Mothers Day - With Quiet Courage...

Irene May Palmer

As I reflected on a Mother's Day post, I decided that I wanted 

to pay special tribute to my British grandmother...my Nanny.

Her name was Irene May Palmer. She was born on November 10, 1915 and

died on November 1, 1961 only 9 short days before her 46th Birthday.  She

was taken all too soon by ovarian cancer, passing at her home in England.
I was only seven years old when she died, but I remember that day vividly.

I think this first photograph is one of my favorites. There aren't many of 

her, but this one was taken at a wedding only months before my birth.
I can see the gentleness in her eyes and her smile is almost "Mona Lisa-esque".

Nanny was one of six children. She had four sisters and one brother.

She was second in birth order to Francis (Frannie). After her came Nell; Lily

(whose nickname was Bobbie because of her hairstyle); brother Arthur (Art) and

youngest sister, Margaret (Marg) who is still living in England. (You'll remember,
I have another Aunty Margaret, so I call Nanny's sister "Aunty Margaret Senior".)
Don't you just love those names?

I've tried to locate a photograph of all of them together, but many of the old pictures
were lost to the war (World War II). "Things" were just not as important as "people",
and Nanny preferred to spend her precious days caring for her family.

 I showed you this image not long ago. It's the lid to a box in which I keep treasured
letters from my Nanny to my mother (and me) written so many years ago.

 Inside, I keep not only the letters, but an old bottle of "Evening in Paris"

perfume, which was my grandmother's favorite fragrance. When I sit

and read her letters (which I've done frequently in recent weeks), I will

occasionally open the bottle, close my eyes and imagine Nan sitting with me.

Nanny with her first grandchild - me. circa 1955

 Nan was married more than once and lived a short, difficult life. She had
four children...one girl (my mother) and three boys, Richard, John and Trevor.
She was a kind and honest woman who worked hard, loved her children and
adored me and her other grandchildren. She only met two of us in person

 before she passed...me (her first) and my cousin, Dawn who was also born in
England - and still lives there with her husband and family.

In reading her letters, I learned that she often called me "Dee Dee". I smiled
when I realized that. To this day, no one else has used that nickname for me.
My Uncle Larry called me "Dee", but that's as close as anyone else came to it. 

As I grew older, I would also write to her, and it's fun for me to go back and read
 her reactions to my childish notes. I wish I remembered more of those days, but
 her letters help to remind me - and I'm able to know her better through her words.

I've often wondered what I would say to her now if I had the chance to sit 

face-to-face with her and hold her hand in mine. Many times I've felt her presence
in my life. Her sister has said that she would be proud of the woman I've become.
I feel that in her letters, and I know that she watches over me and smiles.

At Handsome's last Suncoast Concert Band concert, conductor Bob Stoll

read a passage that was written by composer Larry Daehn for a piece of

music he wrote in tribute to his own mother. The piece is called

"With Quiet Courage", and when I heard these words, Nanny immediately

came to mind. By the time the music was finished, I had tears streaming

 down my cheeks. I'd like to share Mr. Daehn's words and music as tribute

to my loving, sweet Nanny and her beautiful life ended decades too soon.

With Quiet Courage

by Larry Daehn

"Her life was heroic, but without fanfare.

She worked and hoped and inspired.

She loved and was loved.

Her life was a noble song of quiet courage."

******

Happy Mother's Day, Dear Nanny. 
I miss you and love you always.

This is the music if you'd like to hear it...
(Turn up your sound and sit back. You might want to grab a Kleenex, too.)

 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S9uc_qW1vOU)
Happy Mother's Day!