Gerow Gazing

My hero passed away yesterday…

For 59 years I have looked up to her, trusted her, acknowledged her wisdom, admired her bravery, and maybe even coveted some of the excitement in her life. She was a teacher, an adventurer, a daredevil, a seeker of wisdom and truth. She was totally committed to everything she started whether it was graduating high school early, reading every book in the entire school, becoming a teacher at age 18, joining the Wasps and flying planes during World War II, marrying a Mormon, gathering genealogy, joining the LDS church, being Young Women’s president for almost 10 years, being a Cub Scout leader for 25 years or teaching and raising 6 wonderful children.

She was a compassionate woman. She was a quiet woman, except for when she yodeled for her children to come home. She was honest, caring, respectful, kind, and always concerned about others rather than herself. She was the most giving person I have ever known. She gave time, money, hot bread, teaching expertise, energy, canned goods, service to her country and bits of herself to everyone she met. No one ever doubted that she would do anything to help them. She gave of herself with absolutely no wish to receive anything in return.

She was a listener. Anyone could talk with her and know they had her full attention. She cared and it showed. Sometimes she had advice and sometimes she just let them know that she understood.

Her quiet love for her family and friends was very intense. I never heard her say one word about another person that wasn’t kind. She was patience personified. She could do anything and she wasn’t afraid to try. She taught her children to try also.

She had so much energy and was tenacious about finishing things. She could can fruit into the wee hours of the morning, long after her children would sneak off to bed.

Family came before anything else. Going on a picnic was much more important than housecleaning. Spending 2 weeks in South Dakota with her parents was a yearly occurrence.

She also loved reading, rainy days, rocks, babies, especially grand babies, listening to her children talk, working with her husband, caring for her family, cooking, fixing up her house, and working in the garden at 6 in the morning.

She didn’t much care for sewing, though she could, it was a necessary evil. I don’t think she liked cleaning too much but she was very good at it. She didn’t really like driving unless it was to get one of her family to something they needed or wanted to be. She did not like climbing steep hills in the pickup with her husband. She could endure anything if it was in the best interest of those she loved.

She is cherished, loved, respected and even revered by her family and friends. She will never be forgotten by anyone who knew her. She left a blazing mark on this Universe that will shine through Eternity.

If there is ever anyone I wanted to grow up and be like, she is the one!

I’m really going to miss you Mom!!!