On a sad note....but on a happy note!!

To All Of My Sweet Friends Here:

I wanted you all to know that my beloved Mom passed away yesterday, Sunday morning, after a very long battle in her later years. She lived 81 years and enriched my life each of my days. Many of you have asked where I get my inspiration and my desire to share of myself...and in one word that is MOM. I wanted to share the tribute I have written for her service which will be on Wednesday. Perhaps this will give you a tiny glimpse into who I want to be like when I grow up...smiles!!

A Tribute to our Mom and Sister
Martha Kate Maxwell Lancaster

Not only have we lost the the best mom and sister, but we have lost our best friend. But let us not dwell on the loss, but rather on our good fortune in having you as long as we did! We appreciate the many lessons you inculcated in us and hopefully we can continue to live up to your every expectation. Mom, we celebrate you and the tremendous influence you have had on us.

Your obituary calls you MOM and you have epitomized that loving and caring word to not only us but to so many of the people whose lives you have touched. Throughout the years you became MOM to so many people…even the staff at the Life Care Center knew you as MOM.

You taught us to care for those less fortunate than we are and to share our talents and worldly goods with those who come into our lives that they may be made richer by our example. We recognize your care and concern for the downtrodden and those in distress and hopefully we will remember the responsibility you have left with us. You taught us that whatever we have becomes much more important and beautiful when it is shared with others. Your generosity will always be sweet in our memory. Who else takes homemade apple butter, cakes, pies, etc to their doctor’s appointments and to their salesladies at Penney‘s???

You always charged us to be responsible, honest citizens, knowing the difference between right and wrong, with much more concern for others than ourselves. Hopefully we all exemplify that teaching. Your credo was do for others without any demands or expectations that others do for us. You taught us that no matter what misfortunes befall us, that there are always those less fortunate. Let us never forget that!

You shared yourself in so many ways with everyone one you came in contact with! Your wonderful culinary delights, your hand-crafted jewelry, your crocheted items, your hand painted clothing, your flowers….For you, giving was ALWAYS paramount to receiving! Your love for humanity and the deep feelings you had for shut-ins and those without much love in their lives was so apparent in your everyday life and practice.

Your love of life and certainly the unconditional love you had for your family can never be surpassed. No matter if what we did was right or wrong we knew that Mom would always be there for us, and help us through any rough patches that we might experience!

Mom, you have been the strength of our family and there is not another mom anywhere who has been loved and respected as much as you have! But we also know the love and respect you always showered on us.

No matter how much you suffered, you always had a smile for all to see so that their lives would be made much richer by being around you. You never complained but rather concerned yourself with how you might help others. Let us be ever mindful of that suffering you experienced and the way you always handled it with dignity and grace and a love and concern for others.

The calling card that you handed out to all of those who crossed your path perhaps says it all because it is truly how you lived your life…


This is the beginning of a new day. God has given me this day to use as I see fit. I can waste it or use it for good and be of service to others. But what I do with this day is important because I have exchanged a day of my life for it. When tomorrow comes, today will be gone forever, leaving something I have traded for it. I want it to be gain, not loss; good, not evil; success, not failure; so that I won’t regret the price I paid for it.
Kate Lancaster

Mom, now that you fly with the angels on high, watching over all of us, tapping us on the shoulder from time to time when we need it, know that we will always honor, cherish, love and respect our memory of you! You are precious in our memory!!

Jacque, Stan and Jane

Her obituary is HERE.

And now on a happy note...I have pre-posted for tomorrow and Wednesday so I hope you will come see what's in store for you...and I will draw the winner of my last SWEET STUFF tomorrow also. Sending big hugs your way!