Wednesday, October 20, 2021

Sibyl ...

   She was born 28 Sept 1941 in Detroit, Michigan area, the third daughter of Edward & Ruth.

   After she graduated high school, she married Rodger and began the life of a military officer's wife, moving about every two to four years.

    Her first daughter, (me!), was born in May 1962 when she was 21 years old, followed a year and a half later by her only son, Ken, in December 1963.

   She loved the years they spent in Germany, from 1969 to 1972.  In those years, she traveled to other countries with the Officer's Wives Club, and as a family to places like Nice, France where she was able to meet a high school pen pal, Genevieve, and her family.  Salzburg, Austria.  Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

   Sibyl loved painting, taking watercolor, pastels, and charcoal classes.  Every year she would paint the front window of their apartment in Germany for Halloween and Christmas.  She also loved to sew, and would often sew clothes for me, and matching dresses for the two of us.  She loved volksmarches and the opportunities they offered to see more towns and countrysides in Germany, and German wine and food.

  In 1977, she and Rodger divorced in Florida, and later that year, she married Eric, becoming a stepmother to Heather, and in January 1980, mother to a second daughter, Kat.

  She, Eric, and Kat moved to Scotland in 1984 where she began another love of hers ... cooking and entertaining.  Sibyl ran the Old Bridge Inn pub, and later a fish farm shop at a privately owned estate in Aviemore with fresh and smoked fish for sale and an assortment of gifts.  After they moved to Poolewe, she ran the Corriness Pub & Restaurant for several years where she made some of her "American" favorite meals to serve the unsuspecting Scots.

  Sibyl and Kat returned to the United States in 1994 following her divorce from Eric.  Eventually, they settled in Mocksville, North Carolina where she remained until her death on 16 October 2021.

   She became active with a church and loved sending thoughtful greeting cards to her family, friends, and church members.  She had a kind heart with a smile that would brighten any dark day, a hearty laugh, a good sense of humor, and was loved by everyone.  She never met a stranger who didn't quickly become a friend.  More than once when she lived in Scotland, she would entrust a traveling tourist with gifts to mail to me once they returned to the states.

   Waiting to greet her upon her arrival in Heaven were her parents, an older sister Sue, younger brother Brian, and many people she loved in her life.

   She is survived by her companion kitty Pepper; her sister, Nancy; me and my furkids; Ken, his wife Jo, and granddaughters Tammy (mother is Sandra) and Abi (mother is Jo); Kat, her hubs Luke, grandsons Ethan and Jordon; Heather, her hubs Robert, granddaughter Isabella; grandson Dan (mother is Joanne), a great-granddaughter Aura; and too many nieces and nephews to list.  

   Mom will be missed greatly by everyone who knew her, and by those who hadn't yet been blessed by her presence.  A small memorial will be planned for her birthday in 2022 to scatter her ashes.  If you wish to honor her memory before then, please donate to a local cat rescue organization.

10 comments:

  1. This is a beautiful tribute. Thank you.

    ReplyDelete
  2. This is a beautiful eulogy over a life well lived. You made me feel sorry I never knew her.

    ReplyDelete
  3. What a lovely lady she was. Sweetie's mother was also named Sybil.

    We'll make a special donation to the shelter in her memory.

    ReplyDelete
  4. What a fantastic life! To be so adventurous and brave. What a wonderful remembrance you have shared, Cindi. We are so sorry for you loss and continue to keep you and your family in our t thoughts and prayers!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you so much, Amy. Hugs back to you, Andy & the boys.

      Delete
  5. A very nice tribute to your mom Cindi. I learned a lot of things I didn’t know.🙂

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you. She was a perfectly imperfect person who loved deeply, and lived her life her way. She is missed. Deeply.

      Delete

All comments are moderated ... so be nice or be gone.