Mom was such a big presence in so many people's life. She was so loved by so many for her welcoming and joyful spirit.  Brian and I are so proud of this.  
She adored her grandkids, and spent hours shopping for crafts and games for them, and then working on them for more hours.  She loved animals, and we always had a stray cat adopting us and moving in, as well as our special dogs: Tiger, Chloe, Lilli, and Mary Pat, and at the end, Rosie. 
She loved nature, from her flower obsession to insects, iceburgs, penguins and spiders.  She was always dreaming of going off to the Sahara desert of the Galapagos Islands.  And she LOVED Hawaii, and made several visits with her friends Ann and Pat.  She also loved southern California, and I just loved that she could drive around it all day with no GPS!  She also loved decorating, interior design, beautiful homes and gardens. 
She also loved art, and we are so glad we have many of her beautiful paintings to remember her by. I will add photos of her paintings to the gallery.
Thank you for helping us in our mourning by sharing your favorite memories, funny stories, words of wisdom, and hearts. It's truly a great comfort and a beautiful moment. 

“And anyway, it’s not as though I’ll never see Mum again, is it?”
― J.K. Rowling