By Ruth Martin, November 6, 2014 — My mother was my first teacher, mentor, and friend. As adults, we became closer as we related woman to woman, adult to adult. Mama would listen to my joys, complaints, frustrations, whining, and sometimes absolute nonsense. She would quietly offer words of wisdom in a sentence or two. This always helped to change my perspective. She was objective and reminded me how powerful I was.
Mama was always quiet-spoken, even when she was angry. She was a nurturer and always stressed the importance of education and doing things well. There was always the expectation that all of her six children would complete college. (All six attended, five graduated, one completed two years, and three received master’s degrees.)
We were mandated to attend church and participate in ministries as well as take on positions of leadership. Many of the poems, speeches, and messages she wrote for us or coached us on increased our oratory skills. Proper grammar, voice inflection, and delivery were stressed.
Mama was always present and available when I needed her. Even after I left home at age twenty-one, I would visit every other week-end until I moved out of state at age twenty-eight. Ten days after her seventy-sixth birthday mama made her transition, returning to God, her creator. Her funeral service was held on 11/4/00. Mama is especially on my heart today as I remember her legacy on this fourteenth anniversary of her “home-going”.