For my Meme

I’m aware of my Meme’s vast knowledge of nursery rhymes and her possession of the recipe for the best Lemon and Orange cakes. I could tell you about the time that Huntsie, the Kotz family dachshund, chased everyone around the kitchen table, including my mother, Joan Kotz, and my Meme. All the things I know about my Meme, Fran Kotz, I know from personal experience or from what her children have told me. As I say this to you I don’t even think I could tell you what her middle name is, or if she has one.

From what I do know, Meme was an incredibly selfless person. My mother always said, in the most endearing way possible, that her mother is the only one who could have ever put up with one, Fred Kotz. I really think it’s because of her selflessness that she was able to be such a wonderful wife, mother, grandmother and friend. She always put others before her, dismissing her own stories, accomplishments and sometimes opinions to listen to your thoughts, ideas and experiences.

Even before Fred, my Poppy, passed away, I began to think about how little a I knew about my grandparents’ life before my Mom, or even her older brother Gene were born. I eventually had the pleasure of hearing Poppy share this amazing story about chucking a tomato after tomato that he’d found sitting in a crate, at an unsuspecting neighbor. Each time Poppy told the story he could barely finish it for all the tears of laughter in his eyes. I know that my Meme had a story somewhere in her life of equal animation and personality but I never had the opportunity to hear it from her.

Because my Meme was such a woman of few words, especially when it came to her own life, it’s so much more important for her to live on through us – through the many beautiful, loving, fantastic moments we shared with her. We have to recall the words we did exchange with her, as they meant so much more since they were at times so minimal.

A year or so ago, I did this thing called the Naked bike ride – use your imaginations. My mom was regaling the story to Meme and when she was finished Meme simply and honestly replied, “Well, I hope she was comfortable.”

Hey Meme, and Poppy for that matter, I’m sure that you both are now much more than comfortable now. I love you, and I’ll see you later.