Happy Birthday, Mom!

Today would have been my Mother's 100th birthday but she died back in June of 1999. She was never afraid of death or dying and that's amazing since she saw a lot of suffering in her career as a nurse...maybe that's why...sometimes death is more compassionate.

 This is her high school graduation picture.  She is in the middle row, 3rd from the left.  She graduated with her sister who was older but my Mother was very smart so that may be why she skipped a grade or 2.  Her sister, my Aunt Alice, is the first one on the left in the top row.  This was the graduating class of 1933.

I'm not sure where or when this picture was taken.  I don't have many but this one is a favorite along with one of her on horseback which I couldn't locate.

My Mother was the youngest of 6 and was a tomboy just like me.  She would rather be out haying and doing farm chores with her brothers than in the house helping with cooking and household chores.  Although, there were times growing up when I'd wished she'd spent a little more time in the kitchen, if you know what I mean.  LOL! 
This picture doesn't even look like her unless it was the army food that fattened her up....she was always slim...this is the heaviest I ever saw her!  She served as a Army nurse in World War 2 but never went overseas that I know of. 

This is her in her nurses uniform.  She put her self through nursing school and later went on to get her masters in nursing.  She worked at Cook County Hospital in Chicago and at Children's Memorial Hospital in the burn unit.  I remember her telling me that was the hardest job she ever had as it was horrible to take care of burn victims, especially children.  She was vigilant about fire safety all her life.  She went on to become an operating room nurse and was so good that surgeons would request her to be their assistant during their surgeries.  She assisted in eye surgeries too which were extremely delicate back then before lasers.  She even traveled to different places in the U.S. to assist in complicated operations.  She originally wanted to be a surgeon herself and I know she would have been a great one.

She was a wonderful woman and a great role model.  I never heard her ever say a bad word about anyone and that is not an easy legacy to live up to.   She was strong in character and faith and gutsy and adventurous for her generation.  I will always be proud to call her my Mother and I know wherever she is now she is helping someone, somewhere!  Love you, Mom!  Happy Birthday!