Last Tuesday, my mother, Minnie Rom Osher passed away. It’s impossible to write a blog entry that can capture her life properly or truly honor her legacy of 82 years lived here on earth. A more comprehensive tribute would be that of a biography written by someone who could capture most of her fascinating life story. Her story began when she was born in Johannesburg in 1940. The middle daughter of a Jewish father who escaped the pogroms in Europe and an Afrikaans mother who took 12 years to convert to Orthodox Judaism. My mom’s story would cover her childhood spent under African skies on farms in Zululand and cities in the Transvaal. Her teen years were spent finding her rebellious voice as she sang the lead solo for Schubert’s “Ave Maria”, much to her father’s chagrin (he was the cantor for the local synagogue). A short stint as a medical technologist, political activist, and then at the age of 19, a wife to my father, and then a young mother to me and my two remarkable sisters. Her tumultuous relationship with our father and circumstances caused her to find the strength and resilience to single-handedly raise three children and stave off the Jewish orphanage by tirelessly working days, nights and weekends. Her life was full of sacrifice to ensure that ours was filled with everything we could ever need. Most of all, her unconditional love and support.
My mother was known to tell stories – because she had so many stories to tell. She was a true artist. A florist, a set designer, a television producer, a costume maker. She Immigrated to the US in the second half of her life and continued to reinvent herself. She found new meaning in becoming a grandmother. The best there ever was.
She meant so many things to so many different people. A powerful force.
The past week has been filled with people writing to me and my sisters sharing their stories of how my mother positively impacted their lives. Her influence on all of us was profound and we are fortunate that she instilled her values in us. These have formed the roadmap for the way me, my sisters, and my daughters live our lives.
Her success lives on inside of us in our independence.
Our confidence to pursue our dreams.
Our appreciation for life.
Our values.
Our unconditional love.
Thank you Mom. We love you.
Side Bar:
You can learn a lot about a person by the music that inspires them. This Sunday we celebrate Mother’s Day and I’ll be listening to all the music that reminds me of my mother. Schubert. Queen. Benny Goodman. Chet Baker. Cole Porter. Elton John. Nancy Wilson. Cannonball Adderley.
An evocative and complicated playlist.
Let the music play.
Let’s do this.
-Shaun