She was my age when I met her. That is hard to believe because she seemed much older that I feel now. Time is a funny thing.
I was about ten when she invited my family and another family for dinner. She was brave and warm and welcoming to all 9 of us kids. I don't remember many events in my childhood, but this one has always stuck out to me. Maybe it was the Kinder Joy Egg that she gave us at the end of the evening (the official kind from German with the chocking hazard parts inside).
She had a pool at her house. Anyone was welcome to use it at anytime. One time I went with some of her neighbors while she was on vacation.
It is incredible to me how many people knew and loved Mary. But she treated them all like family and it was a joy to be around her.
--- I want be a joy to be around and open my house like Mary.
She had a job with FexEx in management or something (10 year-olds don't remember these details). But what I do remember is that she left all of that to go back to school to be a math teacher at an under-privileged school in our area. She taught 5th, 6th, and 7th grade math and I can guarantee you that she was the best teacher that they had. She loved her students and was involved in many of their lives.
--- I want to love others like Mary.
My brother was born on Christmas. And I don't know if she felt sorry for him because he was gypped the birthday or because he was an only brother with four sisters. She came from a large family and she understood these things better than most people. Whatever the reason, she brought him a homemade pizza for many of his teenage birthdays.
When I had my fourth baby she was one of the first people to hold her. Shortly after she called and said she had a meal for me - I expected some of her famous pizza, but instead she brought authentic German noodles and chicken. What a treat.
My sister is in the Air Force and would bring the boys these chocolate stuffed Hippos from Germany when she went. One day I ran into Mary at a baseball game and we were talking about my sister and I mentioned the funny hippos. Several months later she showed up at my door with a huge package of these chocolate Hippos.
--- I want to take the time to let people know I care with thoughtful gifts like Mary.
Mary helped to run a ministry that built ramps for people with disabilities. We had discussed the boys coming to help her in a few years when they were a bit older. It is a huge loss that they will never get to serve with her.
When ESL was short a teacher she would sub on short notice. She loved the ministry and would talk about volunteering more when she retired from teaching. We will miss her cheerful face.
In high school Mary asked me to join a committee at church. It was one of the first times someone had treated me like a member of the church and a soon-to-be adult. I really respected that and it made a huge impression on me.
--- I want to spend my time serving others like Mary.
Mary loved baseball. Maybe we both loved a deal; we often ran into each other at $3 Monday nights at the local baseball stadium. We would chat about how we had eaten dinner before we came to avoid buying the overpriced food and laugh about how few people came out on Mondays. It happened so often that we made plans to sit together in the Spring of 2020. It never happened. So we started planning for Spring of 2021. Now it will never happen either. I will miss her every time I go to a baseball game and expect for her to pop up and say hello.
There are very few people that I can think of that I would have all good things to say, maybe that says something about me more than the people around me. But I can honestly think of nothing about Mary that was bad. I have never heard her complain. She always showed up and she always loved people well and showed us all the love of Christ. What a wonderful example.
This weekend my kids will receive their own Kinder Eggs (the fake US kind without the chocking hazard parts) in memory of Mary. She was faithful to the end. I wish they could have known her. I want to be more like her.
I will miss her until we can meet again.
