Born on 11/27/1922, Marie Louise Van Horn Knab. That made her Holland- Dutch, Austrian & French. with fiery auburn hair & a personality to match. She had 10 siblings & only Uncle Ed remains. Together I understand they gave my aunt a run for her pretentious money.
She had great beauty, style & grace. Dad fell head over heals, took her to France & married her. It was after the war & she had to learn french quickly & deal with the mother-in-law from hell. After 2 years they returned to the U.S. My brother Jean Paul was born in France. I arrived as well as my sister Marcelle in the U. S. Mom as always so gorgeous; like one of those old time movie stars. As a kid, I loved to watch her get “dolled up” for an outting with Dad. She’d bend over & brush those thick locks so much so that she seemed to disappear from sight. She’d put on her lipstick & Chanel #5 & at the club Dad was the proudest guy there with her in his arms.
My spouse Dan & I have 5 kids & 17 grandkids which all started with her. They remember her as their grumpy but very funny Mom-Mom. She could have been a stand up comedian & did not even try. Our son Jeff can imitate her jokes & have us all in stitches. She did not think she was smart; she was wrong. She could remember every card played &was busy calculating the numbers in her head when playing pinocle. Her memory was unsurpassed.
As a retired R.N. I am grateful to the staff who lovingly cared for Mom. I used to try to let them know how caring Mom always was to her own elderly Mom& her cousin Becky. She doesn’t mean to be grouchy.
She was vehemently Catholic & every time a grandchild arrived; the question was, “When is the Christening”? When some went to other churches she just believed I could tell them what to do; just like Dad would.
On her many visits to my home in NM & GA; we had lots of time for mother daughter reflection. we’d look through old photos & smile. When she looked at her wedding photos & the one Where Dad wrote ma Petite Marie; she reared up. She kissed his picture & told me he was always the one. Mom is now with eternal Love & it is my selfish self that wants her back. She fought the good fight. Now it’s our turn to use her example.
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