July 11, 2008
A Touching Moment
Written by Margo Maguire in Jaunty PostMy mom was in the Red Cross during WWII, and was stationed in Europe. She had tours in Italy and England, and did a stint in Germany right at the end of the war. (I have a youtube video for you to listen to while you read the rest. Just turn up the sound and enjoy the vintage recording …)
My mom’s name was Justine McCarthy, and she was a very upbeat young lady. She loved adventure - which was why she joined the Red Cross right after college in the first place. I’m sure she had a patriotic streak, too - and wanted to do something for the troops stationed at the front, although you will never meet a more anti-war, peace-loving person than my mom.
She died nearly three years ago, but it was only last week that my siblings and I were able to face having to bury her ashes beside my dad’s. There’s a small country church in the middle of nowhere that has one of those old cemeteries you drive by and think “oh, how quaint.” It was a cemetery just like this one where my brothers, my sister and I met on the 4th of July. We stood together in the bright, sunny afternoon with mom’s ashes in a box inside a small tote bag, and a small, deep hole dug right behind hers and my dad’s headstone. My sister asked if any of us wanted to say anything, but we all declined. Then, this is what my sister said:
“When Mom was stationed overseas, and she and all her service friends would go into a club, the band would usually ask her for a request. Mom always asked them to play Deep Purple.”
My sister stopped for a moment, and started to play this song on her CD player while my brothers lowered Mom’s ashes into the tiny grave.
My sister continued: “It got to the point that when Mom arrived in any club, the band would just start playing Deep Purple the minute they saw her.”
My brothers started shoveling, and the music went on, a tune from a bygone era, in a cemetery more than 100 years old. This was how we said our final good-bye to Mom.
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Shana Says:
That’s beautiful, Margo. Your mom sounds like a really special person.
EmilyMcKay Says:
Very beautiful. And sad as well. My own parents are getting older and I fee completely unprepared for it. I’m sure you miss her very much.
Clarisse Says:
What a lovely tribute, Margo.
Fedora Says:
Margo, I’m so glad you and your siblings had a chance to really honor your mother this way!
sunny Says:
What a wonderful tribute. I so enjoyed listening to her song. Thank you for sharing such a lovely story.
Suzanne Macpherson Says:
Margo that was so wonderful. I have a deep connection to that time period, the music and the stories. It was very special to read about your mom. Love the music. Thank you for sharing this. Suz