Mary Jo Green 12/7/1929 - 9/5/2007 How many women do you know who could raise five girls all by herself? Now, how many of them could do a really swell job of it? Our mother did it and made it seem easy on most days. Long before equality in the workplace, she showed us a work ethic to be admired. Long before the outlaw of corporal punishment in schools, she let us know that if our teachers had to call her about any problem at all, there would be hell to pay. She was redheaded, slender, elegant and seemingly fearless, our Rock of Gibraltar. It took a very long time for any of us to entertain the idea that our mother was not the all-powerful being we had grown up believing she was. In mid-April, Mom was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Maybe Lisa (the nurse in the family) knew how bad this was going to be; I never believed it for a minute. Not my Mom. Just around the corner, there would be some good news. But the bad news just kept coming. During her mercifully brief decline, I never heard Mom complain or whine about her fate. She was testy from time to time, but maintained her humor until the very end. Some of the stories we can repeat; some we will just think about and smile, or laugh out loud about for the rest of our lives. The fact that her girls, with widely varying religious and philosophical world views, worked together in complete harmony to take care of her in her last few months, is a testament to the remarkable job she did teaching us how to live. Never even remotely wealthy, she left us with blessings and riches beyond compare. My love of nature, music, words and humor, are just a few of the treasures she gave me. My sisters, along with Mom's grandchildren and great grandchildren, could list many other gifts too numerous to name here. She will be missed, and we will do our best to lead good lives in her honor. In the end, what greater gift could we give her? Stacey Williams Mickelson, Jana Leigh Williams, Adrian Williams Tyra (dec. 2/23/2004) Mona Lisa Williams Clark, Regina Green Best. A memorial service for Mary Jo will be held Monday, September 24, 2007 at 11:00 a.m. at Unity of Phoenix Church, 1500 E. Greenway Parkway, 602-978-3200. Reception to follow at the church. (In lieu of flowers, we all thought Mom might prefer donations to any one of the following: Friends of Channel 8, radio station KBAQ or the Arizona Humane Society.)
Published in The Arizona Republic on 9/16/2007.