My mother was stubborn, loving, caring, and never one to take anything from anyone. She loved deeply and made sure the people she loved knew it. She especially adored her dogs, from her childhood dog Fella to her last dog, Bandit, who is now with her grandson.
She desperately loved the ocean and dreamed of traveling to Belize, though her health prevented her from making that trip. She loved dolphins and Eeyore when I was young, and as she got older, she developed a love for owls. We even had matching owl tattoos on our upper left arms—hers with blue eyes and mine with sunburst-colored eyes.
My mother always encouraged me to follow my dreams and reminded me throughout my life, “I can do anything I put my mind to.” She taught me to be independent, strong, and to believe in myself.
One of my favorite memories with her was our trip to Catalina Island when I was 16. Having grown up in the desert, I desperately wanted to swim in the ocean. My mother, despite struggling with her health and her legs for much of my life, came down to the beach with me. Between the sand and the waves, she eventually sank into the water and needed my help getting back out. I managed to get her safely out—only to fall over in the water myself. She was perfectly fine, but an officer soon approached us and asked if we had been drinking. For the record, my mother rarely drank, and I was 16. After explaining that we were both completely sober, we couldn’t stop laughing. That day, walking the island together, remains one of the memories I treasure most.
She was a mother of three, grandmother of five, and great-grandmother of three. She was a wife and later a widow to my father, who passed away in 2012, and a friend to many. I hope this reaches everyone who loved her, including those I may not yet know.
She will be deeply missed and forever loved. Her voice still guides me every day: “I can do anything I put my mind to.”
