Goodbye Mrs. W

I have always heard the older generation talk of how hard it is to read the obituaries and learn of people close to them dying. Well I guess I am now part of that older generation.

Yesterday I learned of the death of a close friend's mother. This is the second one of these for me in the past 2 years. Now that might not be a lot but it got me to thinking. These ladies were just a little older than my mother. And both were younger than my step-father.

Anyway, Mrs. W was a lovely lady. She was a stay at home mom and I have fond memories of her. What intriqued me the most about her was that she was British. She grew up in Middlesex, England and survived the German bombings of Britian. She married a U.S. Air Force serviceman stationed in Britian. She left her home, family and country to become an American. I wonder how many of us could actually move to another country for love?

I remember going over to my friend J's house on a Friday or Saturday night when we were in high school. Her parents would be having a party for one reason or another. Her mother (Mrs. W.) would make us virgin dacquari's all blended up. We'd always sneak a little rum in when no one was looking. J's Aunt and Uncle would be at these parties and talk of fun times at a Willie Nelson picnic or some other outdoor concert. Her Aunt and Uncle's names were Frankie and Johnny. I always wanted to burst out in song..."Frankie and Johnny were lovers"...I thought for older people, J had some really cool relatives.

I also remember at one of these get-togethers being slapped with a piece of ham by J's brother Mark. It wasn't funny at the time but as the year's went by we laughed about it. It's ironic that a person I would later meet through work would end up marrying Mark (she was from another state and didn't know I knew him).

I would see Mr. and Mrs. W occassionally and they were always warm and friendly towards me. Inviting me to join them at the VFW hall for a drink or just to catch up on life.

To the W. family, my sincere condolences. To Mrs. W. I will miss your smiling face and warm heart. To my friend J, how my heart aches for you. Every Mother's Day will be full of this memory but try to remember only the good times. I will.