhood of his family and continued to raise their children. He was a hardworking man, always provided for his family. She stayed at home with the children and had two more after they moved back to Alabama. People marveled at how she did it they were well behaved, polite children, always at Sunday school and church on time. On Saturday nights, they would line all six pairs of childrens shoes up to get them polished. They didnt have a lot of shoes, usually a pair for school and a pair for church. She did her best to make them look presentable each Sunday. She still was able to get her family to church on time. That was very important to her. Sunday was always special. Even though she prepared every meal, she always cooked a special breakfast on Sunday mornings and a special lunch. Her family tells of how important Mothers Day was to them. Their father always made sure that it was special. The children would sneak her presents into her chair in the kitchen where the family ate most meals. Often they were just homemade gifts. When she would finish cooking and would sit down to eat with the family, she would pull back her chair and say, Oh my! Where did these come from? Just like she didnt know they were there. This always thrilled the children.
As time went on, she went back to work (she did work in England as a young woman) to help provide for her six growing children. She still kept her responsibilities to her family to the same level as before. As her children moved out, and she grew older, she would always say, I just want to live long enough to see all of my children graduate high school. Which she did. Later it was, I just want to live long enough to see all of my grandchildren graduate high school. Which she almost did. She only missed two of her grandchildrens graduations. She also got to see several college graduations, a dream she had for all of her children and grandchildren. She continued to cook Sunday meals for anyone in her family who wanted to join. She was active in her church singing in the choir, teaching Sunday school, volunteering for various worship jobs.
She was an avid reader. She could go through two to three books a week once she retired. She could also knit up a storm. It was not unusual to see her knitting and reading at the same time (and sometimes with the family hamster on her shoulder looking on). Most people did not know of her keen writing ability. Her health began to deteriorate as time went on, but it did not stop her. She kept caring, praying, and worrying for her children and grandchildren (and now great grandchildren). When the time came for her to go, she was told by one of her children that it didnt look good. Her response was that she wasnt ready to go quite yet, because she still had so much to see and do. She went peacefully with all her children around her singing her favorite hymns.
Another time, another place she may have been a professor at a prestigious university. She had that capability, but she chose to start a new life a new adventure by touching so many lives. Happy Mothers Day, Mom! We miss you.
My favorite picture of my son, Nick, and Mom.
