Me and Mom when I was a kid, and Me, Mom and my sister when we all reunited. Little did we know this would be the last time she was at my house. After 25 years, I quit smoking in May.
As delivered in January of last year, 2009.
Good morning and thank you for being here. Diane was a dedicated Mother to my sister and I, and a good Friend to others. We spent many a night staying up all hours playing board games or cards and laughing til we cried over the dumbest things. If we did good in school, we got a free day off and got to go shopping for new clothes and have lunch together. But if you violated her trust, it took a long time to earn it back. We didn’t want to tick Mom off or it was Bread and water for dinner and straight to bed. The neighbors knew her as a night owl, vacuuming, cooking and cleaning at 2am, and they were okay with that. She was an avid seamstress; she made her own curtains and was always into crafts. Yes she was notorious for glitter and sequins. She was always armed with a gluegun to fix anything. In fact she had pictures and decorations glue-gunned to her walls in her apartment. She had friends at all of the local bingoes. I remember being mad once because I had to go to Bingo with her one Friday night and had to miss the Donny & Marie show. She worked at the Shindig Pizzeria for some time and we enjoyed when she made home-made pizzas from scratch. She loved ordering stuff from Home Shopping channel and QVC. She was especially into angels, butterflies and roses. I think she and the UPS guy knew each other by name. QVC was on her TV when she passed away. Later she took up gardening, and many people would admire the display she created outside of her apartment, to include all kinds of solar angels, windchimes and flowers. That hunched over old lady you saw crossing Abbott with a walker at a snail’s pace was our Mother. She told me some people used to take those turns fast in rainy weather and spray her on purpose. How cruel some can be. As her grandchildren were born, she glowed with pride and showed them off everywhere. The first thing she taught them was love. Then Burger King. She had a long, sometimes complex life for only 62 years, with many chapters. Some flourishing and some gloomy. The last chapter, I think those that knew her would agree, that she saw closure coming to it, although we may not have realized it then. Personally, I am thankful we restored our adjourned relationship over the last year, and that we re-bonded and became close again. A week ago Friday, she called me at midnight, and we spent 5 hours on the phone talking about everything from when Cece and I were little til current day and we were giggling like kids all over again. I closed it with Thank you, Love you Mom, and she said I love you too Baby. That was my last conversation with her. She left here Sunday night. Mothers are unique creatures. You only get one. Nothing could replace a Mother’s touch when you didn’t feel well, or her hug when someone made fun of you in school. Someone to confide in, you could always call Mom. If you are fortunate enough to still have one, let her know she is appreciated. We are grateful for the time that we did have with you. The good, the bad and the ugly. All the moments and experiences happened for a reason, each one becoming thread of our personal unique fabric that cannot be altered. Mom, no words could express the sorrow that we can’t call you on the phone or see you in person. But, we have to be happy for you, that you are not in pain. We understand, and appreciate, how proud you are of us and your grandkids, and that you don’t want to see us weep. We also know that you live in us right now, and always will, and for that, we thank you.
