Our Mother

She was a special person who gave all she had of herself for others.

When I was younger she used to teach 4-H. She taught me and some of my friends how to sew and cook. A favorite memory I have is the year we entered our projects in the local 4-H fair. I made a skirt and that received a 3rd place ribbon. In the cooking category I made a chocolate cake. This received a first place ribbon. This cake was the same cake we always requested for our birthday cakes. She really loved to cook and do crafts and got a lot of pleasure out of sharing her ideas and projects with others. You could often find her sitting in her kitchen at the table watching her favorite programs and do some craft or another.

As a child she did not have it easy. She was the third of seven children born to her parents. She was raised in the projects in Washington D.C. Her mother would have been considered a single mother as her husband disappeared when my mother was 7. Her mother had to work to support her family so my mother was often left to watch her younger siblings. If you ask them they each have stories of how good and bad my Mom could be. I suppose that is what made her. She was always a lot good and a little bad. She definitely was not afraid of much and loved to try new things, something that she passed on to her children.

My mother raised 6 biological and 4 adopted children as well as numerous foster children who landed at our house. I have many happy memories from my childhood. Life wasn't perfect, but it was good. There were more than enough good memories that you hardly remember the bad. I am and will always be, thankful that my mother raised me as she did. She taught all of her children to respect others and to believe in themselves. Because of our parents, we have a strong family bond and are there for each other through thick and thin, good and bad. We try our best to make them proud.

I still find it hard to write about my mother dying. My mother had a seizure on August 25, 2006 that was later diagnosed as a brain tumor. She had surgery to remove the tumor the following week. This was done reluctantly as this was not the only place that likely had cancer. We received the test results from the PET scan on September 8th. The seizure my mother had left her a little off balance so to speak. So it was with great difficulty, that we her children had to give her the news that she had cancer that was not curable. For the first time in my life - I saw that my Mom was afraid. She clearly understood what it meant. We asked her if there was anything special that she wanted to do and she said fly around the world. God knows if I could have given her that I would have, but of course I couldn't. So instead she said she wanted a family reunion. She wanted to see her family again before she died. So that is what happened. All but one of her siblings came to see her in Georgetown when she got home. Though the Doctors gave her 3-6 months, she died 37 days after the initial seizure. A little too quick for a women who was loved so much.

What you should know

NAME:
Cecilia Marie Baardse

NICKNAME:
Ceil, the Big Lady, Warden

BORN:
November 10, 1936 in Washington, D.C.

DIED:
September 30, 2006 in Georgetown, MA

MARRIED:
Richard Bruce Wilkins
February 2, 1958
Byfield Parish Church - Georgetown, MA

PARENTS:
Diederik Johannes Hindrik Baardse
Aurelia Maria Stanger

SIBLINGS:
John L. Schuller
Richard Alton Baardse m. Joan Cecilia Rowland
Mary Ann Baardse m. Wayne Cash
Linda Marie Baardse m. Robert McAndrew
Carol Marie Treadway m. Ronald Vatsend
Jeannette Rose Treadway m. Oscar Fuller

CHILDREN:
Richard Arthur
Michelle Maria
Michael John
Steven Bruce
Cecilia Ann
Patricia Lynn
Dawn Marie
Jason Butch
Shawn James
David Pocarro

LIKES:
People, blue skys, thunder storms, walks in warm rain, flowers, green grass, sunshine, surpises, poetry, good food, but most of all - GOD & Family.

OBITUARY:
Text from Eagle Tribune Newspaper

ANCESTORS