A Mother's Strength...a Daughter's Passion

A week ago tonight, my mother peacefully passed away. When I think of her and reflect, the things I remember the most fondly are her independence, her strength and her passion. She could make anything from nothing. Missing an ingredient she still baked, made a costume out of old sheets, no make-up - markers will do. She was about doing with what she had, never complained, always smiled and always gave to others. What was there not too love and above all she did not want anyone to worry, she would handle that too. She believed in me as a mother, a woman, and thought that it was awesome that I followed my passion. In a tribute to her, I will be

blogging a few pieces over the next while that will show how I get some of inspiration, why I am crafty and above all to show a little more of who my mom was, and why I miss her. On this note, I would like to post the Eulogy I wrote and read at her service:

Eulogy of Irene Nickerson
Thank you all for sharing this day with us. I will try to be brief, but for those who know me, I am not brief, but when talking with Mom, I think she would just look at the clock and cut me off, having had enough and the Legions calls! Many of you have known Mom from her time on Bernard St. Many of those stories she shared with us so I thought that I would share of few stories from hers after. Mom and Dad moved to Cat Island shortly after marrying into a house that he bought her on the way home from fishing, the same house she sold in a yard sale years later; only Mom would do that. When we were young she went to watch us skate, swim, but she couldn’t swim. Watch Troy moss in the river, but like I said she could not swim, she was there, it was important to keep us safe, that is what she was about, even to the last moment, keeping us safe. When we would get home school she always saved us dough to fry and she always seemed to find spare change when the milkman came so we could have chocolate milk – it was such a treat. She knew how to make $20 be $40, I don’t know how she did it. She made the best rappie pancakes, raisin cookies, hamburger soup and a mean chocolate fudge, this took years to perfect.

When she moved back to town, she said she gave Dad 20 years of country living, now it was his turn to live where she wanted, he didn’t argue. With this, she was able to dedicate more of her time to volunteering, in particular the Legion and its Veterans. She started holding every position in the Auxiliary and for the past 11 years as an Associate of the Main Branch. You could call the Legion and ask for Ma, you didn’t need to use her name. She brought her grandsons as sidekicks and it was fine. If she wasn’t home, you knew where she was. She loved the work, the people, the cause; she needed no awards, medals; the smiles on the Veteran’s faces were enough. She wanted to educate everyone about who they were, and we understood her passion and didn’t mind. The Legion was her second home. Thank you all for being here and celebrating her and we ask that you join us at the Legion, her second home, for a reception where we can share more about what made her so amazing. Thank You.