Mothers share loving memories of their children

When Mother's Day comes around each year, moms from all across the country are honored for the love and sacrifices they have made for their children throughout the years.

This year, the Nevada Appeal visited the Carson City Senior Citizens Center to meet up with a few moms who were willing to share some tender memories of raising their children.

•••

Margie Smith, 64, has lived in Carson City for the past 26 years. She was married to a military man, but raised her three children mainly in California's Napa Valley.

Her oldest son Michael, 45, and youngest son Joey, 38, both live in Southern California, while her daughter Carolyn, 41, lives in Reno.

"I miss having my children running in and out of the house," Smith said. "That really filled my life, and I miss it now because I'm alone."

Since her kids were into sports, she said while she enjoyed taking them to their baseball games and track, she also misses the fun times they had together when she took them to the movies or out for pizza.

"I was the worst of the bunch, because I could out-eat them all when it came to pizza," she said, laughing.

Smith also remembers that her boys used to tease their sister, even though she could do anything they could.

"She used to tackle them, and they used to tease her, but they did it in a loving manner. They were very good to each other. I don't like that sibling rivalry stuff," she said. "I raised them with love."

She said her daughter is taking her out to dinner today in honor of Mother's Day.

•••

Barbara Wallace, 63, is up from Florida this week visiting her middle child, Ryan, 27. Her other two children, Craig, 29, and Amber, 25, both still live in Florida.

"I was a single parent but we lived right down the road from my parents on five acres," she said.

Wallace smiled as she recalled special dinners they attended as a family, and all the special holidays.

"I used to dress them up. I remember taking pictures of all of them under some cypress trees with Spanish moss hanging down," Wallace said. "I had my daughter in a pretty pink dress with white tights, and the boys had on cute little shorts and shirts."

With five acres, the children learned animal husbandry at an early age through 4-H programs.

"Everyone in that area has either cattle or oranges," Wallace said.

"My daughter had her own small herd of cattle. Also, we started with just three chickens, and ended up with over 75. We had everything there, like rabbits and pigs, too," she said.

While she's been in Nevada, Wallace's son has treated her to drives throughout the area, including Lake Tahoe. She said she has been very interested in seeing all the different trees and animals out West, and so far, has enjoyed everything except the cliff on Echo Summit, which frightened her.

•••

Shirley Keller, 75, raised two sons, Mike, 52, who lives in Simi Valley, Calif., and Scott, 46, who lives in Reno. She also has five grandchildren.

She said her life as a mother was extremely busy because both her boys were involved in sports like baseball and basketball.

"Oh my, yes," Keller said. "We never missed a game. We were also very involved in our church. We were youth sponsors."

She said her boys never got into any real trouble.

"We were very lucky. They always made me proud. I was very fortunate God allowed me to have those two boys, and every Mother's Day is special to me because I got to be a mom," Keller said.

Keller also credits her own mother.

"I had a wonderful mother - she was a good teacher. Everybody was poor in those days, but we had a lot of love and a good home," she said.

Keller said she also is blessed with two wonderful daughters-in-law, and enjoys sharing her life with them.

"The greatest gift ever given was the gift of love, so you've got to share some of it," she said.