Pay Tribute to Loved Ones & Friends

[Created by:Emeralddragonfly On 27 Jun 2010, 21:36]

Betty Mayes, 80, passed away at her home June 23, 2010. Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, June 26, 2010 at Hamilton’s Funeral Home, 605 Lyon Street, with burial at Sunset Memorial Gardens Cemetery. Visitation will be held from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday at the funeral home.

Betty was born July 8, 1929. She had been the manager of H.L. Green Restaurant, a cook at Des Moines Tech School and most recently, she worked in housekeeping at Valley West Inn. Betty loved spending time with her family, helping tie fleece blankets, making Christmas candy and canning fruits and vegetables from her garden. She also enjoyed word search and crossword puzzles.

Betty is survived by her sons, William C. (Cindy) Kline, Sr. of Kansas City, KS, Fredrick (Kris) Mayes, Sr. of Des Moines and Lawrence Mayes, Jr. of Osceola, IA; daughters, Cheryl (Larry) Blood of Mitchellville, IA, Emily (Ron) Gerke of Des Moines and Laura (Rocky) Burill of Winterset, IA; 22 grandchildren, 21 great-grandchildren, two great-great grandchildren; a great granddaughter to arrive in October and a great-great-grandson to arrive in August. She was preceded in death by her parents, William and Rose Mae (Terry) Waggoner; husband, Lawrence M. Mayes, Sr.; daughter, Susan K. Brumbaugh in February 2010; grandson, Daniel Gerke; great-grandson, Jerry Blood; six brothers and two sisters.


http://www.hamiltonsfuneralhome.com/ser ... x?rid=7681



Grandma (Betty Lou) Mayes
For anyone who has ever read who my hero is on my myspace page, you will know that Grandma Mayes is one of my heroes. “ My Grandma Mayes. She is stubborn, strong, independent, kind, loving & caring. I can honestly say that she was a driving force in shaping me.”
Grandma taught me how to snap green beans, pop peas out of pods, dig up potatoes, pick carrots and green onions, and how to shuck corn.
She liked to garden when she could and to can her vegetables.
I learned to cook in her kitchen, by watching and helping her.
Around the Holidays there was a huge production of any kind of homemade candy, cookie, bread and pie you can think of.

Grandma taught me the true meaning of spring cleaning. Wiping walls, base boards, window sills, and heat vents; washing all the curtains, cleaning out the closets, vacuuming and dusting and cleaning everything.

The biggest and most important thing Grandma taught me is the importance of family. To her, her family meant the world. Through this she displayed the truest example of unconditional love I have ever witnessed.

Grandma had a hand in raising more than a few of her grandchildren, and some of her great grandchildren. Her home & heart and everything she had to offer were available to her family, always.

She really was a Grand Mother! She was my second mother in a way. She taught and mothered me when Mom, Melissa and I lived with her for 5 or 6 years. And also helped care for me when I was a baby.
Grandma loved taking care of the children. She loved watching us all grow. Just last month at Faith and Jordan’s birthday party, she got rather upset about not being able to see the little ones who were playing on the play ground, just beyond her view.
I will never forget her walking up to me in the fall of 2006 and telling me she was going senile. This is just how matter of fact she was. And in the years that followed, her mind got worse; clearer at times than others. She still kept on smiling and even if she couldn’t recall exactly who we were, she knew we were her family and that she loved us as we loved her.
Within the last few months, they changed Grandma’s medicine and her mind came back to her. She remembered who we were. It was nice. I am glad that we got to visit with her last month at the kid’s party.
As she was leaving, she noticed Faith’s bright pink and green toes. She thought that was really neat. I will remember her smile forever.
I can’t help but wonder what she would think of Makayla’s pink hair.
I have said many times in the past that when the day came and Grandma left this world it would be very similar to losing my own mother; naturally I thought this would happen before losing my Mom.
As you know, just a few months ago, Melissa, Stephanie, Chuckie and I experienced losing our Mother, Susan. And I’ve got to tell you, the reality is still hitting us daily. She died very young and tragically; way too soon and way too quickly. I didn’t even get to say goodbye to her in person. Thankfully, I did over the phone.
Grandma gave us a bit of warning. We were allowed the time to spend with her and kiss her and tell her goodbye. I am grateful for that. I am glad that she held my hand one last time. That I got to kiss her and tell her how much I love her and thank her for the wonderful influence she had in my life.
The love that Grandma shared with Grandpa was the kind of love that last a lifetime. The kind of love we all hope to have or have found. 22 years she lived without him on this Earth, and never did she look at or think of another man. I LOVED watching them together. I have many happy memories. I am blessed to have known both of them. We are all blessed to be a part of their rather large family.
The love and lessons taught and shared will live on through all of us.
On Tuesday, I told Grandma that she had lived a long and full life. And had such a great influence over all of us, and that she will live on in this large family.
I told her that it will be wonderful in Heaven, that she will not only be able to walk again, but walk with no pain, and feel no pain. And that she will be with Grandpa again. I told her that we will all see her again when it is our time, but until then she can watch down over all of us from above.
I prayed to God to peacefully take her Home and to keep her free from pain in the meantime. To comfort those of us left behind. And to help us draw close together in the love that Grandma gave to all of us, and that we have for her.
Before I left Tuesday evening, I went in to kiss her goodbye. I asked her to give Mom and Grandpa a hug and kiss for me, and send them my love. She looked like and Angel, so beautiful and so peaceful.
Grandma left this world the way she chose to live in it, surrounded by the family that she loved so dearly. If ever there were an angel on this earth, I swear to you, it would be Grandma. She had the biggest, kindest heart.

Wednesday evening at sunset, the sky was casting a strange shadow. I went outside and the sky was pink in front of my house. It was so beautiful. I just stood there and took it in. I could feel the love of Grandma, Grandpa, Mom and Mark flowing down to fill me up. It was wonderful. And when I walked back up to the house, just before I went inside, I smelled lilacs. Lilacs, I associate with Grandma, because they grew in the back yard and we used to pick them for her all of the time.


-Written by Jennifer R Taylor & read at her service.