Mom and me — 1940

I thank God for my mother.  She was a woman of firm faith and principle–loved by her family and respected by the community.

She was born in August 1920 in Michigan.  The next year her family moved to Washington state where they lived for the next 6 years.  In 1927, her family moved back to Ingham County, Michigan.

Mary Wyman Hutchinson

In her freshman year of High School a new (sophomore) boy moved into the community where she lived.  They married shortly after she graduated from High School.  The next year, one day after her 20th birthday, she gave birth to a son.  A daughter came along a couple of years later.  Then World War II put all plans on hold.

While her brother and her husband and his brothers went into the service, she went to work in a factory.  Her children were cared for by her mother.  It was not an easy time.  She did not handle the stress well, but she made it through.

After the war, she and Dad bought her folks house. ( Dad lived the rest of his days there.)  A couple more daughters came along.  When her children were grown, she worked for the local dry cleaner.  It was good for her to get out of the house and to be involved with people.  We saw a new side of Mom as she developed a confidence that we had not seen before.

For many years, Mom was the financial secretary at the church where she was a member.  She never would talk about what anyone gave to the church.  To the best of my knowledge she never indulged in gossip and never shared what was told her in confidence.  She, and Dad, were great in that way and fine examples for their children.

The greatest lesson I learned from her was never compromise your integrity, and that means keeping your lips sealed about matters that should be held in confidence.

On the weekend that Mom and Dad celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary, they discovered a tumor in Dad’s lung.  The cancer moved quickly, and 15 months later he passed away.

Two of her daughters lived with her for some time after, but it was clear that she was not doing well.  About a year later, she was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s.  Mom passed away in September of 1996.