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Related: Culture Forums, Support Forums2021: The year our mothers died.
My mother died last month in Baton Rouge at 98. My mother-in-law, 101, died last night in Canada.
My mother was from rural Mississippi and lived in Louisiana most of her life. My MIL lived 100 years on the Central Alberta grain farm settled by her pioneer parents.
My mother lived a soap opera. Joined the Navy, left when pregnant with me, married to save face, divorced and married a man who was not a good stepfather, had four more babies, was widowed, then married a much younger man who took care of her like she was a queen, to her dying day.
My MIL got indoor plumbing at the farm when my husband was 10. She had five sons, which was good for the fields and milking cows but meant she did all the cooking, sewing, and cleaning. At one time there were four boys in two sets of bunk beds in the same tiny bedroom. They had a set of clothes for school, and one for home.
My life was full of angst and drama; his was very stable. The grain farm prospered.
We know our mothers loved us, and we know we were lucky to have them still alive as we passed 70 ourselves. Both were vaccinated against Covid. Both loved to dance; mine loved jitterbug, his loved square-dancing. Both believed in God, unlike us.
Both have grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great-grandchildren.
Two lives that lasted about a century, which seems long when you look back, but short when you look forward.
blm
(113,141 posts)Elessar Zappa
(14,153 posts)RIP to them both.
cilla4progress
(24,804 posts)Thank you for sharing with us!!
How did their last decades go, for each?
My 93 yo MIL still lives at home on her own! Mentally still pretty good, but physically getting harder.
Croney
(4,684 posts)That's the best we can hope for I guess.
I swear the dancing had something to do with it. (I'm writing this before my Zumba class.) 🙂
cilla4progress
(24,804 posts)love to DANCE! Enjoy!!
MLAA
(17,376 posts)Karadeniz
(22,607 posts)Solly Mack
(90,803 posts)My heartfelt condolences to you and your husband.
brer cat
(24,673 posts)Keep your memories close in your heart, especially the dancing.
Fla Dem
(23,898 posts)Last edited Mon Nov 29, 2021, 09:23 PM - Edit history (2)
So glad in the later years of her life your Mom was with her true partner.
James48
(4,444 posts)She was born in 1932, and had a great life, although I caused her grief on more than one occasion. She passed away in January 2021, two days after receiving a Covid vaccine. Not sure if it was related or not. Its possible she had Covid a few months before, but tested negative.
I miss her.
orleans
(34,105 posts)chia
(2,244 posts)My mom lived to age 90, living on her own to the end. I never saw her exercise a day in her life, but she kept busy, and ate a simple and healthy diet, although I think genetics reigns supreme.
fierywoman
(7,709 posts)BobTheSubgenius
(11,580 posts)Thank you for posting it!
Texaswitchy
(2,962 posts)Shows so much respect and love.
Both women had a long life.
sellitman
(11,611 posts)She developed cancer and lasted about 6 months after diagnoses. She was 90, raised 5 kids, had 9 Grandchildren and one Great Grandson and knew another was on the way.
She grew up on Coney Island and always had lots of friends. I miss her so much. We all struggled through Thanksgiving this year.
Mom's are special.
Hugs
niyad
(113,995 posts)sellitman
(11,611 posts)zanana1
(6,140 posts)It doesn't matter how old we are. Losing your mother is so hard. I lost my mom more than a decade ago, but she still tugs at my heart.
sellitman
(11,611 posts)Holidays will be difficult for a while.
One down...
niyad
(113,995 posts)thank you so much for your lovely tribute, for sharing a bit if your family with us.
GregD
(2,263 posts)just a few weeks before her 88th birthday. I feel for each of you who lost family.
orleans
(34,105 posts)orleans
(34,105 posts)i love what you wrote.
malaise
(269,352 posts)Two lives that lasted about a century - give thanks
Danmel
(4,943 posts)You were both quite lucky to have your moms for so long. Wishing you sweet memories.
DFW
(54,527 posts)You're lucky to have had them around for so long.
I lost my mom 19 years ago, when I turned 50. My wife's mom is 94, still lives at home in her little village near the Dutch border, but is nearly blind, and is starting to experience memory loss.
It all just goes by too quickly.
FakeNoose
(32,917 posts)May your mothers rest in peace, and may you enjoy happy memories with your children and grandchildren.