My mother-in-law recently passed away.
I will miss her. She just had her 95th birthday days before her death, and she was part of my life for over half of that time. She led a hard, yet incredibly grateful life.
I learned at a recent conference that the Ojibwe language word for an elder woman is mindimooyenh. It translates to “she who holds us all together.” That is an apt description of this lady.
Her father came to North Dakota on the Orphan Train at the age of 14. Instead of waiting to be adopted, he simply walked away from the train station and went to work. Nothing is known of his family “back east.” She was an only child and her parents were farm laborers who followed the harvest. They lived largely in sheds and farm buildings as they traveled. They picked cabbage, melon, corn, and when in North Dakota, potatoes. It was in a potato field that she met my father-in-law. She was 14 and a “picker.” He was a “hauler” who took the filled bags from the middle of the field to the wagon to be loaded. She was baptized, had first communion, and was confirmed all in the week before their wedding. They married when she was 17 and he was 19.
My father-in-law always said the one mistake he made was not marrying her sooner.
I sat in the church as the officiant recounted this history. I looked around. This lonely little girl had 9 children, 22 grandchildren, and 38 great-grandchildren filling the church. The officiant went on, in addition to being a partner/farmer to her husband, she also worked with the developmentally delayed in a school setting for 11 years. She grew a big garden, “put-up” her canning and freezing, and baked bread a couple times a week. Most importantly every one of the children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and spouses, and “come along” family members knew they were loved. She held us all together.
I will try to do that for my family… albeit on a smaller scale. And I will be thankful.
Her life also gives me great hope for the children at Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch. Many of our kids start out truly alone. I wish, and pray, for each of them to find their way to be surrounded by people they love, both in life and eternity.
Please keep the children and staff of Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch in your prayers.
In His love,
Joy Ryan, President/CEO
Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch
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