|
A
Saddened But Grateful Son Bids Goodbye To His Mother
by Bob Lowe
July 12, 2005
This
column is titled "Out ‘N About" and
focuses on entertainment-related events, restaurants
and nightclubs, the performing and visual arts, sports/recreation/leisure
activities, community development and pop culture
in general.
This
column has a different focus because I have been "Out ‘N
About" for
a much more urgent reason. My mother, Leithe Matilde
Wilson Lowe, 91, who has lived in the Republic of
Panama for most of her life, passed away on May 30due
to complications from a massive stroke May 1. |
 |
Within days of receiving word, I flew to Panama to be at
her bedside, hoping we could have one more conversation before
she departed. But she never regained full consciousness.
Since
she contributed so much to my development, I would like
to tell you more about "Mama Leithe," as we
affectionately called her.
Leithe M. Lowe was born on March 8, 1914, in the former
Panama Canal Zone community of Empire. Her parents, Richard
and Ada Wilson, were from Jamaica, where she grew up. She
migrated to Panama after completing her elementary and secondary
education.
She worked as a proofreader for the Panama Tribune, as
a telephone operator for a local utility company and as a
cashier for the Ancon Commissary in the former Panama Canal
Zone. I feel her journalistic talent and love of writing
in general sparked my early interest in journalism, which
began when I wrote for my high school newspaper.
I have worked for more than 40 years as a newspaper reporter,
free lance writer and columnist for a variety of magazines,
newsletters and online publications. My very talented sister,
Carmela, also pursued journalism as a second career. She
is editor The Panama Cybernews, a twice-monthly online newsletter
about events in that country.
Mother was a woman of strong Christian principles, not
only in words but in deeds. She was nurtured in her faith
in the British Methodist Churches in Jamaica and was educated
in institutions designed by the British colonial governments
on that island during the early 20th Century.
We
all had a strong religious upbringing. I have to admit
that I was never as religious as she wanted me to be. At
one point, she had even entertained hopes that I would
become a Methodist minister. When it was clear that I wanted
to pursue a different career path, she nevertheless insisted
that I attend church regularly – even as a middle aged
adult.
I often resisted. But over the years, I did develop an
affiliation with the church and sang in the youth choir.
I credit mom with giving me the exposure that kindled my
lifelong interest in choral music.
My sister, Cynthia, who lives in Tallahassee, has also
maintained a strong interest in church choirs and choral
music in general. She will perform with the Tallahassee Community
Chorus on March 11 in Prague at the invitation of the Prague
Symphony Orchestra.
All
of us children remember mother for the strong value she
placed on education as a means of improving the quality
of our lives. From our early years in school, she encouraged
us to study hard and get good grades. She always was supportive
of our efforts to pursue more advanced educational opportunities,
which we all did. My sister Melva, who obtained her master’s
degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, chose to
remain in academia. She is currently the head of the English
Department at the University of Panama.
Death, even when expected, can be a painful and disruptive
experience.
But
I am comforted by the many positive thoughts and expressions
of condolences by family members, friends and even casual
acquaintances who met her on a visit she made to Appleton
in the early 1980s.
Here
is how Rowena Thomas, a family friend from the Washington,
D.C., area,
described my mom in an e-mail message of condolence.
"She was intelligent and remained alert, informed
and engaged and curious despite the passing years. She was
smart, quick witted and filled with an abundance of common
sense. She was strong – in mind, body and more importantly
in character. She was independent and strong-willed. She
was resourceful and practical. She was warm, welcoming, caring
and loving. She was kind. She was generous. She was giving.
She was thoughtful."
"Mama Leithe" imparted many of these values to
her children and grandchildren. Foremost among them was unselfishness.
She never used money for selfish indulgences in herself and
was always proud to say, "I have no loyalty to material
things."
"I had no material wealth to bequeath to you but I
got the satisfaction that from early childhood, I tried to
instill in you the values that money cannot buy," she
said in her farewell letter to us that was opened after her
death. "I am sure these values have been beneficial
in shaping your lives."
I cherish that as one of her most endearing legacies to
us. I will miss her love, caring, guidance, integrity, support
and compassion for others. And the best way I know to honor
her memory is to continue to live by these principles that
she worked so hard to instill in us.
***
In addition to my mother, there have been a number of other
deaths in recent weeks that I also feel deserves mention.
Military veterans lost a strong advocate for their cause
with the death of Ron Sager, 60 who died in a motorcycle
accident in Manitowoc County on June 23. He tirelessly devoted
himself to serving the needs of his fellow vets. He founded
the Fox Valley Vietnam Veterans Association and the Veterans
Art Museum in Appleton. He also played an active role in
the development of the Military Veterans Museum in the City
Center complex in Oshkosh, which is in the process of expanding
into a new facility just south of the Experimental Aircraft
Association facilities near U.S. 41 in Oshkosh.
The
last time I spoke with Ron was when I did a story for Out ‘N
About more than a year ago (see the April 16, 2004 article, "Military
Museum, Art Center Offer Historical Perspective on Iraq
War" in my archives, elsewhere on
this website). The voice of this "gentle giant" may
have been stilled. But the mission he stood for will continue.
My
good friend, Marvin Wyman of Appleton, who took on a second
career as a computer repairman, also passed away several
weeks ago. But for me, he was much more than a computer technician
who was always there to solve my numerous computer problems.
He was a mentor and a passionate advocate for sensible spending
of taxpayers’ money. He was one of the few people who
would purchase, read and dissect the Appleton City Budget
each year to determine if our elected representatives were
using or financial and human resources wisely. He also was
a very generous, kind and friendly man. May his soul rest
in peace.
Finally, the musical world lost an iconic figure when romantic
balladeer Luther Vandross died in New York on July 1 from
complications of a stroke at the age of 54. In recent years,
he also suffered from diabetes, high blood pressure and obesity.
He
was known for such hits as "Any Love," "A
House Is Not A Home" and "Love Won’t Make
Me Wait." But my all time favorite was "Here and
Now," a song that has since become a staple at many
wedding ceremonies. Vandross and fellow R&B crooner,
Barry White, who died in Los Angeles in July 2003, charmed
many a couple with their deep, lush, velvety voices.
***
Appleton ’s
stringent non-smoking ordinance went into effect on July
1. I visited many of the most popular night spots on the
night the smoking ban went into effect and made a follow-up
visit this past weekend.
My
preliminary impression is that it is still too soon to
know what effect this will have on the social life, tourism
and conventions that come or are contemplating coming to
he city. That is mainly because the workplace smoking ban
that includes restaurants and bars went into effect on
the July 4th holiday weekend. There is still considerable
grumbling from some smokers that their "rights" are
being taken away and they are being treated like "second-class
citizens." Some bar owners dislike the ban, saying it
will drive away customers.
But
from casual conversations I had with customers, bar managers
and some restaurateurs, many support the ordinance. They
told me they would hate to go back to smoky bar scene that
caused health problems, polluted the atmosphere and left
their clothes smelly.
For
comments or questions, boblowe@juno.com or
by phone at (920) 731-4603. |
