Today is my mother's sister's birthday. She is 90 years old today. My mother adored her little sister. She always said that Clarice was a beautiful little girl with blonde curls who loved to play with dolls. Momma was much more of a tom boy who loved to play cars in the dirt with her boy cousins. My mother always teased that whenever it was time to do dishes Clarice had to go to the bathroom and was finished about when the dishes were!
Because their father died when they were young they spent most of their growing up years living with their maternal grandparents. Evidently their grandfather was a strict disciplinarian who believed that children should be seen and not heard. Any teasing or playing around at the table and you had to leave the table immediately. Their brother Edward loved to get them in trouble by walking behind Grandfather Webster and making the little girls laugh! Discipline yes, but Momma was also quick to say that they were surrounded by love as they grew up. Love but not much money!
One of their proudest days was when she and her siblings were all working and could finally afford to rent an apartment so that they had their own home. But the proudest day of all was when they were able to buy their mother a hearing aid. I suppose she had needed one for a long time. That must have been a joyous day. I believe this picture was taken on the doorsteps of the house where they lived after they moved out of the Webster home. My mother is the one in the white sweater and Clarice in the dark sweater.
Momma and Clarice raised their families in the same town and both worked in offices downtown. For many years they met once a week for coffee at a local restaurant where they discussed everything under the sun and could have solved many of the world's problems if given a chance.
My mother admired so much about her sister. Family was what was most important to both of these women. Clarice lives in the country in a little community where she was active in everything from the church to the senior citizens meetings. She was always taking food to someone who needed it. In her church she worked hard at whatever job needed to be done. She and Momma were alike in that. My mother admired all Clarice did for others.
Happy birthday Aunt Clarice! I read an Email someone sent once about Clarice that said, "I want to be just like you when I grow up because you just 'keep on keeping on.' I hope I have some of those strong, kind, involved Boyle female genes and that I'll be like both of these wonderful women when I 'grow up'!
Because their father died when they were young they spent most of their growing up years living with their maternal grandparents. Evidently their grandfather was a strict disciplinarian who believed that children should be seen and not heard. Any teasing or playing around at the table and you had to leave the table immediately. Their brother Edward loved to get them in trouble by walking behind Grandfather Webster and making the little girls laugh! Discipline yes, but Momma was also quick to say that they were surrounded by love as they grew up. Love but not much money!
One of their proudest days was when she and her siblings were all working and could finally afford to rent an apartment so that they had their own home. But the proudest day of all was when they were able to buy their mother a hearing aid. I suppose she had needed one for a long time. That must have been a joyous day. I believe this picture was taken on the doorsteps of the house where they lived after they moved out of the Webster home. My mother is the one in the white sweater and Clarice in the dark sweater.
My mother admired so much about her sister. Family was what was most important to both of these women. Clarice lives in the country in a little community where she was active in everything from the church to the senior citizens meetings. She was always taking food to someone who needed it. In her church she worked hard at whatever job needed to be done. She and Momma were alike in that. My mother admired all Clarice did for others.
Happy birthday Aunt Clarice! I read an Email someone sent once about Clarice that said, "I want to be just like you when I grow up because you just 'keep on keeping on.' I hope I have some of those strong, kind, involved Boyle female genes and that I'll be like both of these wonderful women when I 'grow up'!
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