There are many books filled with the tales of mom's life and someday we will sit down for days and read them and learn a bit more than she's already told us. But we've all already learned the most treasured thing in life and that's the grandeur of our mother's love. There is nothing more powerful and useful than that.
Mom was born in St. Charles, Il and lived there all of her life. Watched it grow from a dirt Randall Road that connected the western suburbs of Chicago to the sprawling metropolis it is today. We loved to hear her stories of days gone by. I will try my best to put it together and tell my story of mom's life. As I know everyone that was graced by her touch has their own story. This is mine....
To sum up my earliest memories, Mom was either hanging out laundry (which she still did 'till March of 2006), cooking or leaving for work. Yet she was always at our school functions, sports, band, school plays, etc.. How she did this for 10 kids and still have time to read the paper and drink her coffee is beyond me! Mom worked at the St. Charles Bowl for as long as I can remember. She took off a few years and went back. Don't know the total of the years, but I'd say she was a lifer. Wayne Elementary School was a big part of Mom's career too. She was the best lunch lady there ever was!! And the lunches weren't so bad, even when they were brought home, thrown together in a pot to suffice as our dinner! Mom made so many friends that stayed in her life for years. I remember all of the lunch ladies and teachers dressing up for Halloween every year. I'm sure Mom was the ringmaster to a lot of the fun and memories the Wayne School staff still carry with them today. There are lots of pictures to prove it! Then there were the summers at the half way house at St. Andrews Country Club. Mmmm, those hot dogs were the best. Mom was always happy working there. She loved to work behind a counter and please her customers. In her final 4 years, Mom worked in the Deli at the Blue Goose in St. Charles. There were some very long days, but she really loved it there. Always working, always on her feet, always had a smile on her face.
But there were tough times, probably more than I know about. And that's the way she wanted it. Mom never lead on to us any negativity. She never talked bad about anyone. She knew that we could and would make our own opinions some day. But optimism and strength always overcame everything. Mom would make the best of every situation. At least that's what I saw. Our childhoods were filled with fun, whether it be at the South Elgin Quarry or Pratt's Woods or the festive Holidays. We were always surrounded by friends and happiness. And mom made sure of it. Yes, I know I'm painting a pretty bright picture. Ain't it great to have the good outshine any bad?
Mom had 3 sisters and one brother. Shirley, Bette Lou, Judy and David. Mom was #3. The Nybergs/Mooneys were a tough strong bunch. I think I've heard the words "stubborn, strong and opinionated. But always yucking it up with great sense of humors! Mom's dad was a carpenter and built many homes and monuments in the St. Charles area. Including the Arcada Theatre, Hotel Baker and countless more. That's before we had CAD and they measured everything by hand. Mom spoke of Grandpa with much pride. He passed away in 1968 at the age of 63. Grandma was Mom's teacher. She was very strong yet easy going. Never let the tough times get her down....."why bother"? Grandma lived a long, great life of 90 years in the same house that Mom grew up in and Grandpa built.
Mom was a (great, I'm sure) Cheerleader in High School, played the saxophone, sang in the chorus and was a very good student. We know this because she was a better English teacher than the one's with a diploma!! She became a mom at a young age and that was surly her calling. She told me that she never was in labor for more than 30 minutes! (Larry was born at home and I went as far as the labor room). I often think....if I was my mom at this age....blah blah blah. Like when I was 33 I'd have 10 little indians trailing behind me, at least 2 in diapers! Or when I was 37, I would be a grandma for the first time...if I were Mom! Now I am constantly asking myself..."what would Mom do"?
After moving from the "house on the hill" on Campton Hills, in the house that Grandpa Teafoe built, We moved to Wayne and Mom made a great home for us there. Again, she did the best she could to keep us happy and healthy in a house with 5 bedrooms and one bathroom! There was the constant teenagers cool room transformed in the basement and even in the attic of the garage! Mom went through many trials and tribulations with 10 babies, teens and young adults. But she was awed by the fact that none of us every got terribly sick or injured. Mom was an odd beater, that's for sure! There was definitely something special about her brood and she was so proud of us all. No matter where we would venture off to in the US, Mom would come to see us and our new life. So she got to see a lot of the country through her kids.
It wasn't just the country....it was HER country. Mom was the most patriotic person we've ever known. She made us realize that nothing matters more in life than family and the country we live in. Shame on us if we don't have the American flag waving somewhere at our home. I think we had the biggest flag in Wayne. Mom had one that hung in front of the door, from the porch over-hang. It was huge and demanded total respect, always! I think Mom was in her glory when Danny had a flag waving just for her from the Capitol Building in Washington DC when she took one of her many visits there. Mom got to keep that flag and she displayed it proudly from a tall flagpole in her yard at Miller's house across from the Bowl.
And finally Mom is united with the love of her life, Vern. He was so good for mom. All of her children had gone to make happy families to add to the legacy. Vern became a big part of our family, he completed the circle and brought contentment to Mom's life. He looked out for her and made her very happy. Just what she deserved.
I honestly could go on forever with stories and history of our Mother. Someday, maybe, I'll have more facts and figures. But for now you will know that Mom lived a wonderful life and is carried on through each one of us because she loved us so.
