Her daughter Susan's words;
My mother was an incredible woman. Strong, smart, loving, funny with a sarcastic sense of humor and a laugh that no one could ever forget. I want to tell you a just a bit about her life, I will try not to ramble...
She was born on Halloween, 1942. She used to tell me that one of the reasons she liked her birthday being on Halloween was that she got to see all the little kids dressed up in their costumes.
She grew up in Ilion, New York- a tiny place upstate where everyone knew everyone. She was well known and well liked there. She was even Homecoming Queen her senior year of High School. According to her, she had no idea and was working the hot dog stand when they made the announcement.

After graduating, she took a trip to Washington, DC to visit friends. She ended up moving there, working as secretary to United States Senator Norris Cotton for the next 8 years. Think about that, working in Washington, on Capital Hill, in the 60’s…I can’t even imagine the things she must have seen and heard during that time.

In 1964 my Mom met my Dad. Mom was in a booth, in a bar,…and Dad walked in, in his Navy whites- she always told me that as soon as she saw him come in, she knew she had to meet him. There is way more to that story, and it’s a good one, but I will leave it for them.
They were married not long after that in January of 1965. A few years later, after Mom stopped working for the senator, she became a stay at home mom. And she was good at it. According to Dad, times were often hard, but I don't remember ever wanting for anything. What I remember is her always doing things around the house to make our lives better- making curtains and clothes and bedspreads, crocheting afghans and blankets, planting flowers in the yard, and Dad coming home from work and there always being supper at the table.

Throughout my childhood and teens, I always remember Mom being involved in my and my brother's lives. Volunteering at our schools and the different things we did. I remember her being at every football and basketball game, every swim meet, she was always there, cheering us on, and ready to pick up the pieces when things didn't go well.

My family moved several times- Dad would get a better job, and we would move to wherever that job was. I think that must have been hard- making a house a home so many times... We moved to Texas in 1977.

Sometime in the early 80's, Mom decided to go back to work. She got a job delivering flowers. It wasn't long before she was managing a flower shop, and then became an owner. She was a florist for a number of years- I even worked for her for a few of them as a designer. Needless to say, she was a great boss!
Mom and Dad also got very involved with the Houston Farm and Ranch club. They loved the fact that it helped kids, and they met a lot of really great people, and made many friends. My parents were always going out and about, and they had a very active life. I know they had lots of fun together at cook-offs, auctions, county fairs, and parties out there.

When Mom became Grandma, she was good at that, too. She loved her grandchildren and wanted the same for them as she always did for me, just to be happy.

She taught me a lot about being happy- don't sweat the small stuff, look on the bright side, make the best of everything- it is simply how she was.

I want to share one more thing with you. One day, a couple years ago, I met a woman around my age. She came into the Driving School where I work to sign up her child for Driver's Education. She also had a distinct northern accent. As I was doing the enrollment contract with her, I noticed her first name was Sally. I mentioned that my Mother's name was also Sally, Sally Anne, in fact. She said that her middle name was also Anne. Out of curiosity, I asked where she was from- a tiny place in upstate New York, she said. I told her that my mother was also from upstate New York- she asked me where, and I said Ilion. She was also from Ilion, and asked for my mother's maiden name. When I said Kozenewski, she looked shocked and explained to me that her mother had named her after my mother! It seems her mother was in high school with Mom and had so admired her, she named her daughter after Mom.
I think that story speaks for itself.

She was my mother, my teacher, and my friend. Who could ask for more?

Life doesn't have to be perfect to be wonderful- and her life was most times not perfect, but it was wonderful!