A Tribute To My Mother Stella Sibole
My Mother Stella Miller Sibole
If it is true as some like to speculate about people in heaven being able to see and know what is going on down here, my mother, Stella Miller Sibole, is looking over the balcony of heaven horrified to see her name (and picture) on the world wide web. She was a lady who abhorred the limelight and if she was like most people who like an occasional pat-on-the-back she never expressed it.
Mother was born in 1913, the oldest girl of a large family, born in the hills of southern Ohio. There were eleven children that survived infancy. She had two brothers older than her. Times were hard during her childhood. Much was expected of her. She learned the chores as did most women then, laundry on the washboard, ironing with fire heated iron, cooking on a wood stove and "mothering" younger siblings. She learned all of those things before adolescence because at the age of 12 she started working and staying away from home to help support the family financially. The family she worked for did not even pay her they paid her dad. (Tell that one to ungrateful kids) But she never harbored any resentment, just did what was asked of her.
At the age of 21 she married my father, left the country life and moved to the city. She said she didn't want to have any children (imagine that after such a difficult childhood) but had seven of us anyway. Her difficult days did not end with marriage. While my oldest brother and sister were still young her mother passed away with 3 children still at home and my mom took them in as well. I say she took them in because my father was a truck driver and spent many hours away from home. Financially times were difficult then as well. My father was a hard worker but not having much seniority, work was not steady and consistent and he had to even leave the area at times to find work.
Life is filled with choices and mother, under the burden of such difficulties, could have but didn't, seek relief. At a stature of only 4'11" she was one of the biggest women I have ever been fortunate enough to know.
She came to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ at an early age and she was witness to the strength one can glean from their faith. Her dad was a lay preacher in a fundamentalist denomination and she learned and carried Christian values, taught in the home, throughout her life. We were taught by example love and respect for God and each other. We didn't get up on Sunday and ask if we were going to church, it was a given. She never taught a Sunday School or bible class and only occasionally would she stand and give a verbal testimony in church because she said it made her nervous. But outside the church, one-on-one, she shared her faith with the paper boy, mail man, milk man, Fuller Brush Man and anyone else that happened to stop by the house. She had a reputation at church as being able to reach heaven with her prayers. Anyone needing prayer always called Mother because they knew she didn't just say she would pray they knew she would actually do it and as soon as she would hang up the phone she would pray. And often throughout the day you could hear her whispering a prayer or humming a song.
Many people remember my mom for her pies. I shared in another article the recipe for her signature graham cracker pie but she could also bake a delicious fruit pie or coconut cream pie. And her homemade noodles were the best.
Mother was not only a faithful mother but a faithful wife for 49 years as well. She outlived my father by about 26 years but never considered remarrying. I remember as I helped her move into senior housing after daddy had passed, as I helped assemble her half bed, I kidded her asking where her boyfriend would sleep and she quickly replied "on the floor."
So, Mother, if you can see over the balcony's edge, please forgive me for posting your picture and name on the Internet but I just had to share what a great lady you were. You are sitll missed more than you will know.
