The Salt of the Earth
Some of you knew her as Fae Ann
Many of you called her Fae
Others knew her as Aunt Fae
Lots of kids remember her as Mrs. Rosenberg
Three of us were fortunate to call her Mom.
When I think of my mother, I think of love. In fact, she was the personification of love in my world. If you knew her well, you no doubt feel the same way.
Mom's life was all about love.
Mom loved fluffy white cats. Dad always pretended not to like them, but I think he was just a little jealous of the attention the cats got.
Dad didn't need to be jealous though, because Mom loved my dad and regularly mentioned how happy she was to be married to such a wonderful man.
She loved his dark wavy hair, and when dad turned gray, she loved that too. They had the happiest of marriages. I recall that they never argued in front of the kids and I never heard either of them raise their voices at one another. I'm sure they had their moments, but not in front of the kids. We were fortunate to grow up in a stable, and peaceful loving home.
Mom loved peace, and harmony in her home and in the world. Recently, when President Obama was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, I mentioned that my mother would have been a more appropriate recipient. She hated seeing young men go off to war, because too many of her own friends never returned from battle.
My mother loved her children.
She always said that my older brother, Lynn, was the most beautiful baby anyone had ever seen. When Lynn got killed in a car accident in 1973 Mom was never quite the same. I'm sure that their reunion was a joyous occasion for both of them.
She loved her little curly-haired daughter, Karen, and made sure that her pretty little girl always looked just right. She frequently mentioned to me what a wonderful person Karen is, and how thankful she was for her.
I'm pretty sure that she loved me too.
Mom loved all of her five grandchildren, and enjoyed spending time with them more than anything else. She told me that Karen's oldest son, Lynn, named after my late brother, is the nicest young man she has ever known. Mom had a great sense of humor, and often mentioned how clever Jedd is. She was also impressed with Jedd's intelligence and ability to express himself. There was a special place in Mom's heart for Michelle. The two of them were fortunate to spend lots of time together, and developed a special bond between them.
My son, Mason, was special to Grammy too. She always said that he was the smartest little boy she had ever seen, and was thrilled that he was pursuing a career in music. I know she would have loved to see Mason's band play.
Grandma loved Kirsten too, and cherished every precious moment they were able to spend together. Last month, Mom taught Kirsten how to make Grandma's Famous Noodles, a favorite of kids and grand kids alike. On Christmas Eve, the day of Mom's death, we all shed a tear when Kirsten unwrapped a present that turned out to be a rolling mat for making Grandma's Famous Noodles.
I asked Mason what he remembers most about his grandmother, and he said,
"My favorite things I remember about Grammy are when she would sing and play piano for us and when she would make her homemade noodles."
She also loved her sons- in-law and daughter-in-law, and always made them feel loved, comfortable, and accepted - destroying the mother-in-law stereotype. She loved Karen's husband, and was crushed when he suddenly passed away at 44 years of age. When Karen remarried, Mom embraced Art with all of her love and acceptance. She loved my wife, Heidi as if she was her own daughter, and would confide in Heidi things she wouldn't even tell me.
There's a pretty little town in Southern Utah that played a special role in my Mother's early life. Mom loved PANGUITCH, and the people there so much. She always said the the finest people in the world come from Panguitch, and from my own experience, I wouldn't want to argue that point with her. Panguitch was her favorite place in the world, and always referred to it as home. The folks in Panguitch all remember Mom as Fae Ann, everyone's best friend.
Mom loved her schoolmates, and she looked forward to her regular class reunions in Panguitch. She said that her high school days were the most fun time in her life and I know that she cherished seeing her surviving schoolmates that she loved so much. They will miss her at their 2010 reunion. I'm so happy that Karen, Kirsten and I were able to take her to the reunion in 2009.
Mom was the youngest in her family, and grew up in a small house with two wild brothers, and four beautiful sisters who all adored their sweet baby sister. Mom loved her rowdy older brothers and had nothing but praise and adoration for them. She loved to hear Jim sing, and said that Grant was the funniest and most witty person she knew.
Mom loved her sisters too. Before Grace died, mom stopped by to see her whenever possible to visit her sister who spent the last part of her life crippled with arthritis. I remember the good times they had conversing for what seemed like hours to me, an energetic child.
Mom always said that Gwen was the most beautiful woman, and best mother there ever was. Gwen's husband, Lynn, was so beloved by my mother, that she named her first-born son in his honor.
Mom loved Jean. Mom has happily traveled great distances, to California, Arizona, Idaho, and Saint George to spend time with Jean. I remember how thrilled mom was when Jean moved to Tooele, and lived close bye for a short time.
Mom loved her sister Mae. They were fortunate to live in close proximity for many years. This closeness has afforded them many opportunities to get together. Mae and Mom were close to the same age, as were their children, therefore they had quite a bit in common, and our families shared many wonderful Thanksgiving dinners together.
Mom also loved the spouses and families of her brothers and sisters. She loved and accepted everyone, and genuinely enjoyed their acquaintance.
Mom loved her friends. She was always genuinely concerned about the well-being of her neighbors, and would do anything for them. She loved the good times they spent together, whether talking on the phone, playing pinochle, or attending Sons of Utah Pioneers' activities.
Mom loved music. There was always a song in her heart, or being quietly hummed or whistled as she went about her daily routine. Mom knew so many old-time songs, and now that she's gone, it's like a music library has burned down.
Everyone knows that mom loved to play the piano, but most folks are unaware that she was an excellent accordionist and even played clarinet and ukulele.
Mom loved to sing, and was honored to be one of the Joy Singers. Her angelic voice brought joy to every occasion. She loved singing with her grandchildren, and teaching her favorite songs to them.
She loved her job at West Elementary School where she worked as a teachers aid, librarian, and everyone's favorite class, music with Mrs. Rosenberg. The kids and faculty all loved her there.
In Conclusion:
My mother was the salt of the earth. Everything was a little bit better with her there. She made the bitter bearable, and the sweet even better.
I think it was David O McKay who said:
"Every person we come in contact with effects us to a greater or lesser degree."Those of us who have been fortunate to know my mother have been effected in the greatest degree. We are all better people for having known her. Her loving spirit has touched us all, and we will never forget her gracious life.
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