Gladys Owen Golding

Ode To Mom

She was born the last of 4,
Onto a farm blessed but poor.
Her dad was a teacher and mom a wife,
both cared enough to sacrifice.
Her dad had his hen he carried around,
and gave her a horse to ride to town.

She married my dad and started a clan,
Gary, Gordon, Jeanne, Don, and Dianne.
That wasn’t all of her family though,
later came grands and great grands to know.
She loved all her family and kept them in heart,
her life was a stage and they all played a part.

She had many lives beyond her young clan,
she worked at the school as the Librarian.
Before the books took her to live in their room,
she spent time as a noon aide and in the classroom.
She sang for the kids and taught them to read,
they remember things given when they were in need.

She went back to school and got a diploma,
she showed all her smarts that girl from Arizona.
That wasn’t enough though she went to college too,
received a degree and more respect grew.
She studied the basics and child psych all,
She was headed for more that was the call.

As life would continue her retirement came,
nothing at Jefferson would be quite the same.
Many would miss her with remembering her singing,
how many kids would miss things from her giving?
Friends would go on without her warm smile,
others would miss her and her going the extra mile.

As we say our good byes to her final life’s song,
we remember her life and all that she brought along.
We say adios to her smile and her laugh,
we will miss all her stories what a fine epitaph.
Many will call her Gran, Gladys, or friend,
but to us she was mom and our rock to the end.