Two years ago, I wrote about my grandmother Hellen Scheerâs first Motherâs Day in 1939, after the birth of her daughter, my mother Marie. Last year, Mom died just days before Motherâs Day. It was unexpected and sent my siblings and myself reeling. She left us too soon.
Since 2014, when I started writing Reminisce, I have been intrigued by newspaper articles about families where the mother died leaving young children. What happened to them? Was an aunt, grandmother, or young neighbor able to step in and care for them? Were the siblings divided among various extended family or neighbors? Or, was there no option but to relinquish them to a state-run facility? After a brief look at the history of this holiday, Iâll share what I have learned.