THEY ARE A VITAL PART OF AN EFFECTIVE MILITARY

A tribute to the epitome of an Army wife on her birthday

By Ed Martin

A flowery card from Hallmark just can’t say everything that I want it to say. A box of candy would probably just sit around until it got stale or a grand or great-grand kid ate it. Flowers would need upkeep that you would have to take care of. So, on this eighty-fifth Birthday Day, I would to share some things with you and about you.

Folks don’t realize that I might have been in the Class of ’68 at Butler if the North Koreans hadn’t gotten rowdy. You had to postpone your wedding just days before while Dad went to Korea to take care of business. I don’t remember going to Germany when I was a newborn. I can only imagine the apprehension that you faced, leaving your family and traveling across the world, a young wife and new mother with an infant in your arms. 

With a Sargent’s pay we never had an awful lot, but we always were clean, dressed neatly and never went to bed hungry (unless of course I had been bad, which almost never happened). Yet, there was often enough for a sno-cone from the ice cream man. 

You and Dad did without a lot of things for us, but never complained. I also never remember any discussions about financial issues. The girls and I were blissfully ignorant about such things. I do remember getting dressed for church with Tennessee Ernie Ford singing How Great Thou Art on the Hi-Fi. You polishing the girls patent leather shoes with a cold biscuit. Going down to Fleming Field on warm summer evenings to watch me play baseball with a fold up playpen for Debbie. I recall how Dad would call from Post and say, “Let’s go to Nashville.” By the time that he got home, you would have 3 lively kids packed and ready for what was then an eight-hour trip on two-lane roads and over the mountains at Chattanooga, getting to Nana and Paw’s early in the morning. I [remember] how special Christmases were for us. I hope that my children’s memories will be as vivid to them. 

While in Germany, the family outings, taking road trips in the red and white Rambler station wagon, just packing a lunch and taking off.

Anywhere that we stayed was quickly a home. The many times that Dad was overseas or away on maneuvers, you ran the home and never missed a beat. Taking care of kids, groceries, paying bills and generally being the Heart of our family just seemed to come naturally to you. We never felt any of your stress or uncertainty. You were, and still are, our Rock. 

So, on this Birthday Day, thank you for all that you have been to me and my sisters: friend, protector, example of what a Mother and wife should be, and for what I needed to look for in a wife. You are the best. I love you Mom.