Camelot - A Eulogy for Mom
Long Story Short
Mom always began every tale with "long story short".
If you knew her, you probably just inwardly groaned or rolled your eyes, because you have experienced her so-called "short" stories. But I will try to keep it bearable.
She fell in love and hit the road to Ft. Chaffee Arkansas where Dad was waiting for her with open arms. They were married by an Army chaplain in a chapel on the base. She was the tender age of 16, but she was quick to say that she was ALMOST the ripe old age of 17 if one of us girls should mention how young she was when she married.
It wasn't long before they started our family even though Mom wasn't too sure how all that came about.
One thing about our mother, she was always a lady.
Being a military spouse, she had unknowingly signed up for a life of adventures. Without complaint, she would pack up and move every couple of years from one base to another.
She lived a life of varied destinations and our family grew and grew until there were 5 of us kids hanging on for dear life as we traveled along.
From bases in the US to foreign lands, she followed Dad wherever he was ordered and we all learned to adjust to new places and people.
She turned every apartment or house or government quarters into more than a temporary dwelling. She made each of them into a home and a place where friends were welcome.
She absolutely loved life and her place in it. It was the era of Camelot with JFK and Jackie in the White House, and Zona Thompson embraced it as though it was her personal mission to keep the idea of Camelot alive.
After 20 years of grand journeys, Dad retired from the Army and we moved back to New Boston. It was a time of transition for all of us. It was a hard move for some of us, but she stepped right up and did her best to help us adjust.
Mom was a true homemaker. Our home was always clean and neat and a family dinner on the table every day. With four girls, there was a never ending demand for new dresses and outfits. She created wardrobes for each of us that were Zona Thompson originals. There were times she would stay up half the night sewing so that one of us would have a brand new outfit for the next day. She made my wedding dress and it was beautiful!
She taught me to cook and sew. I think I learned by osmosis. I don't know what happened with the rest of these guys I call sisters. Because none of them learned how to do any of that… at least not while I was there.
Not only did she do all this, but she followed our brother Greg all over the place when he was playing in a band as a teenager. I truly do not know how she found the time for everything. But she did.
After we moved back to New Boston and we got involved in school activities, she was the biggest supporter of whatever we did. Whether it was cheer or band or sports. She was going to be part of it.
She was our encourager. Always letting us know that we could do anything if we just set our mind to it. Even with her great grandkids, she would tell them to live life to the fullest!
She wrote these words to my grandson Colt, but this is her word of wisdom for us all: “Never forget that I love you. Always remember you are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, smarter than you think, and loved more than you know.”
Mom loved to entertain. She thrived on family traditions and celebrations.
She loved to spend time with her sisters and brothers and kept them close in her heart.
She did have some varied interests. Along with being an excellent seamstress and homemaker, she was an accomplished artist with her china painting and a life long Dallas Cowboys fan. As elegant as she looks today, she is secretly wearing those ‘kick butt’ Cowboys socks on her way to meet Jesus. Well, it was a secret.
As far as working outside the home, not only was she at one time a really bad waitress in a restaurant, but later she worked at our local KNBO radio station and even DJ'd on occasion. She was willing to try just about anything.
During our tour in Iraq, she taught English to Arabs at an institute in Baghdad even though she didn't speak a word of Arabic. I'm not sure how that worked, or if they ever learned the language, but she loved it and those Iraqis just couldn't get over her crazy Texas accent.
She was the creator or user of a few euphemisms such as "Shoot Fuzzy", "I look like Fraggle Rock!" and "Oh! My Stars", "Hector's Pup!", or "Land O Goshen!” or maybe “Patience is fortitude!” and most famously “Shoot a monkey!”. Or maybe after she would call you 30 different names, she would say “well… you know who you are”.
Mom always had a new or unusual phrase to use when excited, happy or mad. Lately she would mumble "Joy to the World" when confronted with a difficulty she didn't like.
She didn't curse, but she could make up something in a heartbeat that wasn't too far from it. She once bested a New York bus driver in an argument without saying one foul word. He didn't know what hit him.
I was so proud!
She was NOT afraid of much of anything or anyone.
Yes...She loved to tell stories of her travels and the places we had lived and the people that she met.
But her most personally rewarding venture was right here in New Boston providing child care in her home for many area families. I am sure that some of you experienced her care and her imagination and creativity for either yourself or your children. She loved you all and never forgot a one of you. Plus: she told a few "short" stories about you too.
Like everyone, Mom had troubles in her life. Her only son, my brother Greg, developed polio as an infant. His doctor cried when he gave her the diagnosis. There was no vaccine. That came later on, and treatments were experimental. She was alone in her distress because Dad was half a world away serving in Korea. Although family stepped in to help, she had to find a way to be strong and fearless when it came to battling for her son's health. At that time, she was still just a kid of 18 herself.
Later on, Greg and Karen developed some other serious health issues. So she always had an extra bit of maternal instinctual protection for the two of them. When they both passed away as very young adults, what should have broken her spirit and her faith only proved to make her a stronger person with a more solid belief in God. What should have driven Mom and Dad apart, brought them closer. It didn't happen immediately... it took time. But she grabbed a hold of her faith in God and stood firm.
What an amazing example for all of us!
She was our rock. Always concerned about her family. She was there for us when our hearts and spirits were crumpled and broken… and when we were on top of the world.
She never lost her sense of grace and elegance... her dignity. She never spoke of regret. She always looked forward to the future with optimism and a sense of joy.
Mom always spoke of God as "the Good Lord".
In the last couple of months when she was ill, and suffering from a bit of confusion in her thinking, we would find her singing very loudly. Some of her songs were silly... like "Oh my darling Clementine" which would cause the hospital staff to stop and listen to be sure she wasn't in dire need.
But most of her songs were loudly worshipping her "Good Lord".
To me... to all of her family... she is the epitome of the Proverbs 31 Woman. Someone we should all try to emulate.
There is so much more I could tell you about the amazing woman my sisters and I have had the great honor of calling Mom.. or Momma. But I promised to try and keep her long story short, even though now it has become eternal. You might say it has gone viral
She knew she had lived a great life. And now her greatest adventure has begun. I pray that one day we all will be so blessed as that.
But... for now...in this time and place...
"Don't let it be forgot, that once there was a spot, for one brief shining moment, that was known as Camelot."
or at least, Zona Thompson's version of it.
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