Mary was a remarkable women. I met her when I was only 21 and an intern sitting next to her in a cubicle at Commercial Environments. She didn’t much like me. And before you say…oh no Aimee I’m sure she did, you probably didn’t know Mary. You ALWAYS knew where you stood with her. She told it like it was. She didn’t do or say things she didn’t want to do or say. I learned to love her for that.
Mary started liking me when she knew I was serious about the job. I stayed late, I worked hard and she liked that. I loved it when she told me I’d done something well. I admired her so much. A single mom. She was so tough.
She took me on my first sales calls and taught me how to talk to customers. She taught me everything about that job. She helped me figure out how to make money when I was straight commissioned sales. She taught me how to talk to reps and customer service folks. She taught me how to fit a bunch of demo chairs in my crappy Mazda 323 hatchback Tetris style.
Mary was there for every important moment in my life. She and Adrianne were there when I moved into my first apartment in uptown where she taught me the right way to paint a wall, who knew there was a right way. Of course Mary did. She helped me set up my tiny, and I mean tiny little kitchen in that apartment with just the right gadgets. I can still see her standing in that kitchen with both arms outstretched touching opposite walls. “crap you weren’t kidding this is a small kitchen”.
She was there when I moved into my next apartment, this time with a boy. She was not happy about us moving in together and she let me know that. But she and Adrianne were there, helping me move and swimming in the pool. She was there when I moved into my first house where she taught me the right way to split and plant hostas we dug together out of her beautiful yard in Golden Valley. She hated that my new house was blue so she was very happy to climb the big ladder and helped me paint the outside of the house. She was there for my surprise 30th birthday party, she played the piano at my wedding, she met my babies within days of their birth, she encouraged me to start the yarn store and go for it.
I am so lucky to have visited her beloved family farm and met her tight knit family. I am so happy she found Tim and that I got to share in her big moments too.
Adrianne, I am so sorry that you lost your mom. My heart is breaking for you. She was so proud of the women you have become. We can’t take the place of Mary in your life. Let’s face it…she was one of a kind. But we will be there for you. Say the word.
Godspeed Mary.
