Happy Birthday Mommy!
Rose M. Garifo (May 28, 1917 – 1993)
My beautiful Mother, this photo was taken when she was 62,
same age I am now. She had five children and a busy husband. She managed the
house, the children, the activities, and later an ailing husband - yet when we
got home from school she was in a dress and moderate heels - this continued
even after Daddy died although she did finally give in to pantsuits in the 70’s;
she was a powerful 5' tall woman. She
drove us everywhere and, as a friend who knew her well recently said,:
"had the patience of a saint".
My Father's illness depleted our finances but that did not stop her from
raising her children as planned, the budget was tighter, she did without so we
could have what we needed. She went into the work force as my Father became
disabled, he died just a scant few years later at age 59 in 1972, and she was
52. Grieving but undaunted, her strength unimaginable, she supported her last
three children (the youngest 12), got them through school, saw them married and
supported me through my divorce and to finish my college education. The photo
was taken in Nashville Tn in 1979, where she accompanied me to put down a
foundation so I could start a new life with my children the following year.
She was so beautiful with bright emerald eyes and lovely
rich red hair; one of my cousins commented on that same photo I referred to
"Your mom was beautiful both inside and out." She was always singing,
often humorously, her favorite while cleaning was "If I had the wings of
an Angel", another time she would make us laugh by acting silly and
singing “I don’t care, I don’t care.” One
time she slipped and broke her ankle while bringing our dog, Ervin, a meaty
bone. When we heard her screams we rushed
to her but as we were getting her off the floor to the couch, she began
chuckling through her tears and pain and said "ungrateful, dog, here I am
screaming in pain and she just continues chewing the bone! That’s gratitude for
you!" She played the piano
beautifully - and gracefully, but she did everything gracefully. She loved to dance, which she did so
wonderfully, so it was particularly painful when she diagnosed with
Olivopontocerebellar Atrophy, a debilitating disease, when she was 67 in 1984.
She was totally bedbound by the late 1980's. My beloved Mother transitioned
from this life in 1993 at the age of 76 when her weakened body could not fight
off the pneumonia she had developed. She was a bright, beautiful, kind and
humorous light extinguished way too early. She selflessly donated her body to
science so that maybe others could benefit from her experience, of course that
left the family with no grave to place flowers on special days, however I have
my memories.
May is a month that is both poignant and joyous for me, she
was born on May 28th and of course Mother's Day, it is the month when her
favorite Lilac bushes were in full bloom, a month when memories come flooding
back and, like all days, when I wish I could tell her once more just how much I
love her while looking into her loving eyes. I miss you Mommy, I love you
Mommy. Happy Birthday.
