September 6, 2012
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Excerpts from a letter I wrote to a friend on the loss of her mom. . June died on Wednesday, August 29, 2012 at the age of 99. She was a good friend of mine.
September 6, 2012
Dear Jerri,
I’ve been thinking of your Mom, June, and what an influence she had on me as a young mother and wife when we moved to Aztec 32 years ago this month. I imagine that she and Dock were some of the first people we met and we felt very privileged to call them friends over these years. I often regretted that life got so busy it was hard to keep up with them and her as I wanted to, but if anyone understood “busy” it would be your Mom.
I have often told people over the years that if it hadn’t been for your parents (and specifically your Mom), we would have gone hungry the fall we arrived in Aztec in 1980. This is not an exaggeration at all, it is the truth. Thank goodness we moved in the fall when veggies were profuse at your parent’s garden. We ate daily from everything that came out of there, and many our meals,were just veggies from their garden. It is incredible to think that June gardened into her 98th year! I clearly remember how sweet and kind your parents were to little Christopher and how your mom and Willa Bowra would often take him on stroller rides to Safeway! Christopher and I would take daily walks down to your parent’s home every day as we only had one car and I was stuck at home most of the time. I treasured these walks and the time spent talking about gardening and food.
Probably the most important and influential thing your mom did though was to teach me to can. You’ve heard the saying “Give a man a fish, and he eats for a day, teach a man to fish and he can eat for a lifetime.” Well, that would work for canning also! Because of the lessons I learned from your mom, I have been canning from our huge garden ever since. And, it didn’t stop there; I have passed down the knowledge of canning (and love for it) to my daughter-in-law and sister, and others who have come through my kitchen.
It’s interesting to me and I believe quite profound, that a person, in this case a woman, didn’t have to travel the world, write a best-seller or even teach at church to influence future generations. I believe that because of your mom, many people have learned how to take care of a home, children, husband and friends. It’s so true, that what really matters in this life is Love. And your mom, my friend, June had much love to give. I will always be thankful for her. You and your family are indeed blessed to have had her in your life for so many wonderful years!
Thanks for sharing your mom with me. She will be dearly missed. She was one of the loveliest women I know.
Blessings on your day,
Brenda Meyer
