EULOGY FOR MURIEL BOUDVILLE MY MOTHER MURIEL WAS BORN DURING WORLD WAR 1 AND LIVED THROUGH THE HARDSHIP AND HORRORS OF WOLD WAR 2. SHE MARRIED MICHAEL AT AGE 16 AND HAD 9 BEAUTIFUL CHILDREN WITH HIM IN A SPAN OF 16 YEARS. SHE IMMIGRATED TO THE UNITED STATES 21 YEARS AGO AND AFTER 5 YEARS, SHE INSISTED ON BECOMING A U.S. CITIZEN. SHE DILIGENTLY STUDIED THE CITIZENSHIP QUESTIONS AND ACED THE FINAL VERBAL EXAM AT AGE 82. ALTHOUGH MY MOTHER MURIEL DID NOT HAVE A COMPLETE HIGH SCHOOL EDUCATION OR WORKED IN ANY OFFICE, SHE WORKED EXTREMELY HARD AS A WIFE AND MOTHER AND DEVOTED HER LIFE TO THE AMBITIONS OF EACH OF HER 9 CHILDREN WHO ENDED UP WITH SUCCESSFUL CAREERS THEMSELVES. WHEN I WAS A LITTLE GIRL, I REMEMBER MY MOTHER MURIEL SPREADING BUTTER ON 2 SLICES OF PLAIN BREAD AND MAKING A CUP OF COFFEE WITH MILK AND SUGAR EACH MORNING. THEY WERE FOR A VERY SPECIAL PERSON. THIS SPECIAL PERSON WAS THE NEIGHBORHOOD TRASH COLLECTOR WHO OFTENTIMES LOOKED GRUBBY AND SMELT FUNNY AND HAD LOST ONE EYE. HE USED TO JUST SIT ON THE GROUND THEN AND THERE AND EAT HIS SNACK WHOLEHEARTEDLY. ONE DAY I OVERHEARD THE MOTHER OF THE FAMILY NEXT DOOR SAYING TO MURIEL, “WHY DO YOU LET THIS DIRTY PERSON DRINK FROM THE SAME CUP AS YOUR CHILDREN?”. TO WHICH MURIEL REPLIED, “BECAUSE THIS PERSON COULD BE JESUS”. THOUGH VERY POOR MATERIALISTICALLY, SHE MADE TIME FOR EACH OF HER CHILDREN. SHE USED TO PAINT HER ONE AND ONLY BABY CRIB A DIFFERENT COLOR TO MAKE IT LOOK NEW AGAIN, TO WELCOME EACH NEW BABY INTO THIS WORLD. MY MOTHER MURIEL’S SIIMPLE COOKING WAS THE ENVY OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD WOMEN. SHE COULD WHIP UP A MEAN DRIED COD FISH PICKLE AND FIRERY CHILLY SAUCE TO COMPLEMENT OUR REGULAR MEALS. ON CHRISTMAS DAY EACH YEAR, SHE COOKED ENTIRE FULL MEALS FOR ALL THE NON CHRISTIAN FRIENDS OF HER 9 CHILDREN. THIS MEANT HER FEEDING ABOUT 100 GUESTS FOR THE DAY. THIS WAS NO COMMON FEAT! EVEN THOUGH MY MOTHER HAD MEDICAL ISSUES AS SHE GREW OLDER, SHE SEEMED TO ACCEPT THEM PASSIVELY AS COMING FROM THE HANDS OF A LOVING GOD. AS A DAUGHTER I COULD NEVER DEPRIVE HER OF THE JOY SHE GOT FROM DOING SMALL HOUSEHOLD CHORES. IT MADE HER USEFUL. SHE WAS ROUTINELY WASHING HER CEREAL BOWL AND CUP ONE SUNNY TUESDAY MORNING, WHEN SHE SUSTAINED THAT DREADFUL FALL. MOTHER: YOU WERE A JEWEL FAR BEYOND PRICE EVER RADIANT EVEN AS TIME FLEW FACETS OF YOU RADIATED THE LIGHT PRECIOUS AND BEAUTIFUL SHINING BRIGHT A GIFT TO HAVE AND A GIFT TO HOLD A GIFT TO TREASURE AS DAYS UNFOLD I GIVE THANKS TO GOD THAT YOU WERE ALWAYS MINE DEAREST MOTHER, SWEET SWEET MOTHER OF MINE. WE LOVE YOU MOM -- GO IN PEACE UNTO THE EMBRACE OF OUR LOVING JESUS.