Lois Black

Dearest Mom,
Aka, "THE WAR HORSE."
You beat the odds over and over again, proving age is only a number. Never underestimate the power of a wise ole mind. Your grit, determination, and courageousness is undefined in any medical journal. I think they learned a thing or two, as I told them, you don't know my mother. I was pleased to tell them, "I told you so."
Your dedication to your teaching career is unmeasurable. I heard from many, the impression you made on their now adult lives. They remember you well.
Our adventures were many. Miles and miles of traversing the hillsides in search of the elusive morel mushrooms. Diving under fallen trees to escape the torrential spring rains and hail. The day we got lost going over the wrong side of the bluff. I left you on the hillside in the darkness, as I ran for that dim light and told you, "I'll be back. " The walk thru the barnyard, wading thru the curious cows hoping we didn't get stepped on. The truck way out in the middle of the field-not there yet! Once there, we took the time to sit on the tailgate under the starry sky and listen to the whippoorwills. It wasn't so pleasant when we got home and caught hell from Dad. A cell phone would have been handy back then. A night to remember...
The endless miles we put on picking up trash along the shorelines of the river. Sometimes not even being able to see you in the front of the boat. You only toppled out once. When I knew you were okay, I laughed so hard I wet my pants. Needless to say, you weren't entertained and it was a quiet afternoon after that...I was proud that you got over your fear of snakes, as you gently sent them on their way with your walking stick. The number of critters we set free entangled in fish line. The kittens we rescued that obviously were dumped off.
Just a tip of the iceberg. You and Griz(4 wheeler) were quite a pair. You had no problem leaving me in the dust.
Don’t worry about me Mom, I’m a survivor like you. And yes, I will continue to keep up our flower gardens and lawn, a labor of love, so you can enjoy from up above.
Bro and I will be preparing your favorite spot by the pond. It will be beautiful. Stop on down anytime.
Embrace your family and friends and the stampede of all of our precious fur babies. Spend extra time with my Kimber, and tell her I think of her every day.
You really were one of a kind that "war horse" integrity never waned.
God bless you Mom. Fly high with the eagles.
Your ever loving daughter, and your precious kitty "Keesha."

Well ma, I didn’t get much sleep last night thinking about how to draft this, so here it goes. I know you will be checking grammar and spelling. Mother/son relations are special, ours was no different. Through thick and thin, we were always rotating back together. My sorrow is deep but my memories run stronger. You raised Gus and I with integrity and grit. You and Jake took us on awesome vacations, introduced us to the great outdoors, and I enjoy those things to this day. I like that you have ripped on the grizz through the property. Be on the look for dust on the horizon (NOT YET). Chris, kids, grandkids, and Gus still need me. Schrooming, fishing, hunting, golfing and guiding Gus keep me here for awhile. Well ma, that's about it, keep your eye peeled on the horizon and look forward to our talks and endless memories. Your loving son, bro. Later ma

My grandma loved her family, friends, the outdoors, and of course The Packers! I always knew to check when they were playing before I gave her a call.
She had a wonderful memory, and a long list of friends and family she would keep in touch with. She would tell me about friends from high school that she still corresponded with. She could talk on the phone for hours, laughing and joking about things that happened decades ago. Some people might need Facebook to keep connected, but my grandma had her phonebook and diary. She was always so good about remembering to send a card for birthdays and anniversaries. I will miss that this year.
While some grandmas stayed home and baked cookies for fun, my grandma loved to get outdoors. Some of her favorite things were riding "the quad" or hunting mushrooms. She would get mad the last couple of years when her health won't allow such activities. I would have to say "grandma, you're not as young as you used to be..." She didn't like that either!
I'm grateful for the time I got to spend with her two years ago. We spent a lot of time just sitting around watching the news and discussing current events. But we also talked about things that were important to her, mainly her children. She was so happy to have both her kids under the same roof whenever my dad came to visit. You could just tell how proud she was of both of them. At some point during that visit, she told me that she loved margaritas, and wished she could have one. So next time you have a margarita, think of my grandma and raise your glass to her.
-Erin

Grandma was one the sharpest and wittiest women I’ve ever known. Even up until the last conversations we had, her ability to recall stories and speak with such clarity was outstanding. She was always so loving and supportive. I enjoyed sharing positive news with her because she was always so genuinely happy and supportive of me. Even when things weren’t going well for me, she assured me that everything would be okay and that I had so much to offer.
She had so many amazing qualities, but Seeing the way she truly cared about others always stuck out to me. She was always concerned about people in need and spoke more of others than herself. Even when she was going through the roughest of times, she still found ways to focus on others and how she cared for them.
I truly loved my grandma and she will forever be missed but never forgotten. I know she’s in a better place now, looking down upon all of us with love and compassion.
I love you Grandma!
-Your Grandson Gregory

A few years ago I surprised my grandma with a visit from Oregon. I remember calling her and asking what her schedule was for that next week and she told me about her doctor appointments, grocery shopping and other day to day things she had lined up, I said "well, put me on the calendar too because I'll be there!". Hearing her surprised joy truly made my day. On the last day of my visit we were driving around the country near this big garden center, and we wanted to stop so she could get some new flowers for her garden, which she took great pride in taking care of. We didn't have her walker with us and she was feeling a bit down that she might not be able to walk around as much inside and thought maybe we should just go home. But if there is one thing I have learned from my Grandma, it's her determination to do things is unmatched. I asked one of the attendants if I could use one of the huge push carts as my "grandma wagon", which who can say no to? I pushed my grandma all around this garden center as she pointed out plants she wanted. Some might be embarrassed by the whole thing, but we just laughed and had fun. When we got home she grabbed her shovel and planted those flowers in what seemed effortlessly, even though I knew how tiring it was. My grandma was the epitome of "if there's a will, there's a way." She never let age slow her down from doing what she loved.
-Hannah