Karen Steward
My MotherI have never given birth but I think being with my mother as she passed from this life, telling her I loved her, that God was with us and it was ok for her to let go was one of the most special moments of my life. With pain and joy she brought me into this world. With pain and joy I shared the moment she was able to leave her tired, broken body behind and pass into a promise that embraced her.My cousin Lisa and I were sitting with mom early in the morning of the day she passed. The hospice nurse asked us what was special about Betty. Glorious adjectives were flying around the room. Loving, patient, compassionate, giving, thoughtful, empathetic, adventurous,Loving: she loved family and friends with a passion. Betty grew up in an extended, multi-generational family. Her paternal grandmother, uncles, an aunt with her 3 daughters were one big family. She learned about taking care of family from her mother and father. It was not always easy but you persevered.Lucky for all of us she fell in love with Max Steward even though he was from Springdale. Her best friend, Lela May, and her boyfriend Don set up a blind double date with Dons good friend Max. Even good natured ribbing from Betty's brother Harlan didn't dissuade Betty from following her heart. They had 2 lucky children, Karen and Stephen, who were fortunate to grow up in that same loving environment.Patient: sitting for hours next to a bedside, rubbing legs until her hands and arms were probably numb; preserving a mans dignity as he was loosing more and more of himself week by week.Compassionate: sitting next to a visitor at church service. The reason this is noteworthy is that Max and Betty never sat there but they did that Sunday for some reason. After the service, Betty introduced herself and found out the lady was in town with her husband who was a patient at the VA hospital. Mom told her that must be very hard for her and she looked tired. Almeda explained that the motel she was staying at had a lot of working men staying there, coming and going. There had been a fight the night before and she didn't get much sleep. Mom immediately told her to go back to the motel, pack her bags because she was going to stay at their house until her husband could go home. Max and Betty went up to the hospital, introduced themselves to her husband and told him that he didn't need to worry about Almeda because she would be staying with them and they would take care of her. Almeda has a picture of Max and Betty hanging in her dining room and sees it every time she walks by.Giving: she gave her time. Brownie and Girl Scout leader. Well, since she did it for Karen then it was only right that she be a Boy Scout leader for Stephen. Working with the PTA to help with Halloween carnivals at elementary school. She dressed up as a witch...she was a good one. She and Max worked with the benevolent program at church as well as Sunday school teacher. Max and Betty along with their great friends Marvin and Dortha Bradley took on feeding the college students after Sunday night service at least once a month. Being a Chief Warrant Officer for food service had its advantages. Max came up with recipes that could feed 50 and the pots and pans to cook it in. Our kitchen was transformed.Adventurous: she was a woman way before her time. Zombies are profitable story lines for TV shows and movies recently. I am not going to Google it because I don't really want to know the origins. I am going to live in my fantasy land and believe that my mother invented zombies. This loving, patient, compassionate woman I have been gushing about was ready in an instant to wrap her robe around her, put that crazy shower cap on her head, matches in her mouth, thankfully not lit, and stumble around with a Frankenstein walk and moan sounds that would send my brother and I screaming with terror and delight.She jumped on a plane with me and went to London. Yes, we had a wonderful time.She was a strong woman. She took care of Glenn, Sarah, Loy, and Max through their end of life. I was afraid it would kill her sometimes. Bu