The Goldilocks Kitchen

Wholesome, rustic, country food and recipe blog.

  • Home
  • Blog
  • About
  • Contact
  • Recipe Box
    • Weeknight dinner
    • Slow cooker
    • Dessert
    • Bread
  • Cookbook
You are here: Home / Personal / Mom’s Eulogy

November 19, 2015 By Emily 4 Comments

Mom’s Eulogy

My moms funeral casketMom passed away on October 8th, 2015. I had the task of giving her Eulogy at her funeral. I thought I would share it here on my blog since some have asked for copies. Before mom passed, I had the opportunity to sit down with her and record some of the important events of her life.

My last picture with mom

Pamela Susanne Isaacson was born December 8th 1955 in Kansas City Kansas. She was the youngest of four children with three older brothers. Her family lived in a house that her father built in Bethel city which was later annexed into the greater Kansas City area. It was nestled among rolling hills with lovely views, however they were close enough to the City stockyards they could be smelled in the air on occasion down by the Missouri river. At the time, her father worked for Colgate/Palmolive as a draftsman. As a young child she lived through many tornado warnings. In 1964, 9 year old Pam moved with her family to Pittsburg, Pennsylvania when her father got a new job. They only stayed two years.

Tragically, during their stay in Pittsburg, mom was kidnapped by an unknown assailant but released the following day. She stayed calm during the whole ordeal. The man was never caught; mom seemed to think he was a long haul truck driver. The family decided to move away after that, and during their trip back to Kansas city, Pam saw the man at a gas station and he walked up to her car. She quickly locked all the car doors and remained safe. But she was so scared she didn’t talk for the rest of the day.

Pam’s mother Betty was active in the Relief Society for the LDS church. She made wonderful divinity (chocolate covered Easter eggs) and once sold them to help with the church building fund. Pam’s father Melvin was a World War 2 veteran. He was strict and hard on his children at times, but he bought mom a horse when she was 14 years old. Mom loved horses, and her new palomino “Sunny” was stabled at a lovely pasture that overlooked the Missouri river. Mom kept the horse until it was sold for college money. Mom always missed him and dreamed of owning another horse someday.

As a child, mom broke her wrist from a bad fall. She was playing pretend on a mattress that was placed on top of clothes lines out in her yard. One of the wires broke and she fell, causing mom’s arm to compound fracture. (That’s a really bad break.) She said she ran into the house, shaking her broken wrist, and shouted to her mother, “Look at that; look at that!!!”

In August of 1964 Pam’s brother Preston left to serve a mission for the LDS church in Reno Nevada. This would be a life changing event for her whole family, but not in the way they expected. About a month later, a phone call home informed the Isaacson family that Preston and his companion had been in a terrible car accident. They were driving down the road when a drunk driver plowed into their vehicle. Preston’s neck was broken in three places and the family was told he would be paralyzed from the neck down for the rest of his life. My Mom remembers the look on her dad’s face when he heard the news. Her father told her mother and they both sat down on the couch and cried. Mom said she had to leave the room. Preston required many months and even years of recovery time. He spent the rest of his life in a wheelchair; but he did regain some use in his arms and hands, and was able to drive a modified car, get married, and lived a long and blessed life. I can only imagine that these experiences along with many others helped guide my mom later in life into a career of Nursing.

In 1969 mom began junior high school and a bit of a rebellious streak. She had a “best friend” whom she just thought the world of and shared her heart with. However, this friend was dishonest and liked to shoplift, encouraging mom to participate also. Well, eventually this girl was caught stealing but blamed the theft on mom; they had a confrontation with their mothers later and Pam found out this young lady had not in fact been her friend at all, but just used her as a scape goat and had been spreading untruthful gossip around school about mom. She felt so betrayed, and was extremely cautious ever after in extending her friendship to other ladies.

In 1973 she graduated from high school and immediately traveled to Provo, UT to attend BYU as a major in vocal performance. She always loved singing, had a lovely voice, and enjoyed playing the piano too. Her parents moved from Kansas to St. Paul Minnesota shortly after. One thanksgiving, she wanted to surprise her parents by coming home for the holiday. She travelled through three snow storms, an ice storm, and got stuck overnight in Rawlins, WY and had to stay with an LDS family to weather the storms. When she finally made it home, her parents were nowhere to be found! It turns out they had travelled out of town to spend thanksgiving with her oldest brother Art and his family. She had to have thanksgiving alone. And her parents weren’t too happy with her either.

While in college she struggled with bouts of homesickness, but tried to enjoy herself by learning how to canoe, ski, both cross country and downhill, and ice skate.  She also traveled a lot when she had breaks from school. She was very pretty and enjoyed the dating scene, even being proposed to twice! And accepting twice! But neither of those men worked out. Well, as many often do in college, when you run out of money you go home to work and save up more so you can go back. In 1977 mom moved back to Minnesota to do just that and got a job working as a secretary for the LDS institute of religion at the University of Minnesota campus. This is where she met my dad. They had heard of each other prior, as my dad was working there as the janitor. Mom said, “You don’t want to go out with me because I’m too tall.” And dad said, “You don’t want to go out with me because I’m too short!” Mom said, “Do you want to go see Close Encounters of the Third Kind?” Dad said “sure”. They married a year later in 1978 on July 15th in the Manti Utah Temple.

The next few years were hectic for my parents, moving several times to different states looking for better jobs and trying to continue their education. I was born in Seattle, WA and two years later we witnessed the eruption of Mt. Saint Helens. Then they moved to Missouri, Minnesota, back to Washington State and then settled in central Utah. Mom and dad both attended Utah tech where mom majored in nursing. Both graduated in 1986. Mom started her career as a nurse working hospice and private duty home health care.

In 1987 Mom had a surprise pregnancy and my little brother Joseph Eric came into the world in November. My parents, finally having graduated and obtained decent work, wanted to settle down and find a nice house for their little family. No more moving around. They bought their first house in Payson Utah and just as they finished remodeling it, my Dad was laid off. They were pretty scared at first, but then the opportunity came for my dad to transfer down to Albuquerque New Mexico to continue to work for the same company (Signetics at the time). I remember mom flew down alone to Albuquerque to look for a new home for us. With help from the then Relief Society President of the Star Heights ward, picked a home at the western end of Northern Blvd. in the high desert. Boy did the rest of us have a surprise when we drove down and saw where our new home was! We didn’t stay there for long, but lived in a total of seven homes while in the Albuquerque area, including in the Academy Heights ward, Bernalillo Ward, and High Range ward boundaries. Always looking for the slightly better house in a slightly better neighborhood. Mom was always able to find work as a nurse, but for a time had to work nights, while I watched Joey during the day when we weren’t in school. In 1994 Mom had jaw surgery to fix her jaw that was slightly crooked from healing incorrectly. She had fallen in college while playing a silly game. A few nerves were severed that shouldn’t have been and the surgery left the side of her chin and lower lip permanently numb.

My parents moved in 1998 to a lovely home they had built just for them on Acapulco Ct. just off Northern and Highway 528 in Rio Rancho. May 5, 1999 mom was driving down the road not two blocks from home when someone ran a stop sign and t-boned her car. She sustained spinal cord injuries that left her with severe chronic pain for the rest of her life. She always walked with a cane after that. Despite her disability, she offered to take in her mother-in-law, Virginia Larsen, and care for her in her last days of life. My Grandma Larsen lived with my mom and dad for about a year before she passed, mom taking very good care of her.

In 2003 mom ended up taking in a pet rabbit someone was trying to get rid of. She always had such a love for animals, and soon found she was collecting additional rabbits that had been abandoned or no longer wanted by their owners. Mom became the “crazy rabbit rescue lady” (those are her words), and it opened up a whole new world for her; meeting other animal rescue people from all across the country. It was challenging at times but she continued to have great compassion for these animals and continued her nonprofit organization until her cancer diagnosis in September of 2013.

Mom and dad made their final move together in 2005 to the home on Rancher loop after my dad got laid off again from Phillips Semiconductors! He was able to find other employment but not at the same rate of pay and so they had to move. Mom continued working despite her disabilities, and tried several times to go back to school and obtain a bachelor’s degree in nursing so she could be classified as an RN instead of an LPN. Each time things didn’t work out and she was very dissapointed that she didn’t achieve that accomplishment.
Pam Larsen

Mom was always a very selfless person giving freely of her time, money or whatever she could to help people. In her last few years she worked with children and young people who had severe medical disabilities. She always wanted to do her best to follow the example of service given to us by Jesus.

For as the apostle Paul wrote in his letter to the Hebrews: “Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees. Despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth…” Hebrews chapter 12.

On behalf of my mother I want to thank all of you for the friendship, kindness, love and charity that has been given to her and my family. She will be missed. We look forward to that glorious day when we can all be reunited as a family again.

 

Free ebook for all Subscribers!

What will you stuff in your sopapillas? Subscribe now to receive your free copy of Sopapilla Fiesta! today with six recipe combinations of stuffings and chili sauces. Bonus dessert recipe included!

There was an error submitting your subscription. Please try again.

Powered by ConvertKit

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • Email
  • Print

Related

Filed Under: Personal Tagged With: Eulogy, Funeral

« Temporary hiatus…
Ultimate Butter Cookies »

Comments

  1. Ron Larsen says

    December 2, 2015 at 6:45 am

    You gave a wonderful eulogy for your mom.

    Reply
  2. Norm & Jill Larsen says

    December 2, 2015 at 7:53 am

    A most beautiful Eulogy, we will miss her.

    Reply
  3. Olivia White says

    August 22, 2020 at 3:18 pm

    Thanks for ones marvelous posting! I seriously enjoyed reading it, you might be a great author.I will ensure that I bookmark your blog and will come back in the foreseeable future. I want to encourage you to ultimately continue your great writing, have a nice morning!

    Reply
    • Emily says

      August 22, 2020 at 3:20 pm

      Awww, thank you :0)

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

CommentLuv badgeShow more posts
logo
Food Advertisements by

Hi there!

Thanks for stopping by The Goldilocks Kitchen, the place for wholesome, rustic and foolproof country recipes. Enriching lives one great recipe at a time. Meet Emily...

Instagram fun!

thegoldilockskitchen

Emily Larsen Sego
Looking for an easy Hatch Chile recipe to warm you Looking for an easy Hatch Chile recipe to warm you up this winter? Say hello to the ultimate southwestern comfort food: Hatch Green Chile Cheeseburger Soup from the Goldilocks Kitchen. Crisp bacon, ground beef, onion, celery, carrots, potatoes, and silky cheddar cheese round out the flavors of this New Mexico classic cheeseburger with genuine Hatch Chile as the star. Make this for dinner tonight, and sign up for The Goldilocks Kitchen newsletter for more great heritage and homesteading recipes!
Turn simple Tapioca pudding into a fancy Holiday d Turn simple Tapioca pudding into a fancy Holiday dessert by adding a crunchy toffee Brulee topping! Add some "bling" to this timeless dessert. It's easier than you think- and doesn't require any fancy tools. Wow your guests when you present them with this dessert. Tap the link in my bio for the recipe -> @thegoldilockskitchen
20-Minute Cheesy Chicken Soup, served with a slice 20-Minute Cheesy Chicken Soup, served with a slice of crusty bread is the quick comfort food dinner solution you need after a long hard day. This recipe comes together so quickly thanks to store-bought ready to eat chicken or just use leftover chicken from last nights' dinner! Add in some frozen veggies, bouillon cube broth, canned soup and Velveeta cheese. Bada-bing done. Tap the link in my bio for the recipe -> @thegoldilockskitchen
This new way to cook Easy-Peel Boiled eggs every t This new way to cook Easy-Peel Boiled eggs every time is like magic! This no-fail method doesn't require ANY additives at all; just eggs + boiling water. This will change your life, I'm not joking. Try it today! Tap the link in my bio for the recipe -> @thegoldilockskitchen
Winter Slow Cooker Vegetable Bacon Soup is the coz Winter Slow Cooker Vegetable Bacon Soup is the cozy, hearty and delicious slow-cooker recipe you need to make this weekend! The perfect blend of winter vegetables such as carrots, potatoes, parsnips, kale, celery and white beans flavored throughout and garnished with smoky delicious BACON. Need I say more??? ⁣
Tap the link in my bio for the recipe -> @thegoldilockskitchen
This Snickerdoodle Pumpkin Muffins recipe is the d This Snickerdoodle Pumpkin Muffins recipe is the delicious Autumn mashup recipe you've been looking for! Each pumpkin muffin contains a snickerdoodle swirl inside and is topped with a cinnamon sugar streusel topping. Cute, yummy and fun, the perfect baking recipe for a cold fall day at home!⁣
Tap the link in my bio for the recipe -> @thegoldilockskitchen
I could go on and on about this incredibly delicio I could go on and on about this incredibly delicious Savory Beef Pot Pie! Just imagine: you're sitting cozy and warm at home by the fire while the snow gently falls out side, enjoying a big slice of this beef pot pie, with all it's deeply beefy complex flavors and tender meat! This recipe is slow cooked perfection wrapped up in a buttery seasoned pie crust. Beef Pot Pie perfected. A must try!⁣
Tap the link in my bio for the recipe -> @thegoldilockskitchen
Looking for gluten-free dinner ideas? Try this del Looking for gluten-free dinner ideas? Try this delicious and rustic Gluten-free Swiss Potato Soup; it comes together quickly with a rich satisfying taste everyone will love! We could all use some comfort food right now....
Looking for a no-stress award-winning chocolate fu Looking for a no-stress award-winning chocolate fudge recipe? 𝗕𝗹𝘂𝗲-𝗥𝗶𝗯𝗯𝗼𝗻 𝗙𝘂𝗱𝗴𝗲 from The Goldilocks Kitchen is the recipe you need. It doesn’t require a candy thermometer and is very versatile, allowing you to create multiple flavors. This recipe makes a 5-pound batch- perfect for sharing with friends and family for special occasions. Tap the link in my bio for the recipe -> @thegoldilockskitchen⁣
#chocolatefudge #fudge #chocolatelover #holidaytreats #awardwinning #blueribbon #chocolateheaven #instachocolate #chocolatelovers
𝗪𝗲𝗲𝗸𝗻𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗧𝗮𝗰𝗼 𝗦𝗼𝘂𝗽⁣
Tap the link in my bio for the recipe -> @thegoldilockskitchen⁣
I’m convinced that you’ll find this recipe such a cinch to make it will become a routine recipe your family will ask for again and again. Purposefully written to be simple, quick and delicious!⁣
⁣
#comfortfood⁣
#foodpassion #insta_foodandplaces #food4thought #cuisine_captures #familydinner #top_food_of_instagram #cookmagazine #todayfood #hautecuisines #macandcheese #thekitchen #foodvsco #gloobyfood #heresmyfood #thekitchn #kings_masterchef #tacoTuesday #eattheworld #foodblogfeed #lifeandthyme #yahoofood #texmex #taco #foodgawker #soupforthesoul #forkyeah #foodstyling #buzzfeedfood #rslove
Tap the link in my bio for the recipe -> @thegoldi Tap the link in my bio for the recipe -> @thegoldilockskitchen⁣
𝗛𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗱𝗲 𝗪𝗵𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗿𝘆 𝗚𝗿𝗮𝘃𝘆- This recipe for Homemade White Country Gravy is so delicious, you’ll want to smother everything with it! Country gravy is about as good as American comfort food gets- it’s thick texture and rich taste were practically made to drench over mashed potatoes (a marriage made in heaven of course). breaded chicken, country fried steak, biscuits, and even veggies!⁣
⁣
#comfortfood⁣
#foodpassion #insta_foodandplaces #food4thought #cuisine_captures #familydinner #top_food_of_instagram #cookmagazine #chocolatechip #chocolatechipcookies #macandcheese #thekitchen #foodvsco #gloobyfood #heresmyfood #thekitchn #kings_masterchef #huffposttaste #eattheworld #foodblogfeed #lifeandthyme #yahoofood #feedfeed #f52grams #foodgawker #buzzfeast #forkyeah #foodstyling #buzzfeedfood #rslove
Tap the link in my bio for the recipe -> @thegoldi Tap the link in my bio for the recipe -> @thegoldilockskitchen⁣
𝗧𝗶𝗽𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗧𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗸𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗕𝘂𝗱𝗴𝗲𝘁-𝗳𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗹𝘆 𝗖𝗵𝗼𝗰𝗼𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗖𝗼𝗼𝗸𝗶𝗲𝘀- There is no doubt that chocolate chip cookies are one of the best things in the entire world. Chocolatey and the perfect amount of sweet, they are absolutely delicious. Here are some great tips & tricks for the best budget-friendly chocolate chip cookies.⁣
⁣
#comfortfood⁣
#foodpassion #insta_foodandplaces #food4thought #cuisine_captures #familydinner #top_food_of_instagram #cookmagazine #todayfood #hautecuisines #chocolatechipcookies #thekitchen #foodvsco #gloobyfood #heresmyfood #thekitchn #kings_masterchef #huffposttaste #eattheworld #foodblogfeed #lifeandthyme #yahoofood #feedfeed #f52grams #foodgawker #buzzfeast #forkyeah #foodstyling #buzzfeedfood #rslove
Tap the link in my bio for the recipe -> @thegoldi Tap the link in my bio for the recipe -> @thegoldilockskitchen⁣
𝗪𝗶𝘁𝗰𝗵 𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗛𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗧𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝘀- If you really want to ‘treat’ your friends and family for Halloween, trick them with these Witch Fingers Halloween Treats! So incredibly realistic and spooky-looking, people will certainly do a double-take when you start chomping on one of these genuinely delicious treats. Witch Fingers Halloween Treats are simple to make too, fun for the whole family!⁣
#halloweenparty #halloweencandy #witchy #candymelts #halloweenideas #jellybeans #spooky #potion #halloweencrafts #familyfun #horror #instahorror #pretzel #haunted
Tap the link in my bio for the recipe -> @thegoldi Tap the link in my bio for the recipe -> @thegoldilockskitchen⁣
𝐖𝐢𝐭𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐬 𝐁𝐫𝐞𝐰 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐃𝐫𝐲 𝐈𝐜𝐞- Looking for the perfect tasty Halloween party punch? You have to try Witches Brew with Dry Ice! Your guests will be delighted to as you ladle a ghastly green liquid from a steaming, bubbling cauldron! Your friends/family will be pleasantly surprised when they taste their first sip and experience the lovely flavor combination of kiwifruit, mint, and ginger ale.⁣
#halloweenparty #halloweendrinks #witchy #sherbet #halloweenideas #dryice #dryicefun #spooky #potion #virgindrinks #familyfun
Tap the link in my bio for more info -> @thegoldil Tap the link in my bio for more info -> @thegoldilockskitchen⁣
Green Chile Squash Goulash- This recipe will easily feed a family of 6 and is ready in about 45 minutes. As days get cooler (finally!) warm up inside and out with a steaming bowl of Green Chile Squash Goulash. An Amazing Green Chile Recipe If you enjoy the southwestern flavors of roasted green chile and butternut squash! #hatchgreenchile⁣
#latinosbelike #mexicansbelike #newmexicotrue #latinasbelike #hispanicsbelike #mexicanfood  #hispanic #taco #latinas #tacos #tacotuesday #hermosas  #divulga #states  #divulgação #salsa  #hotstuff  #southwestusa #americandream #mexicourbano #mextagram
Load More... Follow on Instagram
Food Blogger Pro: Video training and blogger community helping you to start your food blog.

You might also like

The Best Whole Wheat Bread

Orange Spice Banana Bread

Fresh Virgin Strawberry Margaritas

Sweet Potato Gnocchi Close Up

Whole Wheat Sweet Potato Gnocchi

Orange Creamsicle Smoothie Pops are a taste of Summer

Copyright © 2021 · Divine theme by Restored 316

Copyright © 2021 · Divine Theme On Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in · Privacy Policy

loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.