Eulogy Delivered on Wednesday, July 24, 2019

I speak on behalf of our family; my three sisters Marianne, Barbara, and Elizabeth.

We are gathered here to grieve the passing of our mother, Eunice Mellon Saum, from this world. I submit that we are also here to celebrate her 91 years of living, a good and productive life by any method of accounting.

Mom was born in 1928 and grew up as a child too quickly during the Great Depression. Lessons learned during those formative years were applied throughout her life. She was frugal when it came to financial matters, always aware how one can never take anything for granted and that what you have today could be gone tomorrow. Mom met the love of her life in 1951, James Arthur Saum. They were married in 1953. They proceeded to raise a loving and successful family in four cities, Morton, IL, Oak Park, IL, Moline, IL, and Ballwin, MO. After the children had left, Mom and Dad lived in two more cities, Vienna, VA and Hendersonville, NC after the children had left the nest. Dad passed away in 1998, and it was at this time that Mom really came into her own. Mom seemed to relish the new challenges associated with living alone. She showed remarkable resilience, extraordinary courage, and a persistent determination to live the rest of her life in a positive and productive manner.

Each of the children put together some words:

This is Marianne’s voice. Mom or "mother" if we were having a "moment" continued to show her love even up unto her passing. Her love of traveling with any one of her friends or kids was an opportunity to grow and share with all. We actually spent two different times in the Berkshires with quality time just sitting and sharing of times gone by. Her love of spending time with her kids and grandkids and even as recently, this summer playing old maid with her great granddaughter Mia Hughes resulted in memories that will last my life. I had the privilege of helping her this summer but I knew a long standing project of a comforter throw was on my bucket list had to be completed. I spent multiple hours this summer with her pushing me on to completion. Even after she fell on the 4th of July it was not completed. I took it over on the 10th to the medical center to pull the threads and completed it on the 11th. Every one she talked to she told I had completed my project. It was in the bed with her as well as Grandma Saum’s quilt and Barbara’s quilt. When she deteriorated on Wednesday and Thursday I was so glad it was with her. Late Thursday nights visit to her, Liz and I found her with my quilt folded up and clutched to her heart. Mom, I love you too.

This is Barbara’s voice. I shared with my mother a love of creating art. She enrolled me in Saturday morning art classes at our community college when I was 5 or 6, she set up and taught a summer art class for the children in our neighborhood, taking us to draw in the park, getting clay for us to model figures. Throughout my memories lies a thread of her painting, sewing, quilting, and crocheting. When Michael bought his house and had some large walls that were bare, she and I made some large paintings on panels for him, and her joyful spirit while making those remains with me. Being a grandmother and then great grandmother brought much happiness and richness, stories and memories that will keep her alive in our hearts.

This is Michael’s voice. For me personally, I have two anecdotes that I would like to mention. The first is that if Mom ever saw me wearing a ball cap indoors, she would quickly give me "the eye" and with maybe a stern word or two like "Michael!", the cap would come off. Needless to say, I take my cap off indoors by habit now. The second is that I was so proud of her continued efforts over the years to learn and utilize the computer. I would brag to people how my mother in her mid to late 80’s could read and send e-mails, balance her checkbook on Quicken, and pay bills using electronic banking. The smart phones were a step too far for her though. Mom will be with me always.

This is Liz’s voice. As the youngest child, my memories of Mom will differ from the others. While we share some of the early memories as a family, there were some memories that only Mom and I shared. We loved to travel together. We went all over Italy, touring Rome, Venice, Florence, Amalfi Coast, and many other places. We ate amazing Italian dishes and drank a lot of great tasting wine, and of course the shopping was phenomenal! We saw beautiful art and natural scenic areas. We shared the time together, had many great laughs and explored all sorts of discussion topics. It was amazing adventure that we shared. We traveled again, with Marianne and Barbara, to other destinations on an annual trip, going to Northern Virginia, Nashville, Hilton Head, and Phoenix to name a few. Great adventures that we had, with lots of stories. In the past few years, caring for her, being there for her, it further deepened our relationship as friends. She was so kind and generous to everyone, she will be missed by all of us.

Tears of sadness flow way too easily, but that is fine because they are also tears of relief that she is no longer suffering the effects of the disease that has ravaged her body and mind during these past two years.

What a strong and courageous woman she was!

She lives on in all of us. Thank you Mom!