The House on Oak Valley: MOTHERS IN MY LIFE

This Mother’s Day I’m thinking about some of the mothers in my life.

Nonny was my mother’s mother. Nonny was also the perfect grandmother! Her home was a cherished destination when my brother and sister and I were growing up. She was genuinely interested in what was going on in our lives. That caring spirit lasted until all three of us were well into our middle-aged years. Nonny died in 2002 at age 94.

Nonny ready to take Judy, Dean and me on a trip.

There was a time in my life when I needed help putting on my pajamas.
Nonny provided that help.

My mother was a stay-at-home mom, typical of moms in the 1950’s and 1960’s. When I pursued long distance running in high school, she always showed up for my meets. During cross country races, she would run around to various parts of the course to cheer me on.

Mom, Dad, Judy, Dean and me in 1957.

Mom, Dad, Judy, Dean and me in 2002 at Nonny's memorial service.
Mom died about a year later from pancreatic cancer.

My late wife, Barbara, gave me three children during our 16 years together. She was a fully devoted mother to Bethany, Belinda and Ben. She died way too soon, in her thirties, after a long battle with cancer. About a year before her death, she was selected “Brookings-Harbor Mother of the Year” based on a poem that Belinda, then 12, wrote about her.

The five BPs in 1984 (from left to right): Belinda, Barbara, Bruce, Ben and Bethany.

Debra has been by my side for over 14 years, and brought to our marriage my third daughter, Ashley, who was already 12-years-old when she started calling me “Dad”. Debra’s older daughter Josie, who was already grown and married with her own family when I came along, has provided us with four of our twelve grandchildren.