My mom, Jane Revell, was born Mary Jane Ward on February 29th, 1940. So she was only 21 years old when she died. She was that magical leap year baby, first of six girls spreading over approximately 24 years.
In fact, my youngest aunt is only 4 years older than myself. I am the eldest of 5 girls born over a spread of seven years.
Mom was never Mary Jane. She went by Jane. It suited her as she had such a life zest and sparkling laugh.
After high school she went to nursing school where she met the friends who would endure through her entire life. They were known as my “aunties” to my sisters and I.
Mom met my Dad, Bob, during this time and they married in February 1962. I was born in October of that year.
She was a stay-at-home Mom until just after my last sister was born. It was a necessity given the costs of raising a family of seven. Both parents needed to work.
Mom did her best with the overwhelming challenge of juggling children and married life. She had lots of childcare experience being the eldest. Because she had done so, it was her expectation that I would be responsible and help in the caring of my sisters and the household.
My Mom, Jane strived to instill independence, an honest work ethic and the drive to achieve. She wanted more for her daughters. She was a very creative soul. In fact I got my love for sewing from my Mom. She continued to be an avid quilter until near the end of her life.
Our relationship was definitely push-pull as she wanted more for me but also saw herself reflected in me. It took time for me to understand that my mother was just a human being destined to failure and success in all aspects of life. Once my children were older, Mom and I took trips alone together to Europe, San Francisco, and New York. Because of the one-on-one conversations at that time we built a meaningful friendship that continued to grow throughout the rest of our lives.
I got to know Jane the person. I really liked her and felt I understood her choices. When I began to travel with my sisters and Mom on various vacations over the last 20 years, there were many times I felt that she was the only one there who truly understood me. She was a balancing force for me at these times. She let me be me.
I miss the Mom and the friend I grew to know and love so very much. She was such a fine woman who managed to achieve so much with so little. Once I had children of my own, I realized the sacrifices and decisions she made were from necessity. We try our best as parents, but we all make mistakes.
I am extremely thankful I was given the luxury of time to realize this and know my Mom, Jane, the warm, caring, generous Person, Mother, Nana that she was. Jane was a very great friend to anyone who knew her.
