Because I'm Mother

Granny Here,

My subject today is not a pleasant one but necessary, it's about the loss of my sweet mother Irene. She was a keeper for sure, a woman all her own, a woman of substance, a woman of opinion, strong opinion, a woman who didn't know the art of backing down or giving up. She lived 97 years 2 months and 14 days so to say she lived a long life is as much truth as I can come up with.

She was born Effie Irene Webb on March 26, 1919 in almost heaven, West Virginia, in a coal mining family that suffered their share and then some during the great coal mining strikes and the great depression. Her father Fred Webb was very active in the coal mines and often found himself in danger of becoming a casualty from the union depressors of that day. Her mother who was quite a few years younger than her father but her mother was also a lady of class and brass as was she.

My mother was born poor, very poor but her family of 6 sisters and one brother who died at birth had a classiness about them that made them stand out among others. They were fashionistas, always having or trying to have the latest in fashion even if their mother had to make it by hand which she often did being a seamstress well known for her sewing abilities. With 6 girls in the house you can be sure there was never a dull moment and never a time when momma wasn't watching through the keyhole to see what was going down with the girls. And boyfriends, well that could be a book all by itself, I'm sure there was an abundance of romance in that household.

Mom was a woman who knew her mind, spoke her mind and rarely changed her mind. She thought she was right, believed she was right, knew she was right and would go down fighting for the right.
If we didn't agree with her on any subject she just clammed up and that was it but we never won a battle. She didn't lose easily.

Married to our dad William (Windy Bill) for 59 years, they were Maude and Archie in reverse with Mom being Archie and dad being Maude. Mom was the driving force and I do mean driving she was always looking out for the welfare of her family and although she and dad were not the most romantic couple in the world (we know they had at least 6 passionate moments) he got the best of care at her hands. She made sure dad got the best part of a meal, that he had clean clothes and a clean home, that his children were well taken care of and that all the household business was up to date. Dad on the other hand made sure she had what she needed to do her job and do it well so together they made a complete team. We can be proud of them both and are!!!

This blog could go on and on but I will bring it to an end for now, I'm sure there will be more forthcoming. But to say mother had a colorful life would be like saying that Jimmy Fallon wasn't funny, the truth is in the pudding, her life was a book of color not always pretty colors but colors none the less.

To say she was loved is an understatement, she demanded it, she craved it and she obtained it. Loved by her family almost to a fault, she was spoiled and didn't feel any grief from it. She deserved it according to her calculations. Her reasoning was "because I'm Mother" and she meant it.

For the love of my mother
Granny here, just saying!