We laid Miss Bettys mom to rest today. All the grand kids called her Branny. When Dan was a baby his Gs were Bs. Thus Branny. It stuck. Mrs. S touched a lot of lives and those she touched are much better off because she did. Ive never been able to call her anything but Mrs. Siderits or Mrs. Walton when I was a kid. Hell, I was afraid of her I think and I knew if I disrespected her she just might call my momma. In those days I have no doubt she would have too. There are a number of words I could use to describe Mrs. Siderits: 1. Hard working. Had to be to raise 3 kids practically alone. Worked multiple jobs to support them. 2. Stubborn . Oh hell yes! 3. Conservative. When she talked politics you knew what her stance was. 4. Loving. This is the word that best describes her. Never let a stray animal go hungry. One day out of sheer love she decided to bring a little 7 year old girl into the family. She didnt have to do that and she already had 2 little boys to care for. But she saw a need in this little girl to be cared for, loved, and given the opportunity to grow up in an atmosphere of love and likely out of poverty. Then she made the mistake of asking this now teenage girl to go to this new Mexican restaurant down on Lomb Ave in West End. Her son had gotten a job there and had told her I guess the food was pretty good there and cheap. This dumb ass was working the cash register the day she pulled up in her mommas 88 Olds. All decked out in her white uniform (was working as a dental assistant at the time). I knew in an instant she was special and immediately took steps to get a date. With the help of her brother, Randy at the time, its Randal now, I got the date and the rest is history. Been married for 43 years yesterday to that little girl. We have 2 of the best kids in the world, Dan and Mandy, and now 4 grandchildren, Ethan, Ella, Jack and Avery. My point in telling this story, apart from the fact I enjoy telling it, is without that one act of love bringing this little girl into her family I might have missed, quite literally, the opportunity of a lifetime. I, along with a host of others loved Mrs S and will miss her so much. John
Posted on: Wed, 30 Jul 2014 22:52:22 +0000
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