Memories

Memories of our loved ones who have passed remain in our hearts forever. We are so blessed to have some of the best memories with Momma after Garry and I moved back to Missouri in October 1992. At that time the kids were married and living in different parts of the world. This was the perfect time to give Momma more of our time and attention that we couldn’t give her with us living so far away for so many years.

She loved going out with us as long as it didn’t interfere with her bingo night. If we wanted her to attend a family function, we had to make sure it didn’t fall on a Saturday night. She did have her priorities. She said the Oak Grove Booster Club would worry if she wasn’t there. That was true, if she missed, on Monday the teachers would all ask Linda if Momma was o.k. As the years went by, and she became sick, those teachers and coaches took very good care of her at bingo. She continued to go until about two weeks before she died. Her funeral was filled with all her bingo friends. Due to the local casinos bingo stopped shortly after she passed. We like to think they couldn’t make it without her.

Momma prided herself on being a modern woman. She liked wearing nice clothes and would be the first to tell us girls we were dressing like old ladies. She always got her hair fixed every Friday. When she found out she had cancer, she decided to color her hair red. It always turned out this weird shade of pinkish orange. After about six months she went back to her beautiful white hair.

She also loved spending time with the grandkids. When Rick was around sixteen she took it upon herself to have a little talk on sex. She told him she understood he was a young man now, and dating. She warned him of all the dangers of unprotected sex. She told him to always use condos. She went on and on about the benefits of using condos. We never did correct her; in fact we say condos instead of condoms now.

One day we were driving on I-70 with Momma sitting in the back seat .About that time a transport truck cut Garry off. Momma started hollering…Garry give him the thumb. The thumb? What is she talking about? I looked back at her. She was sitting there with a pissed off look on the face, with both thumbs up. She was so mad at the trucker she gave him the double thumb. We didn’t tell her it should have been the middle finger instead of the thumb. She continued to give the thumb whenever she saw the need.

Today remember a loved one who has passed. It will brighten your day and warm your heart.