Gladys Jeannotte was born on August 28, 1930, almost exactly three centuries after her pilgrim ancestors first set foot on this land. She grew up on her family’s farm in Dunstable, Massachusetts and I suspect that is where she is now because if you ever heard her talk about the farm, it sure sounded like heaven.

But she left that farm in her 20s for a job with the Treasury Department in Washington DC. She used to watch President Eisenhower coming and going through her office window. She also met Dad there and soon became Gladys Power.

When Dad took a job at the Mint in Philly, they moved down the street from this church, where they raised me and my brothers. Together they built a home for us filled with humor, and music, and kindness, and intelligent curiosity, and lots of love. That home has been, and will always be, a blessing to us.

Mom liked to work. She wanted to be useful. This is not a characteristic she handed down to me. But there are aspects of her character – her honesty, her fidelity, and her humility – that I hope to emulate and carry to my grave.

When I think of what to say about Mom, two words keep coming back to me: Thank you.

Thank you for the valuable lessons you taught me.

Like: Waste not, want not

And: You should be polite and kind to people, even if they are impolite and unkind to you.

And: When you’re doing laundry, or making dinner, you should put on some music and sing along with it. You can dance too. That way even a chore can be something fun.

And thank you for the most valuable lesson you taught me – the most valuable lesson that any person can teach another: That there is only one thing in life that matters, and it is love.

The rest is window dressing.

I will always love you.

Thank you, Mom.