Sometimes in life you are not blessed with a mother type figure and as you get older, as I did, you tend to adopt mothers as you go throughout life.
Being blessed with my Grandmother while young; being blessed with my best friend's Mother, Mrs. White, in Flatwoods; being blessed with my friend Janet's Mother, Mrs. McLemore in Jeffersontown; today my last adopted Mother passed away and her name is Mrs. Mary Vest from Jeffersontown.
Living in Parliament Square with a two year old, getting a divorce but still pregnant with my other child, Mrs. Vest was my paper lady. Every time she would come to collect the paper monies due she would come in and visit and just have to pinch my oldest child's cheeks, saying they were just like a chipmunk's and she couldn't help herself. My daughter was two, and now she is thirty three. The next year I met her daughter, Mary Lou, and we have been friends now for 31 years.
The best thing about this family is how they ARE a family, a strong family that I always, always admired and had nothing but respect for.
She worked at National Distillers; then collected cans -- just anything to get along until she finally got on at Churchill Downs. Now, all but one of her children work there, even her grandchildren.
After working (and making sure even up to this past weekend all of her brood would work), Churchill closed and she went off to Tunica, Mississippi. Mrs. Vest loved visiting the boats. My bet would lay she may have been to them all.
She made $15,000.00 one time down in Florida simply betting on the dog races. Kidding, I use to tell her it would be worth my time to follow her around and figure out her methodology in these matters.
As my child (now 33) told me today, at least she died doing what she really enjoyed doing, Mom. Yes, baby, she did; and God Bless Her for all of the love she gave to me and mine and to the entire family nothing but respect and love. Thank you Mrs. Vest. Thank you the Vest Family for sharing your Mother with me and mine.
Having run out of words to say, because the watershed is running again -- I wish I could have sent her one more Christmas card. She always said it wasn't Christmas if she didn't get a card from me.
Rest in Peace, Mrs. Vest. I will always have you in my heart and could never extend or tell anyone just how much you mattered; or what kind of a strong woman you were.
Love and Peace...
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4 comments:
My condolences for you loss.
Our thoughts and prayers are with the
family at this time of sorrow.
sorry for the loss as well
Thank you both. As Dave Devine's wife died the week before Thanksgiving (he plays with a lot of local bands around New Albany) at the age of 59, and what with Mrs. Vest passing; truly, my legs have been knocked out from under me.
Dave's wife's memorial was held tonight; Mrs. Vest's services will be in J'Town Thursday with burial on Friday...
Thank you for your thoughts and for even reading, thank you.
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