You know we love a good obit–Judy and I did Mama’s up RIGHT!
Posted October 2nd, 2009 by Jill Conner BrowneAnybody who knows and loves us–will totally “get” this and love it and know that MAMA would love it. Anybody who either doesn’t know or doesn’t love us will no doubt be scandalized–and you should just TRY to IMAGINE how LITTLE we care! Here is her obit:
Janice “Jan” Louise Wendt Conner, wife of the late and much lamented John A. Conner of Ethel, Mississippi, died peacefully at the Lake Caroline home of her favorite daughter Jill Conner Browne on Wednesday, September 30, 2009.
Mrs. Conner grew up in Grosse Pointe, Michigan, the daughter of the late Mr. & Mrs. Walter Wendt. As a young woman, her statuesque beauty won her a spot among the models at the John Robert Powers Agency but her mother disapproved of that career and so she became a buyer for the J.L. Hudson stores. During World War II, she and many of her friends worked tirelessly at the USO, where she met the only man she ever really loved, her sailor boy, John Conner.
She became a devoted Southerner by choice when she finally defied the wishes of her mother (who was by all accounts and evidence, the Meanest Woman Who Ever Lived) by marrying and following “that hillbilly” back to Mississippi, where they lived happily until Mr. Conner’s untimely death in 1982, after which Mrs. Conner never gave so much as a thought to another man.
The Conners’ home was a haven for all the children in the surrounding neighborhoods, having a wide-open, fully-stocked kitchen, a refrigerator full of Cokes and the only swimming pool for miles around. (It should be noted that the 20’x 40’, 7 foot deep hole for this pool was personally dug, with picks and shovels, by the two of them. If you’ve ever tried to dig even a small hole in Yazoo clay, the extent of the Conners’ devotion to their children can be extrapolated from that endeavor. It should also be noted that this pool was the pet project of Mrs. Conner and there was no peace for Mr. Conner until it was completed. He might have initially thought that she would be discouraged when she saw firsthand how difficult the digging proved to be—one of the many but more significant times He Was Wrong.)
They were active members of the Alta Woods Presbyterian Church where they, for more than 50 years, provided thousands of cookies as Sunday bribes to the children of the church.
Mrs. Conner’s daughters, the aforementioned Jill and that other one, Judy, were finally sources of pride for Jan as they both became bestselling authors. It did remain a lifelong disappointment to her, however, that neither of them ever chose to pursue the career she would have preferred for them: writing messages for greeting cards.
Both daughters give much credit to their mother for spending countless hours reading to them until they finally started reading for themselves. Mrs. Conner also taught her grandchildren to read and to love it. Blessed be her name for that.
Jan’s only two grandchildren—Trevor Palmer and Bailey Conner Browne—were born 23 years apart; thus, each was able to enjoy the many benefits of being “the only grandchild,” a position both exploited to the fullest and with great felicity to all parties.
Mrs. Conner was well known in her younger years for adopting families in need and browbeating them into prosperity via the many donors she “persuaded” to join the effort and her relentless and most often successful attempts at placing them in gainful employment—often without any particular desire or willingness on their part. She would and often did give “the shirt off her back” to someone; but, if her own didn’t happen to fit the need, she had no qualms about obtaining, by whatever means necessary, the more suitable shirt off someone else’s back. Her daughters dreaded the annual Christmas Flooding of the town of Flowood, knowing that the pantry would be emptied and their own closets would be raided, in support of the victims.
Jan Conner was an advocate of the homeless—be they human or otherwise—long before it became fashionable. She never passed a panhandler without giving him something (along with an admonition to “go eat something”) and she never turned away a hungry creature of any species. She basically, over time, stole the neighbor’s non-descript brown dog, Rascal and was somehow able to elicit from him that, although before moving in with us he had considered himself fortunate to get a dab of dog food now and again, all he truly liked to eat was chicken livers and that furthermore he only liked them fried very brown and crispy. Rascal ate crispy brown chicken livers every day of his 10 years with us. Whenever Jan left town, it was only after giving John strict instructions on How to Cook the Chicken Livers for the Dog, lest he (the dog) suffer in her absence.
To this day, Mrs. Conner’s entire family has an inordinate fondness for Brown Dogs.
Mrs. Conner is widely known as a world traveler as she frequently arranged group trips, which she sometimes guided or at least herded. A most interesting aspect about all of Jan’s travels was her high and constant level of disdain for Other Countries, or at least all of Europe. She did love a cruise, though—any time, anywhere—which accounted for her enjoying 50 or so of them. As much as she disparaged all of Europe, she loved Alaska and anything west of Hawaii. All things Asian were wonderful to her and she made numerous trips to the Far East.
The latter years of her life were spent joyfully at The Waterford on Highland Colony with her many friends, especially the rowdy bunch on the Second Floor North. She declared that living at the Waterford was “like being on a cruise, every day.”
Since 1999, no St. Paddy’s Parade was complete without the lead car carrying “The Queen Mothers of the Sweet Potato Queens®” and while she shared this title with dear friend and fellow Queen Mum, Caroline Hewes of Gulfport, it cannot escape attention that Jan always rode in the front seat.
Jan is survived by the aforementioned favorite daughter, Jill Conner Browne and husband Kyle Jennings, and that other one—Judy Conner Palmer of New Orleans—granddaughter Bailey Conner Browne of Oxford and grandson Trevor Palmer and his wife RuthAnna and their daughter Riley and sons Conner and Mason, of New Orleans.
The family wishes to lovingly thank Barbara Whitehead for her devotion and support to us all and to Marie Fenton of Hospice Ministries for her sensitive care to Jan and to us.
No flowers please, Mrs. Conner was allergic. Because of Jan’s lifelong propensity for taking in strays, be they four-legged or two, she would love for you to make a very generous donation in her name to the only no-kill animal shelter in Rankin County—Animal Rescue Fund of Mississippi, founded by Sweet Potato Queen Elizabeth (Pippa) Jackson, located at 1963 Holly Bush Road, Pelahatchie, Mississippi 39145 or www.arfms.com.
There will be a mercifully brief and joyous Memorial Service on Monday, October 5, 2009, at 5:30 PM, at Wright & Ferguson on Highland Colony Parkway, Ridgeland, followed by Celebration of a Life Beautifully Lived and a Very Fun Reception, until around 7 PM.
87 Responses to “You know we love a good obit–Judy and I did Mama’s up RIGHT!”
October 2nd, 2009 at 11:13 am
Amen.
October 2nd, 2009 at 11:19 am
This is absolutely the best obit and tribute I have ever read. My only prayer is that I kick the bucket before you, so that you can write mine. I am giving you permission to exaggerate and even tell white lies.
I have to say that Judy is a dirt road sport. God bless Jan. No wonder you both turned out to be so amazing.
October 2nd, 2009 at 11:20 am
Jill:
I’m so sorry to hear of you loss but delighted in reading how much of a wonderful person you mother was.
I hope all your memories will console you and bring you smiles when you have tears.
Rose
October 2nd, 2009 at 11:23 am
JUDY wrote the part about “that other one”–she will be wearing a name tag with that on it at the funeral–bwahahaha!
October 2nd, 2009 at 11:24 am
You’re right, that obit was the best ever. God bless your mama.
You were way too understanding with the service time though–no one is going to get a 3 day weekend out of it. Although I’m sure the funeral food will be to DIE for. No pun intended.
October 2nd, 2009 at 11:42 am
May God bless you! What a wonderful obituary. May our daughters think as highly of us as you & that other one thought of your mother.
She did indeed live a Life Beautifully Lived.
October 2nd, 2009 at 11:43 am
That is the most beautiful obit I’ve ever read. Sorry for your loss, but you did a lovely job with the write up. I’ve no doubt your family is genuinely full of love.
October 2nd, 2009 at 11:47 am
Everyone up in Heaven’s gonna be jealous of your Mamma, after the fine obit her chirren wrote for her! You done good!
Anyone who loved chocolate and critters is a woman after my own heart.
October 2nd, 2009 at 11:57 am
Jill, this was beautiful and hilarious. Your mamma lived a blessed life,and I’m so sorry for your loss.
October 2nd, 2009 at 12:02 pm
Well then I reckon you have said it all in the very best way possible..Much love to you and all the family, the joy that you have brought to everyone by sharing all y’alls lives is so very appreciated especially the humor and joy Hope Momma and Daddy had a party with Phillip/Harvey and Rube’s Mommerenem
October 2nd, 2009 at 12:03 pm
As usual, you have topped anything ever done! (or to come, I’m sure!) I’m sure she’ll “set things right” up in Heaven too.
October 2nd, 2009 at 12:06 pm
I absolutely adored reading this wonderful account of your mommas life! In my mind’s eye, I see you and Judy, glasses on your noses typing, crying, laughing…no,HOWLING while remembering all of those wonderful accounts you shared. I lost my mother earlier this year and my sis and I STILL have those sessions about Mom and the journey we all took with her on her way to be with her Lord and my dad. Kudos, Jill and Judy…she is proud still!
October 2nd, 2009 at 12:07 pm
What a great obit! You done all us SPQ’s proud! Your mamma, from all we’ve read about her, made a very good “Southerner”. I know a lot of folks from MI and they too have a bit of southern in them as well.
God Bless you and your family at this time and let your memories sustain you.
October 2nd, 2009 at 12:10 pm
Your Mama done good – it’s clear to see – and you and Judy will always continue to prove that point. Mama apparently walked the walk and surely did teach her girls how to do the same.
October 2nd, 2009 at 12:11 pm
What a great obit – the best I’ve ever read! It captures what I imagine to be the truth about your Momma and her much-loved daughters. It was a lovely, not to mention funny, tribute!
Love and prayers to you all.
Carole
October 2nd, 2009 at 12:17 pm
Love it so much Jill, I’m gonna copy it so my kids will know how I want mine written!
My Momma would also give the shirt off her back to perfect strangers. What a legacy they left for us!
Peace & Blessings
October 2nd, 2009 at 12:30 pm
What a beautiful tribute to your Mamma.
I know her memorial service will include the same…humor, fond remembrances and love.
October 2nd, 2009 at 12:33 pm
True SPQ. Again, I’m praying for your mama, but you get aigs.
October 2nd, 2009 at 12:36 pm
Jill, I didn’t even know your Momma, but now I truly wish I had. Bless you and your family.
Amy
October 2nd, 2009 at 12:53 pm
Jill, I just love it. Although I didn’t know her your words make her so very vivid.
October 2nd, 2009 at 12:54 pm
I have just decided to have my chirren use THIS obituary for me (with only a few little changes–MY mama was a saint!) I wish my 6′ tall mama (who passed away at age 50 from Leukemia in 2000) could have met you. She was wise in the ways of children and collected friends instead of things. She was also the dispenser of this piece of wisdom to my troubled 17 year old soul “Oh honey, you know that food won’t solve all of your problems, but sometimes a batch of brownies really is the answer!”
You will miss your mama a lot, and it doesn’t matter how old you are when your parents die–you feel orphaned. Remember all of the good lessons she taught you (and remember some bad times too–sometimes it helps to remember how they REALLY were–not just the “purty stuff”!) You are surrounded by love and prayers, and blessed to have her for as long as you did (but that doesn’t make it feel any less sucky!).
October 2nd, 2009 at 12:56 pm
Jill and Judy,
What an absolutely wonderful tribute to your much loved mother!! I think both of you are great at what you do and you would have made Hallmark proud. LOL!! I will pray for peace and good memories for you. Oh, and enjoy all the deviled aigs I’m sure will be coming your way among all the funeral food!
Rita
October 2nd, 2009 at 1:12 pm
I didn’t know ’bout Mama till just now. I am sorry for your loss, HRHJCB and The Other One, but God bless ya’ll for this write-up. Thanks for sharing it with the rest of us. I love ya’ll!!
Boss Queen of the Igmo People,
Sharon
October 2nd, 2009 at 1:22 pm
Ya’ll did an amazing job…no surprise there! I don’t have yahoos of my own, but I’ve got a bunch of nieces & nephews(cousin’s children actually) who get a kick out of their crazy aunt and I’ve told them all to make sure my obit is entertaining. On a recent road trip I was on a back road in the great state of MS picking up a friend and I ran over a rooter. When I told the story at the house, one niece, now my favorite, shouted “That’s going in the obit!”. I now feel safe!
I know The Queen Mother is sitting on a cloud laughing and beaming with pride at her girls.God bless your Mama, you and “that other one”..he has truly blessed us with ya’ll!
October 2nd, 2009 at 1:42 pm
I am in tears and laughing at the same time!!! You have never minced your words that I know of and this says it all!! Bless your mama for raising two women with the many talents for telling it like it is or was or whatever!! You are my hero!! Maybe you can write my obit now, just in case you go before me!!
October 2nd, 2009 at 1:51 pm
perfect
October 2nd, 2009 at 1:51 pm
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Johanna Love and Donna Freedman. Donna Freedman said: Best. Obit. Ever. I want one this good. Abby, are you listening??? http://www.sweetpotatoqueens.com/blog/archives/269 [...]
October 2nd, 2009 at 1:55 pm
I’m just sorry I won’t be able to participate in your Momma’s memorial service. I do a really fine (and mericfully short – I mean brief)memorial service if I do say so myself and I believe I just did. But I know it will be wonderful and the reception very fun. Thank you, God, for the life of Miss Jan (as we say here in Alabama.)
October 2nd, 2009 at 2:05 pm
Jill, I’m so sorry to hear about your Mama. My prayers are with you and your family. I LOVE the obit!
October 2nd, 2009 at 2:15 pm
I can only hope to one day be remembered this well!!
October 2nd, 2009 at 2:56 pm
What a way to go out! She surely inspired you and Judy. I think she would have laughed at this warm, funny and loving tribute.
October 2nd, 2009 at 3:00 pm
This is how an obituary should be written. The recounting of a life well lived. Instant classic!
October 2nd, 2009 at 3:03 pm
You did her proud, Jill. May she rest in peace.
October 2nd, 2009 at 3:17 pm
So sorry for your loss. Love your obit. Wish I could have written so well about my mother when she died. Enjoy all that good food. Love.
October 2nd, 2009 at 3:24 pm
It’s perfect. Nothing but joy. I love it. Love her. Love y’all.
xoxokd
October 2nd, 2009 at 3:28 pm
She left a wonderful legacy for you and her “other” daughter. The obit was so well written, she sounds like an amazing person and Heaven has been blessed with her arrival.
October 2nd, 2009 at 3:28 pm
Mama raised you up right! Smile through your tears and remember that wonderful, strong funny woman who gave you everything she had!
Bless you and your family. God surely is working on a pool now!
October 2nd, 2009 at 3:37 pm
Jill, darling,
I was going to write you a note, but Robin, bless her, put all my thoughts down beeootifully. Only one change: you may tell Big White Lies and exaggerate shamelessly when recounting my exploits.
Yor mama would have loved this obit and she is laughing herself into a fit right now. You are a great daughter and you know she was proud; that’s a great gift to have given her. Luv ya.
October 2nd, 2009 at 3:40 pm
Jill, you and Judy have written the most loving, joyfilled tribute to your mother. I think she must be sitting in heaven with a big ole grin on her face.
October 2nd, 2009 at 3:43 pm
Lord, pass the deviled aigs! That was the BEST obit I have ever read, and I just know your Mama is laughing to beat all get out right now! All those other folks in heaven are jealous, I know. They’re flapping around heaven about right now complaining, “My obit only told about where I worked, my spouse and kids’ names, and what church the service was going to be at. Damn my family for not being a litle more imaginative!”.. Soft hugs to you, Jill. You honored your Mama with the words you wrote. The love you have for her is evident. God bless you…
October 2nd, 2009 at 3:54 pm
A wonderful tribute to your mother. I am so sorry for your loss, Jill.
October 2nd, 2009 at 4:14 pm
I absolutely loved the tribute, it was a good life story. So sorry for your loss, and rejoice with you that she is in heaven, and proud of the writing you did for her. Love to The Sweet Potato Queen and family.
October 2nd, 2009 at 4:16 pm
a proper send off from this good earth and an even better intro into heaven…Y’all did real good !
October 2nd, 2009 at 4:38 pm
Heaven is gonna be an even better place now! Surely her crown is full of sparkling jewels.
Keeping y’all in my prayers, thanks for sharing your mama with us.
October 2nd, 2009 at 4:39 pm
Jill & Judy,
My heart goes out to you and your family for the loss of your sweet Mama. I salute you for honoring her with this wonderful obit! No one could have done better and I would not have expected any less from you. Bless you for keeping your sense of humor about you during these sad days in your life. Your Mama raised you right! Hugs to you and your family.
October 2nd, 2009 at 4:45 pm
Ya’ll did good! And, Thank God… no mention of any “banana comb or ugly dress” Heaven just got more fun, I’m sure!
October 2nd, 2009 at 4:46 pm
The other one!! That’s too funny. If you can’t fix it be prepared to laugh at it.
I hope one of my kids writes something like this when I leave this earth!
My sympathy again to you and Judy.
October 2nd, 2009 at 5:44 pm
Love it! Love you!! It’s perfect! Hugs!
October 2nd, 2009 at 5:48 pm
What a wonderful way to share the love of your Mother.
I am sorry for your loss. Love and blessings all around to you and your family.
October 2nd, 2009 at 5:57 pm
Jill and Judy,
Thanks to your wonderful mother for giving you to us. She continues to spread love and joy thru you her family. What a wonderful obit. It could have not been said better.
Love and hugs from the Hunny Do Queens
October 2nd, 2009 at 6:21 pm
Now, that’s how an obit should read – she would be very proud. Appreciate you sharing it with us. Love and hugs – Queen Tammy Jean of the Sweet Lollie Dollies.
October 2nd, 2009 at 6:42 pm
Jill — what a beautiful, beautiful and REAL tribute to the woman who made you and “the other one” into the wonderful women you are today! Keeping you close in thoughts and prayers over the next few days. BTW, can I hire you to write mine?
Love, CaroG
October 2nd, 2009 at 7:14 pm
Your mama would be proud. I hope you have the best funeral food ever! Love, Janice
The Bodacious Beaches send hugs!
October 2nd, 2009 at 7:20 pm
I commend the 2 “writer” daughters & their truly wonderful obit/dedication to their momma! I agree with the way you wrote it, it was for your mom & the people who truly knew her. When my momma passed away, I had a song or two from her favorite group, The Dog Night, played at her memorial & that song Eric Clapton sang “Tears In Heaven”. I also begged (& won) that they play “The Dance” by Garth Brooks at my Grandpa’s funeral because he loved to go dancing every weekend & told the doctors in the hospital, after his heart attack, that “they need to hurry up & fix the problem cuz he had to go dancing Friday night.” The man was 86 yrs old! LOL
October 2nd, 2009 at 8:24 pm
best obit ever. i’m sure your mama would love it. thank you for bringing such a wonderful woman into all our lives. may we all be half woman she was. you and yours are in our thoughts and prayers.
October 2nd, 2009 at 8:32 pm
Jill and Judy, this is a wonderful and beautiful tribute to your mama. She would be so proud.
Hugs,
Rose
October 2nd, 2009 at 8:58 pm
Jan has to be laughing out loud in heaven right now. Hope she wasn’t drinking a Coke! I think you just wrote the first pages of your next book: Mama’s Favorite – the life and times of our mothers through the eyes of their daughters.
By the way, I think Kyle was her favorite…
OXOXOXO
Liza
October 2nd, 2009 at 11:17 pm
Best obit ever! I’ve got y’all in my prayers.
October 2nd, 2009 at 11:26 pm
Jill,
I am so sorry for you and “that other one’s” loss, but I must admit, this is the BEST obit I’ve EVER seen!! My sister is in town for the weekend and I’m copying this to give to her so she’ll at least know what I want when my time comes. (I’m older by several years.)
October 3rd, 2009 at 12:16 am
My deepest sympathies for your loss and my admiration for your ability to honor your mother with such a humorous and uplifting obituary. I’m sure your mom is appreciating it as much as the rest of us! God bless you all!
October 3rd, 2009 at 2:38 am
Jill,
While life ends, the relationship and love never does. I love that you have shared your memories, and are celebrating her life.
Hugs,
Judy
October 3rd, 2009 at 5:09 am
Hallmark’s loss is our gain!!!
October 3rd, 2009 at 10:45 am
Oh honey, y’all nailed it! So much to love; I’ve got sweet tears here just from the words. God bless her for sharing the love of reading with others, housing the needy in Flowood and raising incredible women. Y’all are good people, and my life has been better from knowing you all.
I’m going to send the link to “that other one” in my life.
October 3rd, 2009 at 4:13 pm
Wow what an awesome obit! Reckin when my time comes u could write one for me or start a obit writin service?
Theres a thought!
God bless you.
October 3rd, 2009 at 8:46 pm
And Maw Maw is STILL the Biggest !!
October 3rd, 2009 at 9:33 pm
Scott, hunny, she IS still the biggest! bwahahaha! Judy and I had sooo much fun writing this but we are really skeered now on account of, we just now got around to reading the obit policy and realized that it’s prolly gonna cost a million dollars! bwahahaha! By the time it came out in the paper, it is nearly a FULL PAGE! Hell–we coulda BOUGHT a full page add cheaper! And then we wouldn’t have had to edit it AT ALL!
October 4th, 2009 at 9:07 am
I promise, this is the best in the history of obits. Jill and Judy, y’all nailed it. Maw Maw would have LOVED IT!! What a fabulous tribute to a wonderful lady.
October 4th, 2009 at 9:16 am
Jill, I just checked my email and my mama gave me the news about your mama, telling me I had better follow suit on the obituary!
Praying for you (et al) during this surreal time while you transition to your mama being on the other side of the mystery.
October 4th, 2009 at 12:28 pm
Bless her sweet heart, she sounds positively adorable, Jill. I wished I’d a knowed her, I’d a been a better feller fer it…and I need all the help I can git.
Peace and Love and Grace and Cornbread,
Stevie Rey
October 4th, 2009 at 1:27 pm
Jill,I read your accounts of caring for your mother over the past months and I thank-you for the comic relief I got from reading your blog. I was going through the same thing with my “Mama” and it was nice to identify and have some giggles in the midst of that very intense and demanding process of caring for an ailing elderly parent. I lost my ultra southern “Mama Superior” (as her chirren called her)a few months before you lost your “Queen Mother”. My Mama requested a long rambling obit like the one you wrote,but newspapers have limits. I shared your mother’s obit with my siblings and told them to think of our Mama and smile as they read it. I hope these two ladies meet up in heaven and get all those other souls straight!
October 4th, 2009 at 7:38 pm
Hi Jill, I feel like I have just gotten to know you through your books, A good friend and fellow-roomate just gave me SPQBOL which I finished last week and now I’m laughing through “God Save the Sweet Potato Queens”. Then I read about your Mama’s passing. I’m so sorry about your loss. Your books reflect her positive, fun-loving rearing of both you and Judy. Again my condolences to you and your family. Keep writing!!!!
October 4th, 2009 at 10:55 pm
I’ve always enjoyed the quote by Hunter S. Thompson, “Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming “Wow! What a Ride!”
Now I know who he was talking about!
What a most fabulous woman Queen Janice Conner was…I only wished I could have met her!
The family and friends of this amazing woman, will be in my heart and prayers.
Blessings to you and yours,
Rose
October 5th, 2009 at 3:00 pm
today is the 40th anniversary of my daddys death. over the years I have grieved in many ways.
this obit and the inspiration I have gotten from jill in watching her march through this trial of tending her mama has changed my perspective tremendously. for the better.
thank you jill for all the inspiration and wisdom you provide friends and strangers alike
pippa
October 5th, 2009 at 7:07 pm
Jill and The Other One -
Bless ya both, your Mama’s obituary was a delight for all of us to read. She had a full and wonderful life. Now, time for you to sit on the floor, share a bowl of Chocolate stuff- then, get up and get going with all the business of living. she taught you well as her legacy. How lucky for you both to have had her for as long as you did. lc
October 7th, 2009 at 12:48 pm
You and your family are in our prayers and we absolutely LOVED the obit! Hope my chirrens do the same for me. Always told them not to mourn but to kick up their heels and send me off with a GALA!
October 8th, 2009 at 1:06 am
Peace be with you at this time, Jill. I think you should write a book of obits – what a great honor you gave your mother. Your gift of humor is a blessing to all of us in this lifetime and I’m sure your Mama is already sharing it with the blessed souls in Heaven. Time to take care of YOU – love and prayers for you and your family.
October 11th, 2009 at 8:27 pm
bwahahaha…..how did you ever describe the best way to laugh at anything?….already directed my own children how to obit my greatest sendoff…thanks to your mama and your bestest ever seester….
October 12th, 2009 at 3:45 pm
The hardest thing in the world is to loose someone we love and look up to. (I have already made my own mother promise not to pass until I am ready also.) All we can do is know that we did them proud and you can just bet that they are looking down on us and smiling. Reading the obit made me run off and hug my own daughter. Thank you for always reminding us that we have more people in this world that love us and we love them than we ever realize.
October 12th, 2009 at 11:57 pm
My heart goes out to you, dear. How terribly hard it must be to lose a mother so dear. May HaShem (The Name of God) bless you and keep you; May He make His Face to shine upon you: May He turn His Countenance toward you, and give you His Shalom.
October 14th, 2009 at 10:52 pm
While I have enjoyed some of your previous writings, this is the best. I will send it to my daughter, with permission . . . –but only after I read it to my 102-year-old great aunt.
October 15th, 2009 at 1:34 am
to my fellow wacko, that i haven’t met… i loved the obit and pity the fool that birthed us. the nut doesn’t fall far from the tree!
October 15th, 2009 at 7:04 pm
You know your Mama’s up there eating pie and laughing with The Funniest Man in the World. You did her proud!
October 16th, 2009 at 8:20 am
I absolutely laughed till I cried – what a wonderful tribute!
October 21st, 2009 at 3:49 pm
I totally “get” it. You and your sister did the right thing. Your mama and my mama are about the same age. Mine was just moved to the full care wing of her assisted living facility and I think she may not be able to move back to her apartment. I try to spend as much time as possible with her and you know how hard that is sometimes. Dispite being raised in Kilmichael Mississippi she became a very independant self suficiant working woman. I’m proud to be her daughter but this is the hard part of life now. My prayers are with you.
October 22nd, 2009 at 11:02 am
now i know where ya’ll get your crazy, funny humor!
how lucky you are to have such a loving,witty and caring mom. i am going to send the obit to my friends……it is wonderful, i loved it, jan
November 4th, 2009 at 4:07 am
That was one great obit! I’m sure you did your mama proud! I remember reading your chapter on writing your own obituary because you don’t want to trust that to just anyone. Boy is that true. I’m writing obituaries for Christmas presents. My friends may think it’s dumb and morbid now- but I know they’ll thank me years from now (or at least their families will!). It’s like giving a baby savings bonds- they wanted legos- but when they’re 18 and in need of cash- they’ll be happy someone gave them a boring old savings bond! Your obituary is a model for us all and your mother’s life sounded full and joyous. Thank you for sharing. Did you make anything from the BA Cookbook for the memorial?
November 21st, 2009 at 11:05 pm
I just read about your mother and am so sorry for your loss. I lost my dad 5 years ago and am just now getting to the “good memories” instead of sadness. One Christmas, about mid 80′s, he gave my sister-in-law a bathroom thermometer set (you know, those obnoxious plastic ones in the 80′s?) that had lime green frogs on them. Now she is one of the sweetest people in the world and couldn’t bring herself to say anything but good about the gift…Even though everyone else in the family was, um, kinda embarrassed, he thought it was the best gift ever. Don’t you know those frogs were given back to my parents the very next Christmas? And so it began…one year my brother put a HUGE concrete frog in my parent’s front yard that was painted LIME green! Many years of back and forth, until someone “lost” ‘em. (I think my butthead brother tossed them) hehe, but I kept on buying the most ridiculous looking green frogs I could find and kept giving them to my brother every year…showed him, huh? So my dad died after a 5 year struggle from a major stroke and I was his favorite, so it hit me pretty hard…until my best friend told me that she had dropped off the last set of green frogs for my dad to take with him, they were lime green frog slippers! And yes, the funeral director did put them on his toesies to keep warm and give him a smile from us! Now, see if you don’t start noticing those da!$! green frogs everywhere! But is good for a giggle when you do.
Love to your family during this time. And a big ole hug from Ashevegas, NC!