Becky Morse, a Tribute

Guest Writer:  Ruth Morse

Editor's Note:  Our Helpful Hints columnist, the Cheap Senior Citizen, takes a moment to share what's on her mind this month.  I hope you have enjoyed this year's Helpful Hints as much as I have.  I'm looking forward to some more great money saving tips in 2012.  Ruth's writings are always posted on the 15th and 30th of each month.

(Pictured: The Crocker Sisters, Becky on far right)

I have been thinking about Jim’s mom a lot this month. She died in 2008 at the age of 92. Although she was not the last Crocker sister to die, Becky lived the longest. That kind of tickled her, because, as a child, she had some heart issues and the doctors back then told her parents they “would never raise her.” She showed them!

(Last picture taken)

Mom never had an education. She never had a degree. She never had a career. But she had a calling. She was a true and faithful servant of her Most High God.

She was an unselfish friend to one and all. She spent her life helping others.

She was fearless around the dying. Mom was not an outgoing person. But, of all the people in any hospital room, she was the one who stepped right up to the bed, held a hand, quoted the 23^rd Psalm and other scriptures. Sometimes she even quietly sang. What a gift.

For many, many decades, she was a gifted children’s teacher, not that she ever acknowledged that. But the kids all loved her and that says a lot about how she treated them. She taught Biblical truths in ways simple enough for a child to understand. She used to apologize when she prayed out loud in front of adults, explaining that

she had prayed with children for so many years, her prayers always sounded childlike.

I think they sounded precious to her Lord.

A couple of years before she died, I took her out to run some errands. We stopped at KFC for lunch. The guy behind the counter recognized her, called her by name, and recalled her teaching him in Children’s Church decades earlier.

She was an encourager. At her funeral, one of her pastors challenged the congregation: Who will take Becky’s place? Who will be that encourager? Mom understood the faults of others but she chose to focus on ways to encourage not criticize.

She was a prayer. Right up to the hours before she died, she was concerned about others and challenging us to keep praying for “the kids.” That would be her kids, her grandkids, her great-grandkids and great-great-grandkids.

What a heritage! What an example!

Mom was modest. She and dad were married 63 years and she never once undressed in front of him. NEVER! On the flip side, she had this delicious sense of humor. One year, when the usual group of family and friends went to Wildwood for a week at the beach, she schemed to borrow a bikini from [well, that person will remain nameless!]. As usual, she changed her clothes in private. Then paraded out to the exploding reaction from one and all!

Mom could play a mean game of Rack-O! She almost never lost, except when she did it on purpose so a youngster could win. The rest of us were toast. I wondered if she cheated. How could you cheat at Rack-O? If I knew how, I would have been able to beat her once in a while.

I miss you, Mom!

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...and one more thing......
uh, I'll get back to you when I remember it.
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The Cheap Senior Citizen is a Guest Writer who occasionally shares helpful hints she has learned through her experience.
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