Mummy would have loved this

Her spirit watches over us in all things great and small:  Mummy would have loved this.  Mummy wouldn't have approved.  Mummy would have been so proud. Remember when Mummy . . .

"Her death extinguished a most incandescent light," our sister wrote in her sparkling tribute twelve plus years ago. LIke her own mother -- Grammy to us, JuJu to the next generation -- who into her nineties still thought of her offspring as a helpless child, Mummy was forever worrying about her fledglings, long after we had left the nest. To this day she is looking over our shoulder, beckoning us be kind and good and all that we can be. On this Mother's Day, a republication of our December 7, 2004 post honoring her life:

Impossible to believe she's been gone eleven years to the day. Our precious mother happened to depart this vale of tears on December 7, the anniversary of the day that would live in infamy in the nation's heart. In her family's heart Mary lives on, beckoning us all to be the best that we can be.

What is the measure of a woman's life? That she was beautiful and brilliant and beloved . . .

That every friend she ever made, from childhood on, has remained a friend forever . . .

That no one's sorrow escaped her notice or her tender concern . . .

That she was a loyal and loving wife . . .

That she was a devoted and proud and nurturing mother . . .

That she was a ridiculously indulgent and adoring grandmother . . .

That she loved music and art and literature and flowers and animals and bridge games and dear friends?

All of these things are a measure.  But Mary's life was more than the sum of its parts.  Her death has extinguished a most incandescent light.

The Measure of a Woman, tribute written by her daughter, Susan, for the memorial service held in Thanksgiving For The Life of Mary Loddy Jameson, December 19, 1993

A repub from last summer: An old-fashioned family heirloom card table with drop leaves in Goomp's livingroom, arrayed with a picture of Mummy in her salad days (center in photo) and precious mementos she treasured -- a multitude of ceramic and metal miniature boxes with alligators, kittens and frogs inside -- came to life in the golden early-morning sunlight of the second-longest day of the year.

Thank you, Goomp, for blessing us with your sentimental and enduring love for her, and thank you, Ben and Susan and your wonderful families -- you, too, Tuck, for looking after her loony elder daughter -- for doing her proud. She is smiling down upon us.

Comments

[goomp]

Your message brings tears to my eyes and joy to my heart.

[Teresa]

The biggest tribute to what a wonderful mother she was, is that she is so loved by her husband and children.

[Tara]

Beautiful tribute to your Mother.It brought tears to my eyes.

[Elisson]

That incandescent light is still shining...and you're helping to bear the torch. Thank you for sharing this beautiful tribute.