Hello everyone, Cyndi here.
I preordered a book last year, The Women by Kristin Hannah, and read it when it came out in February this year. This was not the first of her books I’d read but I learned so much more this time. This particular book was about a woman who was a nurse in Vietnam and the struggles she had there and at home afterward.
This brings me to the sad news that on March 21st, George’s mom (Loujean) passed away under the care of hospice, she was 85 years old. I have learned so much about her since then, through talks with extended family and through making a video of her memorial. I truly wish I had known all these things before she passed so that I could have talked with her about everything.
After a year at university, Jean got a nursing certificate and joined the Navy. She met and fell in love with George’s dad and then she served in the Air National Guard when he reenlisted and went to Vietnam. She made a career as a mechanical engineer making parts for military weapons in a factory here in the States, all while raising three boys and taking care of George’s dad who suffered from many ailments from Agent Orange and PTSD until he passed in 1994.
There were many similarities between her and the moving character in the book I’d read and this gave me all the feelings, if you know what I mean. I never knew she worked as a caregiver or that she was the main provider for her whole family since military benefits for PTSD and Agent Orange were so unknown back then.
In all my conversations with Mom Jean, I always let her lead the conversations. She talked of when the kids were young, and her times performing at her local theater (she sang and played the violin and worked as a seamstress on many costumes). She talked about her gardening days and family, all the things that made her happy. Did I mention she was also an avid video game player of Myst and used a program on her laptop to design many 3D buildings and landscapes? The woman was brilliant and she never spoke of those hardships.
Some of our last conversations were about her giving George gardening tips; I thought it perfect to share some apple blossom photos George took of our little orchard. We all miss her very much.
Thanks for visiting.
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