Dear Mom, 

It’s been 2,920 since you left us….but who’s counting? 

Mom, we miss you so much. We have wept with overpowering emotions of grief and sorrow for you, but today we remember you with smiles and laughter because that is what we know you would want us to do. We can’t deny that the tears still flow at times, it’s inevitable. They are the tears of the unspeakable love that we have for you.  

Though the pain in our hearts is still so fresh, the sweet memories of you are what keep us going. There isn’t a day that goes by that we don’t speak your name or smile and say, “I know that was you”. 

So much has happened in each of our lives since you left us, but there isn’t a doubt in our minds that you have been with us every step of the way. We have felt your presence through the most momentous times and even more so during our trials and tribulations.  

You still laugh with Terry and Connie through their good days and whisper words of wisdom and encouragement during the times when you see they need you. You held me and prayed with me through the hardest times of my life and reassured me everything would okay. You were an Angel on her shoulder the day Amanda married the man of her dreams. And you asked God to pray for Clay during his horrific crash and you sat in the front row with your prideful smile the day he married his beautiful bride. You were among the Angels that guided and gave strength and courage to Ty and Trevor through the most troublesome time in their lives and now you smile upon them at their victory. You graced yourself as a beautiful butterfly the day Ty and Keshia exchange their vows. I knew you wouldn’t miss it. You show up in many ways when you hear Courtney call out for you for some strength and guidance. You held her hand through the birth of her babies and answered their prayers when they wished for their baby girl, Aaliyah Dianne. You are her rock, strong and solid. Mom, you have never faltered, you were there for us in life and you are still here for us in death.  You are a true Angel.     

You taught us so much in life and one of the biggest things you instilled in all of us was affection without any limitations, and love without conditions. You loved so fiercely, and you saw the good in all of us, you were the glue that held this family together. I believe that when a family loses their Matriarch such as we have, that families tend to fall apart, but not us. In your absence, we are still here for each other because of the unconditional love you instilled in all of us. Even though we all have our own lives, at the end of the day we are family because of you. You are missed so very, Mama Bear.  Our memories of you are cherished and kept alive through us and our children and grandchildren.  You will never be forgotten.  

Love, Terry, Connie, Tracy and family