Ironically, it wasn’t until my mom had passed away from breast cancer that I began to realize all of the gifts that she’d given me while in the village. My mom (June) died exactly five weeks before my wedding, and there were many things that we talked about in the last year of her life. One of the things I can remember as if it were yesterday, was when she was recounting how blessed she was to have had five wonderful children. An unwavering and faithful Christian, she went on to say that she continued to thank God incessantly for allowing HER to have the cancer that would soon take her life. She said she couldn’t have imagined watching the disease take one of her own.

At the time, I was not yet married and was three years from becoming a mother. I had not a clue of the depth of love that a mother truly has. There is absolutely nothing like it. It is the stuff that the village is made of, and it is a love that is impermeable. My mother was amazing in so many ways, and I continue to learn from her daily. Thank you, Mom, for all that you gave my siblings and me while on this Earth and all that you continue to give!

My Mom was the quintessential housewife of the 50’s…a stay-at-home Mom in Speedway, Indiana, who worked really hard to make sure my Dad could concentrate on his career and bringing home the bacon …but also ensuring that my two brothers and I got the “training” needed to become perfect gentlemen.

I owe the ease with which I got through Aviation Officer Candidate School to my Dad, who had a place for everything and expected everything in its place. But I owe a great deal of what I have become as a teacher, father, grandfather and professional to my Mom. I am the man I am today because of my Mom…and she gets smarter every day I’m alive!