My Mother

Jeannie LaVona Widdison Felshaw

1940-2000

Headstone at the grave site at Oakdale Cemetery in Glendora, CA.
Flowers taken from Jeannie's famous Rose Garden.

My Mommy. How I miss her. After suffering from many, many different ailments stemming from a uterine rupture during the birth of her 5th child 26 years earlier, Mom decided it was time for comfort and peace. She died in the wee hours of the morning on January 31, 2000. She was 59 years old.

I am confident that my Mother has placed herself in some sort of Nursery Leader position there in heaven. She had such a deep love for children. I'm also convinced that she hand picked Rylee Jean (middle name a tribute) and sent her to me. Hand picked both the best and worst of Rylee just for me! Mother's blessing and revenge all wrapped up into one!

Mom had amazing talent. I always called her a professional seamstress. She did sew for money at times, but mostly for the love of it. She was incredible. She made all her daughter's Easter, Baptism, Prom and Wedding dresses. She even made my wedding dress out of 5 different patterns because I was picky.

She also made the BEST bread. EVERY Saturday, growing up, was bread day. She would have mounds and mounds of dough on the table and we kids would snitch bits of that dough. Then she would bake at least a dozen loaves...oh the fresh, warm, buttery bread...mmmmmm.

She worked in the schools as an aid to the Special Ed classes. She had a lot of experience with special needs children having raised one herself. She also had a lot of compassion for those kids.

She was the "grandma" of her ward. After 30 years in the same house and therefore the same ward at church, she became known for her love of babies. If there was a new baby, my mom would take it upon herself to give that new mom a break from holding her baby. She could get any fussy baby to settle down and even fall asleep. Ultimately, the new mom's sought her out!

Although she was in and out of hospitals, bedridden, sick, and suffering my whole life...she still found the strength to be a great Mom. She still made us pajamas every Christmas. She tried hard to make our lives as normal as they could be. I miss her emencly but I also know her suffering has ended and she is hard at work for the Lord.

I love you Mom. See you later.