Love you, Mom!

My mom passed away Monday afternoon. How I will miss her! But just right now it is hard to be terribly sad. The last 6 months have been so miserable for her and I have a firm conviction that death is not the end. I know that she has gone on to a much happier place. It makes me smile to think of the fun reunion she is having with all her family and loved ones. Today we will do the happy dance for you, Mom. Tomorrow we will cry for us.

This is the obituary we are publishing in the Idaho Statesman.
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Patricia Ann (Reay) Bowser, our dear mother and grandmother, died March 30, 2009 in Fircrest, Washington.
Patricia was born March 9, 1930 in Albuquerque, New Mexico to Charles and Clella Mae (Holt) Reay. She was the youngest of 5 children. Shortly after graduating from Albuquerque High, she married Wayne Clifton Ellis. After his death, 3 years later, she moved back home with her young daughter. In 1954 she married William Francis Bowser Jr., a handsome young sailor. They were married for over 50 years and had 4 children. He died May 16, 2005 in Boise, Idaho.
Pat loved to create beautiful things with her hands. She was adept at crafts of all types and generously shared her talent with others- many wedding receptions, church dinners and parties were beautifully decorated by her and her ‘crew’ over the years. She also became an expert tole painter and taught many classes, even developing her own technique with pastel pencils. Crocheting was a life-long love and countless gifts of booties, doilies, afghans etc were produced by her swiftly moving crochet hook. She could see beauty in things others might over look- weeds, battered old trees, an ordinary pebble- ‘ugly’ things became beautiful when we saw them thru her eyes. She was a voracious reader and often stated “you can do anything if you can read!” In her youth, dancing was her favorite pastime. During WWII she was a member of the ‘Sky Girls Club’, a group of young women who were bused in to the USO club on base to dance with the soldiers every weekend. (no dating allowed!)
A convert to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, she was a firm believer in its teachings. She found great strength in prayer and always turned to her Heavenly Father in times of need.
She is survived by 5 children; Marnelle Mae Peck (Bill), Robert William Bowser, Mona Rae, Jeanette Lynn Morris (Frank) & Elizabeth Diane Bowser, (dear friend, Terry); 11 grandchildren and 19 great grandchildren.