Tribute to Mary

Mary, Christmas 2000

Mary was my Great Aunt, I have fond memories of her. As a child, we'd go to visit my Nana and Uncle Larry and Uncle Fred (Mary's sister and brothers), in Idaho Falls Idaho. She taught school there until she retired, a great legacy for so many children, adults now.

. Either Nana or Uncle Larry would take us over to Aunt Mary's and we'd practically trip over our own feet making a bee line to the huge play house, or rope swing in the back yard. Then there was the train set up in the basement or Aunt Mary's collection of dolls. We'd tread lightly around Uncle Henry, Aunt Mary's husband, cause he would always tickle us. Rod, her son was pretty cool, he'd take us rides on the horses or take us to see newly born puppies, he'd lay down on the ground, bend his knees where we could sit on his shoes and then he's spring his feet up sending us sailing across the room or lawn. We thought that was so cool. Only uncool thing about Rod was when he gave us Indian burns.

Aunt Mary made the best food, she'd always have a cake in the oven and we'd have to tread lightly. But when it was ready she'd serve it on a plate with a pretty rose. She told me, once, how her son John used to make jelly sandwiches. He'd open the bread and then go to the refrigerator, open the jelly and get a big glop on his knife, then cross the kitchen to the bread on the other side, spelling the jelly as he went. She'd shake her head saying "why he didn't realize bringing the bread to the jelly was easier she didn't know". That story always made me laugh.

Kathy was in school and she had a zillion sweaters, back then. Once we came over and her whole room was covered in towels with sweaters spread out over them. I'd never seen so many sweaters before. She was nice to talk too.

Connie, Honora (Nana), Kathie, Carol (my mom), Bertha (Gram_Mary's mom), Mary --- Taken in about 1945 at the home Uncle Larry built for Gram.

We got to visit Connie, Aunt Mary's oldest girl, she lived on a dairy farm with her husband and that was totally cool. I thought Connie was the most beautiful lady, well her and my mom! ....lately with the invention of Email I've come to know Connie better and she's a blast, I finally found where I got my sense of humor!

Aunt Mary was very thoughtful, she always remembered us on holidays and she was always giving us little trinkets. When I had my first child, a boy, she gave me a little ceramic boy going potty in a pot, which I still have. Aunt Mary told me that she thought the pot was a bit much, since no little boy ever hit one. I also have a glass squirrel she gave me, and when I was about 13 she gave me a set of baskets, you opened one and found another, and another until finally there was a wee basket. Aunt Mary gave me a broken rhinestone pin to put into the last basket as a surprise to who ever peeked. I still have that too. But mostly I have such fond memories of a special woman who I loved as did so many other family and friends.

Wise men Say "Only Fools Rush In" Aunt Mary told me she loved that song on one visit, so I thought I'd play it for her.

[We'll see you later sweet Mary]