Margie

She was born in 1930. Raised by her grandparents during the Depression, along with her two brothers, because her mother was at that time unwilling, or perhaps emotionally unable, to care for them. Her grandfather was a bootlegger during the time of Prohibition and ran afoul of the law more than once, the last time being when he was sentenced to 5 years hard labor. (At that time, that meant breaking rocks from sunup to sundown...actual labor.)

When she was 18, her grandmother informed her that she needed to get married so that she would no longer be a financial burden on her grandparents. So, she was forced to marry a man that she did not love. (Yes, this was 1948....not so hard to do that in those days.) However, being a decent young woman, she was determined to make it work. She had no place else to go.

Over the course of the next 30 years, she bore 4 children, dealt with a drunken philanderer of a husband, was divorced by him, left financially in ruin and re-entered the work force at the age of 48. She became a teacher.

She raised her children, plus two grandchildren, worked her fingers to the bone to take care of them and through it all never once broke down..not so that anybody else but me could see it. She suffered through the deaths of her mother (with whom she had finally reconciled) and two of her children. She never asked anybody but God for anything.

On the day that she retired she broke her leg so severely that she was confined to a wheelchair permanently. However, this is no way diminished the sheer power of her presence. She was commanding, demanding, and without equal in my eyes.

She walked into a headwind most of her life, but she never quit, never even thought about it. From her I learned dignity, respect, persistence and how to never let them see you sweat.

She was my friend, my confidant, my partner in battle.

She passed away on March 17th, 1997. She was 66. She would have been 75 years old today. And I miss her more now than ever.

Happy birthday Mom. Love always.

Peace alllll............