This post is dedicated to:
Quaker Honorary Auntie, her long friendship with the RantFamily, particularly
RantMom and DantDad and to all the people
who looked after her for 20 years when she could no longer look after herself
RantMom and RantDad for whom today would be their 59th
wedding anniversary.
The 60th anniversary of RantMom’s graduation from college
just to add to a pile of anniversaries this year.
RantMom bio: the short version
(RantMom) was born in Colorado in 1937.
Raised on a farm, (RantMom's) chores included carrying well water and
washing laundry with a wringer washer. By age 6, she had learned to bake bread
in a woodstove. Along with 4 siblings, (RantMom) was very involved in 4H. She was
also an accomplished seamstress, winning the state Make It Yourself with Wool
competition while in high school.
(RantMom) earned her B.S. in Home Economics from Colorado State University
in Fort Collins in 1959. At 21 she accepted a teaching position in Absaroke, MT
where she met her husband, (RantDad), also a teacher in the school. They married
after their first year of teaching together. By the end of the second year,
their older daughter (RantWoman) was
born. (RantBrother and Little Sister) were born in Gunnison while (RantDad was
on the music faculty at Western State College.
Seeking stronger educational opportunities for their children, (the RantParents)
moved back to Montana in 1972. After her husband passed away in 1995, RantMom remained
in Billings, working at the YMCA and staying active in her church, garden club
and as a symphony usher.
RantMom held a series of jobs in Billings before serving as director of
childcare centers at the YMCA for 16 years. Prior to her retirement, she ran
the member snack bar for another 4 years. (RantMom) worked through a first bout
with cancer in 2004, then retired to battle a second cancer in early 2005.
In 2006, finally cancer free, RantMom sold her home of 30 years and moved
to Seattle to be near her daughters, and young grandson. RantMom has
volunteered regularly at the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance since 2007 and has
been a member of Rainier Beach Presbyterian Church since her arrival in
Seattle.
May 21, 2019
Bio: the longer version
(RantMom) was born in Durango CO in 1937. She was the oldest daughter
and second of 5 children of (Farmer Grandparents) The family grew up on a ranch east of
Ignacio. All of the kids had many chores: carrying water, gathering eggs, cleaning the chicken coop,
tending the gardens, milking cows.
(RantMom) and her siblings were very involved in 4H. (RantMom) also
learned to sew and one year she one the state Make It Yourself with Wool competition.
Both parents came from large families so holiday gatherings involved many aunts,
uncles, and cousins. (RantMom) learned to bake bread—in a wood stove--by the time she was 6.
(RantMom) and her two sisters rode the same horse to school until
(RantMom) entered high school and switched to riding in a truck with her older
brother and a cousin. The last two summers (RantMom) was in high school, she was pretty much in charge of all the cooking, canning, and food activities for the household and farm crew. RantMom’s mother was away at college getting her teaching
certification, a new requirement in CO even though her mother had been teaching
for 25 years.
(RantMom) earned a degree in Home Economics from Colorado State University in Fort Collins. Shortly after she graduated in 1959, she accepted
a job teaching Science and Home Ec in Absaroke MT. Perhaps a sign of things to
come, (RantMom's) first night in MT was rocked by an earthquake. In Absaroke (RantMom) met husband who taught English and
music. After their first year of teaching together they married; shortly after
their second year of teaching, their older daughter (RantWoman) was born in nearby “big city” Billings and the young family
moved to Missoula MT so that (rantDad) could pursue an MA in music. Next the
family moved to Gunnison CO where (RantDad) taught on the music faculty at what
was then Western State College and RantBrother and Little Sister also arrived.
(RantMom) was busy enough with 3 kids of her own, but when the family bought
a large Victorian home, RantMom also opened a home daycare. There were several
happy years full of music, college students who sang in RantDad’s church choir,
and growing children. In 1972, partly to seek stronger educational
opportunities for their kids, the RantParents
moved back to MT, settling in Billings. For a litte while both parents
were self-employed. RantMom operated
another daycare center and RantDad offered oboe, bassoon, and recorder lessons.
After a few months of stress from incompatible sound environment needs, RantMom
accepted a job as lunch lady at her kids’ elementary school; RantDad also
augmented his music studio income by accepting a job as choir director at First
Baptist Church. RantDad also later served for a time as the Business Manager of
the Billings Symphony.
As the kids grew up, graduated from High School, and went off to college,
RantMom had a series of jobs, first at a fabric store, then a costume and
rental store before settling in at the YMCA to run the
member nursery and later the snack bar which served all the lawyers and judges and other people who came to the YMCA to work out on theirlunch breaks.
(RantDad) passed away in 1995 but RantMom remained in Billings working at the YMCA and
staying active in St Andrew’s Presbyterian Church and garden club until 2006.
(RantMom) worked at the YMCA all the way through treatment for colon cancer. She retired in 2005 when she was diagnosed with endometrial cancer and was going to need both chemo and radiation.
By the end of the second cancer (RantMom) was clear she wanted to be
closer to her daughters and only grandson. In 2006, (RantMom) sold the house she had lived in for over
30 years and moved to SE Seattle. She also quit driving and became a big fan of
the bus system. (RantMom) now volunteers with the Seattle Cancer care Alliance and is an active participant at Rainier Beach Presbyterian Church.
Posts
