My Mother, I hope she isn't watching.

It is Independence Day and that makes it a perfect day to post a small tribute to my Mother.  She was an independent old cuss if ever there was one.

She lived through the loss of two sons, her sister (a woman who was so close my children called her Aunt Grandma when they were young) and her beloved husband.  She raised my little sister and me single handedly.  Through all of this she never complained, looked for sympathy, or, lost her sense of humor.

When she got older her eyesight began to fail, it was a disease that was complicated by smoking.  So, she quit.  In her 80's after decades of smoking she put them aside, and never looked back.  Sure, she fussed, and compained, and griped, but, my wife and I both believe she was very proud, and so were we.  

Eventually, age caught up to her, and she passed away.  In many ways, I think she was ready, though, her children certainly were not.  

As one last example of her humor, she told my little sister that she was supposed to tell everyone that she died because they made her quit smoking.  She always had to have the last word.