This is my Mom when she married my Dad. She was 29 and a white woman with a very strong legacy that dates back to King Henry VIII in England. She had the audacity to marry an American Man, An American Black Man in the 1940′s. It was still illegal. She is now 94.5 years old and as feisty and fresh as she was then. Her doctor has reported that she speaks French. And she does from I don’t know where. If you ask her “How are you doing?” She will respond…”Everyone I can.” She loves to dance and I still remember her cobalt blue suede shoes…If I saw her in them, I knew she had a date who was taking her dancing. This of course was after she and daddy divorced. It’s amazing that I have been so blessed to know her for so many years. I’m now in California getting her settled in assisted living. She’s the only one in the place that isn’t in a wheel chair. She needs attention and doesn’t remember everything anymore, but she is healthy and the big worry is that she walks around all the time. And will ‘bitch’ if she doesn’t want to have a blood test too early in the morning or have anyone do anything that her daughters have not endorsed. She is an amazing, beautiful, capable, healthy, funny, smart woman. Everyone loves her and I’m lucky to have found this group of women who want to take care of her in ways and times I can’t. God Bless Whatever, Whoever put this in place in the universe.
What Laurel says is true about her Mom. I’ve heard her say “Anyone I can.” And Laurel would say, Mom you’ve got to stop saying that. So Funny. It’s been a couple of years since I’ve seen Ms. June and really enjoyed our conversations, most of the time about “What The Traveler Saw” when she first opened it in Hyde Park, Chicago.
Thank you for sharing your Mom with us. Minnie E.
Thanks Vernon. It is still my favorite and maybe best photo. Where are you now?