Whether or not Dr. Seuss actually wrote it, the phrase, “Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened,” is something we’d quote and discuss, regarding our Dad and other aspects of our lives that had moved on, ended, but still resonated in our lives.

Thus, in the fullness of time and the inevitability of the stages of life and death, do I lament with pride and happiness the passing of our dear mother, Joanne Vail, on January 3rd 2023. She was 93, as she said, “a big number.”

Mom took a turn for the worse in 2022 following a blood transfusion for anemia. She did a second stint in the hospital and wound up in Pacific Coast Manor for a month – not good. This resulted in moving her from Independent to Assisted Living at Dominican Oaks. She went from a balcony to a nice porch, and our visits involved some wheelchair walks and bedside sitting…

Here’s a brief black & white summary of her childhood with father Frank, mother Guinevere, and brother Byrns; graduation from high school & college, marriage to Evan, and the eventual arrival of me…

Here’s our family in front of 1375 Tareyton Drive in Riverside (probably around 1970), the family home for 45 years…

Mom loved her garden…

…and our Dad.

Note: in bed at the cabin in Montana, a rare photo with Alicia (from Frances’s Mexican Restaurant), and some hilarious laughter at their 50th anniversary event in Sun Valley…

Here are some pix with Charlie & Veronica, myself & Nancy, her brother Byrns, etc…

In spite of her struggles this last summer, she aspired to “thinking happy thoughts.” Can you tell? “Be happy, go lucky!”

“I’m OK if you’re OK.” Some pleasant moments in her assisted living apartment…

Not only were we able to attend the Thanksgiving Buffet Dinner at Dominican Oaks, after two years of Covid, we were able to do it again at Christmas time.

However, while Mom put out place cards at Thanksgiving, she was not strong enough to come to dinner at Christmas. But we were able to hang out with her in bed…

Amazingly, she was able to hang on beyond Christmas until Ron E. arrived from New Zealand just after the New Year.

The end of one’s stay at Dominican Oaks comes when one’s picture is “on the piano” near the lobby (and, as it turns out, a couple other places thereabouts). Here was Mom’s picture on the piano and in the Assisted Living section…

While of course it is sad to lose one’s mother, it was wonderful to experience the event with my brother and sister, Ron E. and Nancy Anne. Special thanks to Jered for his help and support during the whole process!

We were able to spend three days together sorting through Mom’s stuff and attending to the various necessities of closing out a life – a kind, joyful, generous, and very precious one…

I’m still processing the passing of my Mom. So grateful, so blessed, so happy, yet sad, but more content, fulfilled, basking in the afterglow of her wonderful life, that led to my wonderful life, and to other wonderful lives, and other wonders…