My family mourns the loss of my mother, who passed away this last week. Mom was an amazing person who inspired many people.
She was the living definition of true grit. She was forced to withdraw from college during her freshman year at Akron University to join the workforce, while my father joined the military in World War II. She returned to complete her education almost seventy years later after raising three sons and caring for my father until he passed away at the age of eighty-four. Mom was a rock star on the college campus. Students loved her and sought her counsel. Her professors admired her and had her speak at many of their classes.
At the age of eighty-seven, my mother fulfilled her lifelong dream of acquiring a college degree. Amazingly, she was not done. Three years later, she received her master’s degree from the School of Behavioral and Brain Science at The University of Texas in Dallas. She was 90 years old and the oldest person to ever receive a master’s degree from the university. She became a research assistant for the University of Texas Center for Vital Longevity, as well as volunteering her time with preschool students and teaching English as a second language to young students. She spent many hours visiting retirement homes, speaking about the importance of lifelong learning and mentorship. She was able to enjoy these endeavors until the age of ninety-six when her health began to fail. She passed away at the age of ninety-seven.
My mother was a modest person who never liked talking about herself. It took much persuasion on the part of our family to convince her to write a book about her life. “Why Not: My Seventy Year Plan for a College Degree” is the name of her book. I would like to share just a few short quotes from the book. All of us can benefit from this remarkable woman’s wisdom.
“I truly believe that commitment is the most significant factor to an individual’s success. Leaving a legacy of integrity and commitment comes with great rewards: the satisfaction of a life well lived, few regrets, and a good name.”
“I never carry a grudge. What’s the point? I believe life is too short to waste the energy, and I want to spend mine loving life and loving people.”
“There is just something about reaching beyond ourselves that makes our steps lighter, puts a smile in our heart, and makes us happy to be alive. We put some distance between us and our own challenges, if only for a moment, and each time we help someone else, our own lives seem to take on more meaning.”
“Society needs you! No matter what stage of life you are in, if you are still breathing, you are still on this earth for a purpose, and you still have much to offer. You still have an opportunity to make this world a better place, whether you reach out and touch one person or a thousand!”
YOU WILL BE MISSED BY MANY!