22 Dec Forget the Karen’s & the Beth’s…..Be An Izzy!!
Her timeless presence made her twinkle with a feeling of “home.” During the day, she was a teacher, instilling good graces and phonics to her grade one students which periodically included one of her 8 children. If your Mom was your teacher then you called her Mom. Izzy was always a Mom first.
Izzy seemed to pass through the years without ever aging. It was truly remarkable. Always the same sweet smile and demeanor that made you exhale the second she entered your sphere. It’s like her nurturing spirit and spot on sense of humour was her home-grown fountain of youth. Makeup never made it into her world, and thank goodness, because that glow was too darling to dull.
Izzy was the sunflower representation of a human. She faced life with every ounce of love she had soaked into her soul. When times became tough, she turned herself towards others, ensuring her light could be easily absorbed.
At 74 years young she lost her husband. Many would just roost in a lazy boy once their life partner was gone, simply waiting for Jeopardy to come on and promised visits from the family to come true. Not our Izzy. She found her mojo and she found Vegas. Not alone mind you, as her family always kept her on the pedestal of their lives. She was the centrepiece of all things exceptionally fun. Izzy was the antithesis of a burden although she often worried she was. She was the listener, the adventurer, the giggler, the Sunday morning breakfast buddy and the one that did not miss a beat when nonsense came knocking.
This year, at 93 years young, still thriving independently, she was fortunate enough to join her family for Thanksgiving personally and virtually to celebrate that very birthday that arrived on the 10th of October. A few board games under her belt complemented by a nip of wine, then Izzy was on her way. Of course, a zillion pictures were then taken and now treasured.
She was not a woman that wanted much. Her happiness came from the 8 children, 21 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren that she cocooned with her entire heart in addition to every single person that exclaimed, “you were my favourite teacher EVER!!” Izzy gained a country’s worth of fans born from her 42 years of classroom creativity.
Izzy adored her freedom and never took the blessing of a long and healthy life for granted. On November 5th, she had a brief chat with her daughter saying that she was tired. Shortly thereafter, after 33,994 days touching more hearts than what she could have ever conceived of, Izzy took her last gentle breaths to rise to an even greater freedom.
She absolutely was the standing ovation at the end of her play!
This Christmas, Izzy’s family will feel the absence of her at their celebrations and will look for her in her favourite chair. They will yearn to hear her laugh or just a glimpse of the way the Christmas lights glistened on her silver hair.
They will also shed a tear of gratitude for having a, more than inspiring matriarch, to guide them throughout their lives and will somehow know that Izzy has, once again, tucked her Kleenex into her cardigan sleeves, gave them a couple rolls up to now create a 2022 lesson plan that brings the fundamentals of life back to us by virtue of this amazing lady’s cosmic blackboard
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