Another light winks out...

Marguerite Grace Gee was born in 1931
So was William Shatner
That year, the original film version of Dracula with Bela Lugosi was released
Frankenstein, starring Boris Karloff was the top grossing film
The construction of the Empire State Building was completed
Cost of a gallon of gas was .10
The Leafs won The Cup
Thomas Edison died
The most popular song in 1931 was Mini the Moocher by Cab Calloway

In her time, she saw:
Her brothers go to war
Man on the moon
End of segregation
Cold War
Hippies
Womens' Lib
Nuclear age
Digital age
Yuppies
9/11
Her siblings and parents passing
Me get drunk, sober and married 3 X

She had two men in her life:  My Dad, and in recent years - Tyrone
Marg had - as some know - many disappointments and rough times in her life
And it made her a little bitter

But that's my perspective.
I only knew her as my Mom - and right up until last week, she freely commented on my bad habits:
I work too much
I never call
I don't eat right
I ride motorcycles - fast

But we loved each other with a passion that comes from facing tough times together
When I hit my bottom with alcoholism, only she was there to help me crawl out
When life got weird in Hamilton, I was there to rescue her and bring her to Ottawa

I saw my relationship with her change as she got older
Our roles reversed; I had to adopt the role of provider and she fell into that of rebellious teenager
She had a boyfriend from the wrong side of the tracks
And in defense of her love for Ty, she told me something a Mom should never tell her Son
She said - "he's good to me, and he's good in bed"

With those few words, she got me back for a lifetime of things I did and said just to push her buttons
 

When I was living at Serenity House - trying to get through the AA steps, my Mom came to visit me and we spent the afternoon at Mooney's Bay
It was perhaps the best time I ever spent with her
We talked all afternoon on the beach - separating the facts of my life from the fiction I had created

What I don't know about my Mom is the side that her friends would have seen.  I look at pictures of them and I see lots of laughter.  I hear she was fun to hang out with and I believe that.
She had many close friendships - some that span almost a lifetime

What I do know is that she died in her sleep - and more than anything else, that's what she wanted
More than grief right now I feel relieved for her.  She wasn't well.  She was house-bound and even The Shopping Channel wasn't doing it anymore.  It was time to go - and she knew it.

With me in Washington, it was Jonanne and Kay came forward to provide her with and amazing amount of support and love.   I will be forever in their gratitude.

Marg loved:
Clothing
Rod Stewart & Nat King Cole
Vegetables
Bread
Dr. Phil
The Shopping Channel
Her grandchildren
Reid Munro
Tyrone Kinlock
Talking on the phone
Pizza
Getting her hair done
and all of us.

She knew how to do the Jitterbug

Comments

[Markus]

nice words for her.

rest in peace, Marg

[Surly]

A lovely tribute. I'm sorry for your loss.