My mom. Born in Minneapolis, she was the third of five children born to Frank and Aileen Garvey. At the age of 14, in 1945, she and her family moved to Southern California. It was there, with a little match-making help from family, that she met Michael, the young man who would eventually become her husband. Barbara and Mike married in August 1952 and settled down in Pomona, CA, and started their family. They had ten children, five girls and five boys.
She was a homemaker, busy raising her large family, but she did find time outside the home to spend with her many friends and was involved in the Young Ladies Institute. In 1975, she and my dad moved to Phoenix, bringing the youngest five children with them. Although we lived in many houses, she always managed to make them feel like home. Every holiday was special, even in the lean times; I believe she is the reason I've always looked forward to them and try to make them as special for my children as she made them for us.
After her kids grew up and moved out, she and my dad eventually, grudgingly, settled into retirement, in a small home in Glendale, AZ. As family was most important to her, she joyfully welcomed 22 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren into the family. And it was at their home where the family gathered to celebrate all of the birthdays, anniversaries and holidays.
But in her early 70's, mom started to forget things, and would repeat a story, or a question she had just asked. She was diagnosed with Dementia, more specifically Alzheimer's. But she was a strong lady, persevering through a number of hip surgeries. She kept on telling us the stories about her parents, or Aunts and Uncles, her childhood in Minnesota. It was hard on her when those memories started to fade, and the rest of us as well.
My dad was strong too, taking care of his sweetheart at home until it started to take its toll on his health. In late 2015, with the family's support, he made the difficult decision to put mom into a facility that could provide her with the expert care she needed, and deserved. It was there that on Wednesday, January 20th, 2016, around 12:30 in the afternoon, mom quietly passed away, at the age of 84.
There are so many memories I have of my mom, but there is just not enough room here to mention them all. She was funny, creative, and good-hearted woman. She was a daughter, a sister, a wife, a mom, and a grandma. She was loved and she is missed greatly.
She was a homemaker, busy raising her large family, but she did find time outside the home to spend with her many friends and was involved in the Young Ladies Institute. In 1975, she and my dad moved to Phoenix, bringing the youngest five children with them. Although we lived in many houses, she always managed to make them feel like home. Every holiday was special, even in the lean times; I believe she is the reason I've always looked forward to them and try to make them as special for my children as she made them for us.
After her kids grew up and moved out, she and my dad eventually, grudgingly, settled into retirement, in a small home in Glendale, AZ. As family was most important to her, she joyfully welcomed 22 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren into the family. And it was at their home where the family gathered to celebrate all of the birthdays, anniversaries and holidays.
But in her early 70's, mom started to forget things, and would repeat a story, or a question she had just asked. She was diagnosed with Dementia, more specifically Alzheimer's. But she was a strong lady, persevering through a number of hip surgeries. She kept on telling us the stories about her parents, or Aunts and Uncles, her childhood in Minnesota. It was hard on her when those memories started to fade, and the rest of us as well.
My dad was strong too, taking care of his sweetheart at home until it started to take its toll on his health. In late 2015, with the family's support, he made the difficult decision to put mom into a facility that could provide her with the expert care she needed, and deserved. It was there that on Wednesday, January 20th, 2016, around 12:30 in the afternoon, mom quietly passed away, at the age of 84.
There are so many memories I have of my mom, but there is just not enough room here to mention them all. She was funny, creative, and good-hearted woman. She was a daughter, a sister, a wife, a mom, and a grandma. She was loved and she is missed greatly.
My mom. Born in Minneapolis, she was the third of five children born to Frank and Aileen Garvey. At the age of 14, in 1945, she and her family moved to Southern California. It was there, with a little match-making help from family, that she met Michael, the young man who would eventually become her husband. Barbara and Mike married in August 1952 and settled down in Pomona, CA, and started their family. They had ten children, five girls and five boys.
She was a homemaker, busy raising her large family, but she did find time outside the home to spend with her many friends and was involved in the Young Ladies Institute. In 1975, she and my dad moved to Phoenix, bringing the youngest five children with them. Although we lived in many houses, she always managed to make them feel like home. Every holiday was special, even in the lean times; I believe she is the reason I've always looked forward to them and try to make them as special for my children as she made them for us.
After her kids grew up and moved out, she and my dad eventually, grudgingly, settled into retirement, in a small home in Glendale, AZ. As family was most important to her, she joyfully welcomed 22 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren into the family. And it was at their home where the family gathered to celebrate all of the birthdays, anniversaries and holidays.
But in her early 70's, mom started to forget things, and would repeat a story, or a question she had just asked. She was diagnosed with Dementia, more specifically Alzheimer's. But she was a strong lady, persevering through a number of hip surgeries. She kept on telling us the stories about her parents, or Aunts and Uncles, her childhood in Minnesota. It was hard on her when those memories started to fade, and the rest of us as well.
My dad was strong too, taking care of his sweetheart at home until it started to take its toll on his health. In late 2015, with the family's support, he made the difficult decision to put mom into a facility that could provide her with the expert care she needed, and deserved. It was there that on Wednesday, January 20th, 2016, around 12:30 in the afternoon, mom quietly passed away, at the age of 84.
There are so many memories I have of my mom, but there is just not enough room here to mention them all. She was funny, creative, and good-hearted woman. She was a daughter, a sister, a wife, a mom, and a grandma. She was loved and she is missed greatly.
She was a homemaker, busy raising her large family, but she did find time outside the home to spend with her many friends and was involved in the Young Ladies Institute. In 1975, she and my dad moved to Phoenix, bringing the youngest five children with them. Although we lived in many houses, she always managed to make them feel like home. Every holiday was special, even in the lean times; I believe she is the reason I've always looked forward to them and try to make them as special for my children as she made them for us.
After her kids grew up and moved out, she and my dad eventually, grudgingly, settled into retirement, in a small home in Glendale, AZ. As family was most important to her, she joyfully welcomed 22 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren into the family. And it was at their home where the family gathered to celebrate all of the birthdays, anniversaries and holidays.
But in her early 70's, mom started to forget things, and would repeat a story, or a question she had just asked. She was diagnosed with Dementia, more specifically Alzheimer's. But she was a strong lady, persevering through a number of hip surgeries. She kept on telling us the stories about her parents, or Aunts and Uncles, her childhood in Minnesota. It was hard on her when those memories started to fade, and the rest of us as well.
My dad was strong too, taking care of his sweetheart at home until it started to take its toll on his health. In late 2015, with the family's support, he made the difficult decision to put mom into a facility that could provide her with the expert care she needed, and deserved. It was there that on Wednesday, January 20th, 2016, around 12:30 in the afternoon, mom quietly passed away, at the age of 84.
There are so many memories I have of my mom, but there is just not enough room here to mention them all. She was funny, creative, and good-hearted woman. She was a daughter, a sister, a wife, a mom, and a grandma. She was loved and she is missed greatly.
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