Saturday has rolled around once again, and, with this being Mother’s Day weekend, Randy Seaver’s weekly Saturday Night Genealogy Fun challenge is all about our mothers:
1) Sunday is Mother’s Day in the USA, and usually a time for memories and gratitude to our special birth person.
2) For this week’s SNGF, tell us three things about your mother that are special and memorable to you.
My mother was Doris Priscilla Adams, 7 June 1923 – 23 July 2008, the second of three daughters born to Vernon Tarbox Adams and Hazel Ethel Coleman. I am the older of two children, with my brother being the second child. (Since he isn’t too fond of the internet, I will leave it at that.)
- My mother enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1943 and served as a WAVE, stationed in San Diego, which she loved after training in the Oklahoma winter. She was always very proud of her war service and I’m also proud of her service, particularly since way fewer women than men served during World War II.
- My mother set high standards for me, especially in school. I was taught to study diligently and develop independent learning skills, for which I am very grateful.
- My mother was an excellent swimmer and, although I never swam any great distance (which she did before I was born), she took me to swimming lessons at the YWCA and encouraged me to share her love of being in and/or around water, whether it was fresh or salt water. We had many fun times at lakes in Maine and New Hampshire.
Randy mentioned his family history bonus, so I will, too. My mother had no interest in doing any of the research, but she encouraged me to learn about our family history and loved hearing about my finds. She wanted me to link her to English royalty so she could join the Society of Descendants of the Illegitimate Sons and Daughters of the Kings of Britain! She thought that would be a cool group in which to claim membership.
Oklahoma seems like an odd place to train Navy Waves. Glad she got to spend time in San Diego during the war. So funny about the connecting to Royalty. My mom would have loved that, too (even better if it was to famous movie stars).
I have no idea how many women enlisted, but maybe Oklahoma was chosen because it was in the middle of the country? Mom hated her time there, but absolutely loved San Diego. When we lived in SoCal, she’d come out to visit for Christmas and we often went to San Diego. She even pointed out the house where she rented and loved revisiting the Hotel Del!
I have never heard of the Society of Descendants of the Illegitimate Sons and Daughters of the Kings of Britain before! Now I am inspired to find out if I am somehow eligible for membership. I think it would pair nicely with the International Black Sheep Society.
Hi Janice, I think they go well together. 🙂