We remember your family (our next-door neighbors) so well. Jim and I want to send our deepest sympathies to you. We know that your father passed a few years ago, and now your very beautiful mother.
I remember how close your mother and I were. We knew her as Marlene. That’s how she introduced herself to us. It was many years later that she told me her birth name was really Marilyn. I remember her coming off the bus on very hot summer days from working in an office without air conditioning (none of us had it back then). She would go immediately into the house and change into her bathing suit to take a cooling dip in our pool. Our kids, Mike and Mari, send their love and condolences as well. Both of them being born in that house on Valencia Dr. As Mari learned to talk, she couldn’t say “Marlene”, so she called your mother “Maybelline”. How she got that, I really don’t know. However, your mother loved it, and so she always referred to herself as Maybelline to Mari and let Mari call her that. How very sweet! But, then, your mother was one of the sweetest women I know. She always tried to be her best and was always smiling.
Another good memory of her that I often have shared with others over the years was how very terrified she was of cats. If we were taking a walk together and a cat was near us, she would actually cross the street to the other side. I know people do this when encountering dogs, but had never seen a person do this for a cat. As it was in God’s plan, one Halloween night this little black kitten was outside and was up near your house. (You know that some sick people torture black cats especially on Halloween). It was meowing and meowing. Your mother tossed it a piece of bologna because she felt it was hungry. Not long after, she took the kitty into your house to protect it for the night against any harm that might come it’s way on Halloween. Thus, began her love affair with Midnight, as she named him. And, the blessing was that she and Midnight would be ever tied to each other’s hearts.
The thing we all remember most is how very, very much she loved you and deeply so. You were her bright star in the heavens. And, now she is your bright star in the heavenly sky. Wishing you love and peace. We all cherish your mother and her impact on our lives. By the way, I absolutely love the photo of her in her obituary. You did her such justice. THIS is how we all remember her – beautiful inside and out.
Johnny,
We remember your family (our next-door neighbors) so well. Jim and I want to send our deepest sympathies to you. We know that your father passed a few years ago, and now your very beautiful mother.
I remember how close your mother and I were. We knew her as Marlene. That’s how she introduced herself to us. It was many years later that she told me her birth name was really Marilyn. I remember her coming off the bus on very hot summer days from working in an office without air conditioning (none of us had it back then). She would go immediately into the house and change into her bathing suit to take a cooling dip in our pool. Our kids, Mike and Mari, send their love and condolences as well. Both of them being born in that house on Valencia Dr. As Mari learned to talk, she couldn’t say “Marlene”, so she called your mother “Maybelline”. How she got that, I really don’t know. However, your mother loved it, and so she always referred to herself as Maybelline to Mari and let Mari call her that. How very sweet! But, then, your mother was one of the sweetest women I know. She always tried to be her best and was always smiling.
Another good memory of her that I often have shared with others over the years was how very terrified she was of cats. If we were taking a walk together and a cat was near us, she would actually cross the street to the other side. I know people do this when encountering dogs, but had never seen a person do this for a cat. As it was in God’s plan, one Halloween night this little black kitten was outside and was up near your house. (You know that some sick people torture black cats especially on Halloween). It was meowing and meowing. Your mother tossed it a piece of bologna because she felt it was hungry. Not long after, she took the kitty into your house to protect it for the night against any harm that might come it’s way on Halloween. Thus, began her love affair with Midnight, as she named him. And, the blessing was that she and Midnight would be ever tied to each other’s hearts.
The thing we all remember most is how very, very much she loved you and deeply so. You were her bright star in the heavens. And, now she is your bright star in the heavenly sky. Wishing you love and peace. We all cherish your mother and her impact on our lives. By the way, I absolutely love the photo of her in her obituary. You did her such justice. THIS is how we all remember her – beautiful inside and out.