Minnie W.H. Stewart

Our Beautiful Mom


This is dedicated to our beautiful mom,
The one that taught us right from wrong,
The woman who loved us right from the start,
Who told us we would always be close to her heart.

As I reflect back over her event filled life,
As a mom, friend, sister, wife,
She was always taking care of others.
Especially me and my older brother.

She put in me a thirst for knowledge,
A "need to know" way beyond college,
She gently took me by the hand,
And led me through history in other lands.

She took history off the page,
Made it real to me at a very young age,
When other families stayed close to home,
She took us out of our comfort zone.

She led us through the Vatican in Rome,
Ancient Aqueducts, Castles, and the coliseum,
Historic churches, and famous art museums,
Priceless gifts, I'm so grateful to have seen them.

We held hands on the beach at Normandy,
And I learned a battle was fought there for me,
That on the sand beneath my toes,
Someone died I did not know.

Then looking out over all of the crosses,
Row after row, I was struck by the losses,
Though I didn't understand all the reasons why,
All those people had to die.

I somehow knew through their sacrifice,
That I could have a better life,
We climbed to the top of the leaning tower of Pisa,
And stared into the eyes of the Mona Lisa.



I never found the Beatles at the tower of Big Ben,
The changing of the guards, I didn't appreciate then,
We survived Berlin with a Scout troop of boys,
The country never recovered from all of that noise!

I remember the crosses along the Berlin Wall,
Where people were slain, answering freedoms call,
I remember the guns as the guards searched our bus,
The cold hard looks as they stared through us,

In Italy, I savored spaghetti three meals a day,
IN France, it was the chicken I devoured each day,
I learned to appreciate the differences in others,
And many more lessons I learned from my Mother.

Like "Don't be as useless as a side pocket on a pig."
"Never ask a lady if she's wearing a wig!"
"Don't forget to wash your hands,
Use your manners, say, "Yes sir" and "Yes Ma'am.

Do the job right or don't do it at all,
Stop what you're doing and come when I call,
No one is better, hold your head up tall,
If you make a commitment, give it your all.

Do it now, no if's, and's, or but's,
If you can't say something nice, keep your big mouth shut!
Be nice to everyone and love one another,
And Yes Gloria, that includes your brother!

Do the right thing and stay in school,
Never forget the golden rule,
Remember two wrongs, won't make a right,
Be the bigger person, walk away from the fight.

Though she wasn't the greatest at keeping house,
She could jump six feet if she saw a mouse!
Tho' she wasn't known as the best housekeeper,
That didn't stop her from chasing off a window peeper!




From humble beginnings as a little mountain girl,
To a military wife that traveled the world,
She captivated us with stories of times, long since past,
Creating memories that will forever last.

She has friends spread out all over the world,
Was a club treasurer, made speeches, could square dance twirl,
Drove from one end of the USA to the other,
Took long, short cuts while I tortured my brother.

She was the youngest in a family of nine,
Born premature, no hospital there at the time,
She was a survivor, a tiny bundle of joy,
At an early age called, "a Tom Boy."

She loved hanging out with her older brothers,
Rather than doing 'women's work" at home with her mother,
Their only child who made it to college,
And she's never lost her thirst for knowledge.

Was vegetarian when she lived on the farm,
Couldn't stand to see an animal come to harm,
Grew up and married a military man,
And later in life an Australian.

She's tender and kind, calls everyone honey,
Took a government job, handling over-seas money,
Kept track of millions like it was a breeze,
But could lose anything else, with the very same ease.

Our home was always an open door,
With plenty of food for at least one more,
Took in everything and everyone that followed me home,
Adopted each one as her very own.

Always had a good mystery to read,
Willing to help anyone in need,
She taught me to love my family and friends,
Because that's what's important in the end.




She taught me love covers it all,
Never say never, get up when you fall,
Hold onto the good and learn from the bad,
Life is too short to go around mad.

Though she's been through a lot over the years,
She has managed to smile through the tears,
Though we've grieved as she moved from one loss to another,
She never will lose what she gave us as a mother.

So I honor my mom this Mother's Day,
I love her more than words can say,
I'll cherish forever her rich legacy,
Will strive to live it out to others, through me.

Though it seems now, our roles may have changed,
Life goes on, gets re arranged,
She still has the same touch that wiped my tears,
A mother's heart, unchanged by the years.

The same loving arms, to have and to hold,
A mother's hug, that will never grow old,
Though her memory may seem to be fading fast,
We will keep them alive and make sure that they last.

The road to memory care, has been relentless and long,
We missed the signs, did a lot of things wrong,
But there is something I know she can always count on,
We love her, and she'll always be our beautiful mom.

Happy Mother's Day!

Love Always,
Gloria




In lieu of flowers donations can be made in her memory to the Alzheimer's Association Colorado, 455 Sherman Street, Suite 500, Denver, CO 80203.

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