This time of year it is inevitable that my thoughts begin to center on memories of my Mother, Ethel Mae Carrothers Phillips Hanson. Her untimely death in 1980 was a blow to this then 26 yr old. (Her death just 3 days prior to my 27th birthday) Colon cancer took her life; by the time it was discovered it had spread throughout her body and in 1980 they had not made the wonderful strides they have now to help combat this type of cancer. My Mom, a woman who loved to laugh, lived life head-on, and full speed! Time has erased many of the difficult years we endured together. What remains…..a smile as I think of her laughter, her practical jokes, her love of her children, and her incredible dignity in which she faced death.
Mom was born in Pennsylvania, January 12, 1927, to Clara Ethel McCrosky Carrothers & John Carrothers. Little is known of her childhood. What we have pieced together is this: Her parents divorced early on, it was said that John was an abusive man. Clara remarried “High” Norton who raised little Ethel as his own. High later married Luella ? and together they raised Ethel & Luella’s son, Dennis. Luella did not want to raise someone else’s child, and to be fair to Luella, little Ethel could have been a handful considering trauma her young life had already held. Ethel, a young girl wanting to be loved & a step mom that did not know how to love.
One fact that I mourn, was the fact that Mom was not raised by her family. I don’t know why, but I have always felt that life could have been different and perhaps not quite so hard if she had people around her that would love her through the hard times. Something I cannot know for sure.
One trait that was passed down to Mom, from who I do not know, was a love of helping people. Our dinner table was rarely without a guest, Mom often would be giving haircuts to neighbors who did not want to visit the barber or salon, and it was not unusual for Mom to be doing some neighbor’s laundry either.
Mom & Me
In October of 1980 Mom went to be with the Lord. My brother’s pastor leading Mom to the Lord just 2 weeks before she passed away. Her presence gone from earth, but her love of life, quick smile & generosity lives on in the lives of her children & grands & now in her great grandchildren. We miss you Mom, ….tears will fall as we remember, but being sure of this…in His presence is fullness of joy. It is in God’s presence I picture you, the love quotient finally filled to overflowing in you! I love you Mom!
