Thank you for asking about my mother.

My mother was born in 1914. She had been a teacher in a one-room school before she married my father in 1937. My father died fifty years ago, and my mother never even looked at another man. She raised four daughters by herself--with no help from anyone. She went to work in a factory, earning 95 cents and hour, and took evening classes to reactivate her teaching certificate and obtain a degree.

She loved to read, and until shortly before her death, she continued to read several books every week.

She was always fiercely independent until severe arthritis and congestive heart failure took her mobility. She had been in a nursing home since February, but was still alert. We celebrated her ninetieth birthday in October with family and friends.

At the end, she was asking for my father. I like to believe he was waiting for her, and they are together now.

Your mother had quite a full life. What a dedicated, hard-worker she was. I'm sorry you've lost her. You must have many wonderful memories.