Remembering my mom

My mom, Lucy Alice Neves Asay Cox, had a lot of sorrow in her life; at 16 was the first in her family to find her murdered father; lost a beloved daughter, Carol when she was so very tiny, my father, Reed, in his forties, premature baby, Reed Willis two weeks later who lived less than a day and at Christmastime the same year lost her 21 year old daughter, Della; but she told her oldest, Richard to stay on his mission as that was where his father wanted him to be; kept teaching school, kept the rest of us together, spiritually and temporally.  She was a hard worker; her family was her center.  I don't remember her having any 'friends' outside the family; now she's nearing 100 years and counting. /What a tower of strength! February 7th is the big day.

     While LuAnn and I were there last October or November I found this poem, typed on pink paper, and cut to a shape.  It touched me; and helped me see how the pain of her first death, Carol, stayed in her heart.  It's called 'The passing, by Edith Cherrington

She was so little-oh so very small,

My palm could hold the tiny shoes she wore;

She ran them through, and yet she was not tall

Enough to turn the handle of the door.

She would call to me to "Open Please!"

then like the sunshine she would hurry through.

Now all I have are memories--such as these--

I was so foolish then, I never knew 

Her call to "Open Please!" could reach so far,

Or angels hear a voice so small and thin,

And yet an angel set the gate ajar

And she, who stood there waiting, passed within.

I'm not saying that all  was tragedy, there are memories of her singing, 'My Dear do you know..." while we rocked with her in that squeaky wooden rocking chair, her helping us give jr. Sunday School talks with 'Pazazz!  "If you're going to do something; do it with pazazz!" being in the elementary school in Lovell knowing that she was "THE" teacher to get in 4th grade; knowing that she sat up all night making dresses for us; but she put them on the front step, rang the doorbell  then ran to the backdoor so she could be with us when we discovered our new beautiful creation; her making  huge pots of chili (in the big canner kettle) so Ted or Phyllis could have a friends party; allowing me to invite my entire 3rd grade school class to my birthday party which she made wonderful; and oh my!  the smell of her bread baking when we came down the street on Saturdays, after seeing the matinee.  I remember her strength when Ted was shot and almost killed in a hunting accident when he was a teen ager, how the next year she took him out pheasant hunting, along with LuAnn and me to be the bird dogs; so he wouldn't carry the fear of guns with him the rest of his life.  She was Primary president; when it was after school.

She taught herself to knit and crochet; I don't think she took the time til she retired from teaching at about 72.  She made some beautiful treasures.

Another great thing she did was to bring Burl Cox into our family; he may not have been the very best husband, as hunting and fishing were first on his list as a bachelor in his late 40s;(after being gone in late Oct. for a couple of weeks, Mom found him in the shop refilling his grub box."Burl, where have you been?"  "Hunting, when I told you I go hunting, I stay the whole time!"   but he was a wonderful father and Grandpa.  We need him and he needed us.  Mom brought him back to the gospel, &to the temple, she was, in a way, his savior.

I guess I could go on and on, but I won't.  I hope you children will cherish her memory, and talk about her once in awhile to your children so they won't be a stranger to her.  Allow your memories of Grandma Cox to be in their hearts too.  She is a great lady, one of the best.  I love her and hate that I'm so far away.  I'd like to sing, "My dear do you know how a long time ago, there were two little children whose names I don't know...and see her smile once again.