Happy Birthday Mother

Bonnie Marie-November 28,1923-January 14,2005

Her friends called her Bonnie, her 14 grandchildren and 22 great grandchildren called her Nannie Bonnie. Her children, well we called her Mother. We never called her mommy or mom. From the time we could talk it was always Mother. It was a respect she wanted and got from her children. Mother went through so much in her lifetime. She had 3 sons and 2 daughters. She buried a son that died at 18 months old from a rattle snake bite. She had another son while her husband was on a ship during WWII. Mother moved from her mountain home and family when her husband came home from war and wanted to go to barber school. The only one in the state was in Winston Salem. She not only kept the home up and meals on the table while taking care of 2 boys she worked so her husband could go to school fulltime. They moved back to the mountains so her husband could have his barbershop and she had 2 daughters. She continued to work fulltime while teaching her children how to cook and take care of the home. All of her children grew up and left home able to cook, clean, iron, sew, garden, and everything else that was needed to take care of ones self. Mother was at church every time the doors were open. We never ask if we were going to church, we knew we were. We also knew that the allowance we received on Saturday had to have 10% taken out for tithe before we spent any of it. Mother had to bury one of her daughters after a long bout with melanoma. She also went through a divorce after being married 28 years when divorce was a hush hush subject. She held her head up and went on years later to marry a wonderful man who she had to bury 20 years later from cancer. Mother later battled colon cancer with surgery and strong treatments that made her very weak and ill. She was cancer free for 2 years and found she had liver cancer which the doctors told her was untreatable and she only had 6 months. Mothers words were no one would tell her when she was going to die and lived for almost 2 years. Not one time in anything that came mothers way did I hear her ask why. Not once did I hear her complain or cry that so much heartache had came her way. She remained strong to the very end, making sure she had everything in order and that every family member had something of hers. She got to see a grandson that she hadn't seen since he was a child and he brought his new born son with him. She was very happy and ready to go be with her love ones that were waiting to take her home. She died with a smile on her face and her hand on my cheek as I was telling her the angels were there to take her home and that we would be fine and stay strong for each other. I am so blessed to have had her as a mother. We had our ups and downs and she could really give me a hard time if she didn't like what I was doing or saying but she was always there for me, always ready to forgive me, always ready to forget and go on. She was there for me at the beginning and I am blessed I was there for her at the end. I was blessed I had the strength to talk to her about God and heaven and our loved ones there waiting. I was blessed I was able to see that smile and feel that touch and say I love you one last time and say goodbye. Today I can't feel that touch or see that smile except in my heart but I can say Happy Birthday Mother and Thank You for being my mother and making me who I am today. I love you Mother!