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beautiful, she kept an immaculate home, fussed July weekend and celebrated with us. We had a
over us all, regularly bowled in the 200s, and she wonderful time, and it was a great thrill for me to
always had room for one more kid in her home finally be the host instead of the perpetual guest.
and at her table. She made us laugh a lot, because
A few years ago, Dave and I took a trip out to
she saw the humor in everything.
Texas to drop his daughter off at college. Ma and
Ma introduced us to quite a few colorful Pa had relocated near to where Charles lives, so
expressions: on the way back, we detoured south to Florida.
Immediately prior to our arrival, Ma had a
If someone burped, she’d announce, “’scuse the
sudden illness and was hospitalized.
pigs, the hogs is comin’”
She looked so helpless and frail in that
If we got out of line, she’d threaten to “Stomp
hospital bed that I wanted to cry. Pa was by her
a mudhole in ya”
side, looking older but still strong. They had
She might describe a person as “Happier than not known that we would be coming, as it was
a pig in ____” supposed to have been a surprise visit. Ma turned
to look at us, and immediately broke out in what
If she weren’t feeling well, she’d tell you that she might have described as a “____-eatin’ grin”.
she felt “like I got shot at and missed, and ____ at
and hit” “Mah boys are here to see me!” she exclaimed.
If she scolded someone, it would be a threat to We visited a bit, and left the next day.
“Slap the ____ out of you” Although we had assumed that her time was very
short, she bounced back. We might have known
And yes, she would “bless your heart”. that she would. Still, it would be our last visit
with her.
Everybody was “sweetheart” and “Darlin’” and
she never forgot our birthdays. Three years later, Ma was diagnosed with
cancer. Although she and Pa put up a brave front,
For as long as we all lived on Long Island, the
she died a few months later, on January 9th of
bonds were never broken. Sadly, we all went our
2019. Pa called me with the news. I could tell by
separate ways eventually, but nonetheless stayed
his words and the sound of his voice that he was
in touch.
relieved that her suffering had ended. We visited
Some years ago, after moving to VA, my Pa one more time in 2020, and a few months
daughter and I paid them a visit to their home later, he joined her.
in North Carolina, where they had moved in
When I think about her now, I feel a special
retirement. Norma was visiting from Long Island,
glow. Ma never put on any airs, or made any
and Charles was visiting with his children from
pretenses about her feelings. When she told
Florida, and they were having a big family get-
you that she loved you, you knew that she really
together. They tipped me off, and we made the
meant it.
trip to surprise them. I’ll never forget the look
on Pa’s face when he opened the door and saw us She was very fond of Alex. I’d like to think
standing there. They had never met Colleen, and that he is now being served light and fluffy hand
for Ma, it was just one more grandbaby, whom made buttermilk biscuits by a sweet angel. I hope
she proceeded to spoil. he saves some for me.
Among the greatest joys of my life were the
two times that they stayed with us over 4th of
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