Like many mothers, she did the cooking and the sewing -- some of us remember her legacy of handmade quilts and other decorative handiwork, and the paper patterns for various articles of clothing that were sometimes spread out on the dining room table. She planted gardens and trees. Unlike most moms, she also did all our carpentry, plumbing and electrical work -- always carried a little tool kit in her purse -- she did cement work, too -- she was a builder. She designed and helped build our home in Lorain, with the later addition to it of an apartment for grandma Nettie. On into her early 80’s, in her work with Habitat for Humanity, Mom was amazing people with her wood-working skill and knowledge of the details of framing and building. She loved working in her woodshop, building furniture. Each of her children can treasure the Grandfather clocks she made.

Carol Ann had the privilege of delivering the eulogy for Mom at her former Church in Pinnacle, North Carolina, a week ago, and (with her permission), I’d like to close with Carol Ann’s closing paragraph. She said, “Eventually, the ravages of time and mind took from [Mom] most avenues of expression, yet her spirit, her will to go on, her indomitable determination continued. She, who was always a ‘take-charge,’ strongly independent personality, had to learn great patience and had to employ tremendous ingenuity in making her needs understood. Each new day was an exercise in great fortitude, bravery, and trust. During her last year we all rejoiced that, under the splendid care she received in the home in which she was born, the Lord answered prayers that she should find joy again. She began to laugh again, sometimes to cry -- all in the right places. And when it was her time to move on, she let her family know she was ready in the only way she could -- by the steady, deep gaze of her big brown eyes and the pumping of her only useful hand, as if to say thanks for being willing to let her go. As much as she loved life here, she had a deep understanding of and faith in what wonders she would encounter in the hereafter.”

As a fitting tribute to Dorothy’s faith -- and because she asked that it be sung -- some of her daughters and granddaughters will sing Dad’s arrangement of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.” He arranged it as a trio that Mom and Barb and Carol Ann often sang. The beautiful land beyond the rainbow is the Heavenly Kingdom for which all our souls yearn -- where our mother now walks a yellow brick road paved with gold.

One of Mom’s favorite parting benedictions, sung at the closing of her Beauceant meetings, is written in your Bulletins.