Mom met my Dad (Clarence W. Waits aka Bill) while he was in the navy and soon fell in love and married. Over the years us kids appeared, first my eldest brother Dave, then soon was Dick, then me, then the youngest Bill. We weren't rich moneywise but in love, we were millionaires. Mom gave us everything we needed, she made sure of that, regardless of the fact that she had to do without to do so. She was that unselfish. She helped me out so many times when there were problems in my first marriage..allowing me a safe haven to come to along with my own three kids. It didn't matter to her that there were 4 extra in the house and more work, only that she help out her little girl. It didn't matter what any of us kids did, she was always right there beside us, standing up for us. The same went for the Grandkids. If you were short of money, she was right there with a bag of food in her hands, even if she had to take that food out of her own cupboard or offering you money even though it would cut herself short. If anyone needed her, she was there.

She was the President of the Ladies Auxillary of the Miami East Fire dept for several years, volunteering her time each time there was a fire to serve the firemen coffee, softdrinks, etc......It didn't matter if it were freezing cold outside, she was standing out there supporting them. She endlessly campaigned for donations of door prizes for their dances which she helped to organize to raise money for the then volunteer fire dept. Looking back, it seems as if Mom just gave and gave, she never took.

Mom instilled in me the ability to love deeply, to trust, and all that is good about me today I owe to her. Mom also had a great sense of humor. She could have us laughing so hard we would have tears in our eyes. I can remember sitting at the kitchen table with her drinking coffee, laughing our rear ends off over something so silly......Or watching her and her friends play poker, man those old ladies could sure get raunchy! LOL.........I could go on and on with the memories of what a great person she was, what a very big heart she had, and how much she was loved....She was my Mom, my best friend, my yard saleing buddy, the one I went to when I was hurting, or just simply to have some company...we could talk about anything and everything which we did. She was always there for me, no matter what. To this day if something happens in my life, I still think about calling her until I remember she's not there any more, at least not at that number. She's with me in my heart now where she will always be until I get to be with her again.

If you knew my Mom, you were one lucky person....if you didn't, you missed out on one fantastic woman. She was truly one of a kind.

Mom had a wedding ring and a diamond engagement ring which she told me she wanted me to have when she was gone...she had always said this. She loved these rings as they symbolized over 50 years of marriage to my Dad, her first true love and last true love....when she died, I placed those rings on my fingers and they're still there. I look at them and think of Mom and her love and it seems to me that they sparkle even more.......