REMEMBERING VIRGINIA McDOWELL ON HER BIRTHDAY (28 March 1919 - 19 April 2004) Upon meeting me for the first time, people often inquire as to why I have the initials MGM. Suffice to say that my folks knew what they were doing. Ive been told that Kenneth and Virginia McDowell exchanged quite a bit of spirited dialogue while trying to agree upon what the first M and the G would stand for in those initials. Nonetheless, they were in complete agreement from the start that their son would be an MGM. And again, that was no coincidence. Although he ultimately directed his career path towards Corporate America out of necessity, my Dad nonetheless remained passionate about his gifts as a guitarist, organist and barbershop singer (a world class bass) until his tragic and untimely passing in July 1966. Likewise, Mom demonstrated a love for music at an early age. Like me, she learned the alto saxophone while in elementary school. In high school, she found her niche as a member of the mandolin section of the school orchestra. Interestingly enough, Mom was also an avid record collector decades before such a concept became commonplace. Her diverse array of 78s ran the gamut from Frank Luther to Bing Crosby to Bob Wills to the Four Flames. And to this day, she remains the only person I have ever known who actually saw the legendary blues man, Robert Johnson in concert. By the late 1930s, Mom was off to New York to try and find her way in the world of show business. But the Manhattan crowd was a tough one. Despite a few highlights (including attending the premiere of Gone With The Wind in 1939), she eventually wound up back home in Detroit for a brief foray in the executive offices of Aunt Janes Pickle Factory, which was interrupted by Americas involvement in World War II. As did so many others, Mom was called upon to serve in a Rosie The Riveter capacity. So by the time Kenneth and Virginia McDowell finally met (at a concert by big band leader Harry James), it was obvious that their mutual entertainment aspirations gave them a lot of common ground. And although the realities of parenthood meant that their own dreams would have to be put on hold, they were most generous in making sure that their son would have every opportunity to benefit from their wisdom. And wisdom was just one of many attributes of the complex and marvelous woman that was Virginia McDowell. She rose to the role of motherhood magnificently, selflessly seeing to her sons academic, personal and spiritual growth and development. And throughout my Dads horrible and lingering illness, she kept vigil at his bedside, never giving up hope that he would recover. After we lost Dad, Mom heroically pressed ahead with a determination that caused many to marvel. Despite her own growing health problems, she remained a selfless and hard working family matriarch, whom her son and her six siblings regularly turned to for counsel, advice and wisdom; three attributes with which she was blessed in abundance. The selfless aspect of Moms character is forever etched in my memory for one larger than life, spur of the moment gesture. When I decided to move Blitz Magazines operations to Los Angeles at the close of the 1970s, I packed up the car and had a most emotional farewell with Mom and her sister (my late and beloved Aunt Stella) before hitting the road. Long story short, I was about two miles away from her house, heading towards the freeway, when a car pulled up alongside of mine and honked the horn. It was my Aunt Stella, with Mom in the passengers seat. Aunt Stella signaled for me to pull over, which I did, into a nearby church parking lot. The passenger door opened, and Mom got out of Aunt Stellas car, suitcase in hand, and announced, Im going with you! And she did! Mom and I enjoyed a cross country adventure that lasted six days, taking in everything that Route 66 had to offer. When we finally got to California, she helped me find my first apartment in Hollywood, and stayed on for a month, until she was sure that all was well. And it was. Over the years, despite the miles between us, Mom and I remained close. She became (along with my Aunt Stella) Blitz Magazines most dedicated employee. The two of them oversaw the printing and distribution process with world class diligence. Throughout those years, Mom regularly demonstrated a mothers love as well as it could be shown. She continued to offer her most welcome sage widsom and advice, and literally pulled me out of more than one tough scrap during the 1980s. Even the need for dialysis didnt slow down her passion for life in her later years. When Audrey came into my life in 1994, Mom was quick to embrace her and welcome her into the family, and indeed made the supreme effort (despite those ongoing health issues) to attend our wedding in Hollywood the following year, along with her beloved sisters, my Aunts Stella and Marie. Many in the medical industry have told me that those who are on dialysis are blessed if they have a four or five year run. And despite her description of that ordeal as like getting beaten up three times a week, Mom lasted for an almost unprecedented eleven years under those circumstances. In more ways than one, Mom remained a fighter until the end (as evidenced by the accompanying photo, taken in 2003), which came on the 19th of April in 2004. Just a couple of weeks earlier, we had celebrated her 85th birthday, little knowing that it would be her last. And on this 28th of March 2014, I gratefully and thankfully remember Virginia McDowell with agape love on what would have been her 95th birthday. Thanks, Mom. For everything.
Posted on: Sat, 29 Mar 2014 02:25:02 +0000
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