My Mother

My mother was born October 19, 1919. She died March 5, 2011.  My sisters and my brother and I were blessed with a wonderful evening with her the night before she died, we laughed, talked, reminisced about the wonderful times we had as a family. We were truly blessed with having that wonderful memory forever.

Mother was 91 years old. Think about that. Think about the changes that she saw during her lifetime. When she was born and was growing to young adulthood, she lived in what was considered a nice home. But they still had to haul water from down over the hill, good weather or bad, sometimes in snow over their knees. They had an outside toilet, everyone did at that time in Bellburn. They used oil lamps, there was no electricity yet. She knew the value of an education, she was salutatorian for her school. She was always quick to tell us that she would have been valedictorian if she hadn't left school one class period early her senior year so she could catch the bread truck up to Quinwood to work at the Krogers store there in the evening. Because she had one less credit she missed being valedictorian. But she knew that she could help her family more by working after school.
She grew up during the depression so she saved everything. She was thrifty but not cheap, she just knew how to get the value of every dollar. She was a volunteer all of her life. She was a marvelous lady, a wonderful wife and mother and we will miss her so much.

I remember sitting beside my mother in church, with her all dressed up in her good wool coat with the fur collar, feeling that all was right with the world.

I remember Mom and Dad having friends over, them rolling up the carpet in the living room and dancing to the sounds of Benny Goodman and other ‘Big Bands” while my sister and I went to sleep to the sounds of our parents and friends having a good time. All was well in our world.

I remember a mother who loved to cook. I also remembered being very surprised to find out that when she and our father married, he was the one that had to teach her the basics of cooking. I remember how she liked to share her recipes with others so she has left these behind in the local cookbooks.

I remember sitting in the floor of our living room and seeing Mom all dressed up ready to go to the Rupert Womans Club meeting. She loved being able to help with community projects. She was very proud of her role in founding our Rupert Community Building.

I remember Mother standing at the stove at camp, cooking for a crew of 20 or so, always going to the door if we heard a car going up or down the road to see who was arriving. I also remember our mother in her blaze orange hunting coat and hat with her shotgun, ready to go hunting. She especially loved to turkey hunt, and that was when there were hardly any turkeys. Some of our happiest times as a family took place at camp.

I remember Mom and her Avon. Oh, the Avon. We girls were so lucky. Every new product that came out we got to try. I don’t think Mom ever made that much being an Avon lady because every new product that came out she purchased so she could have to show her customers. This was the time that most women did not work outside the home. I know that part of her route was back through the country areas of Crawley and Keiffer. We’ll never know how many women’s lives were brightened when they saw that little blue Volkswagen beetle coming up the driveway.

I remember a mother who loved the fact that I could sew and make my own and others’ clothes. Oh, how many times did we would make the trip to Piece Goods in Beckley for new projects. Then she began quilting on pillows and wall hangings and other items. If I were to ask for a show of hands of those here today who have one of Mom’s reversible aprons, probably almost all would raise their hands.

I remember a mother who was loving but firm, if she told us something we had better listen. We were expected to help with the Friday ‘clean up the house for the weekend’ chores. I remember smarting her off when I was feeling my emerging teenager growing pains and her smacking me across the cheek. While the slap was not that hard, the humiliation was terrible. I did not do that again and my respect for her again grew.

I will always remember our last evening with our mother, Sandra, Sharon, Butch (ok, Bob), and I and her talking, laughing and joking, reminiscing times past in our family. We were truly blessed with her full presence on the last day of her life.

I wish for our children and their children the attributes of our mother, loving, community oriented, ready to volunteer whenever she could.

I wish for our children and their children and the children to come that they too are blessed with memories of a mother such as ours.

We, her family, remember so much and we are truly blessed with those memories. 

In memory of my mother, Beulah Vivian Flint Price