Mother's Day 2014

I have written some in the past about my Mother, or Mom. I owe her everything for being here today. I had a Sister, born a few years prior to my birth, but, she didn't make, died at birth. Apparently there were some significant complications that resulted from that, and they were cautioned about having another child.

As her pregnancy progressed, the problems became more pronounced. As my appearance date became more of a reality, Mom had to make a decision. If certain problems arose, they had a very difficult decision to make. If it became a matter of one life or the other, which to save. My Mom made her decision, save the baby. Fortunately, the decision did not have to be made. What a difficult decision, however, to make.

I really only spent about twenty years with my Mother, one fourth of my life, just not enough. I never had enough time to "appreciate" her, she was just my Mom. When Dad took the car keys away from me, she got them back. She "covered" and got me out of more "scrapes" than I was ever aware of. I took her for granted, she was, just my Mom.

In Michigan one Summer, on vacation, my brother had a few friends with him, one morning, she got carried away with pancake batter, made way too much. A fact my Father kept bringing up, made a real issue of it, which he had a tendency to do. She let everyone, but Dad, know, eat pancakes, all of them. The boys in attendance all loved Jessie, they ate them all.


She must have possessed every quality demanded to be a Doctors Wife. She lived at home, Dad lived in his office and the hospital, or a basketball game or a football game, but I never heard them quarrel. Mom held the baby while the Rabbi did the circumcision, and Dad observed. As the friends, relatives and overflow came into our living room waiting to see Doctor Dooley, Mom served as hostess.

She loved nothing more than holidays and any occasion when the family got together, and she could cook for us all. I never heard her complain. She loved to have a good time, she loved her family and her relatives, she loved family.

Jessie Maud Shannon Dooley. Once, she said a "dirty" word. After Dad retired he went to work for Blue Cross. He had an assistant who often drove to meetings with Dad. On one occasion, Warner was driving, Mom was sitting in the back ......... "There are fewer "bastards" on the road when Warner drives." That was Jessie

Jessie Maud Shannon Dooley

Jessie was my Mother, we lost her too soon. Life can be so busy, being a youth and being busy all the time, being in school and being busy all the time, then college, the Navy, married, and looking back, I really never had "quality time" with my Mom, I regret that.

My Mom bailed me out many a time. Dad would lay down the law, and Mom had her ways to circumvent those laws.  I guess I never really took his threats seriously, I knew Mom would intervene on my behalf.

She loved to have a good time with family and friends, she was a most gracious hostess, and she never met a stranger. Her happiest memories were when the whole family was at the dinner table, eating one of her home lovingly cooked meals.

I remember on one occasion, a friend of theirs from Columbus, Ohio drove over for a visit. With him, was Fred Taylor, the Ohio State basketball coach. Before they left, they had spent three hours talking, and Fred and Doctor Rose devoured most of a freshly baked apple pie she had made.

She was also a PK, a "preachers kid." Her Father was a minister in the old United Brethren Church and later became a Bishop. Mom and her sister Eva, and Brother Ora,  had many stories and memories of their early days.

Old Doctor Ed Werner, our neighbor, determined that Mom had high blood pressure. This was some sixty years ago. One recommendation, a shot of bourbon once a day. Mom had never tasted liquor. We had to disguise it in a large glass of juice to get her to take it. She only did it for a few days. I am not sure how we disposed of the bottle, she didn't want it thrown in the trash for anyone to see, I think we buried it out in the backyard.

She used a "cuss word" one time, that I know of. When Dad retired from practice, he went to work for Blue Shield, had an assistant, car and all. He used to travel around the state, attending local Medical Association Meetings,  "imploring" Doctors to NOT abuse health insurance. Mom used to ride with Dad on his trips. On one occasions, his assistant Nelson accompanied them and did the driving. During the drive, my Mom commented, "I've noticed there are not as many "bastards" on the road when Nelson drives." A rare outburst from my Mother.

She is buried next to my Father at the old Wilkins Corners Cemetery, a spot she has occupied since they married, many years ago, next to his side. I truly wish I had gotten to know her better. Happy Mother's Day, Mom.

My Table under the window, next to my chair

It's morning, nice and quiet, "Easy Listening" music coming out of the TV, my U.S. Navy coffee cup nearby, working on my second cup, glancing occasionally at the table next to my chair. I have a lifetime of memories on the table, that my Dad make. He made it with a glass top, and a drawer under that, so you see everything in the drawer, that he made near the top.

All the "treasurers" should be in the drawer  they don't collect dust, but I have they on top where they are readily visible for me to glance at.

A small photograph of my Mom and Dad, it was one of Mom's favorites, next to that, a photo of my Brother, Dean Shannon Dooley. We were about twelve years apart, so we were never really close fiends, he was always many steps ahead of me. He has always been my "hero" though.

A number of birthday cards, an old tintype of Caleb Dooley, my Grandfather, some things from Brad and Bernie, some things from Melissa, my daughter, a small wood carving from the 40's, purchased in Canada on a trip there, some souvenirs of my Dad and Caleb medals and things.

Also a pair of dice from the Nevada Club, along with a $5 chip from there, could be one that I handled back in the 50's.

My bottle of Dr. Franks, I use it a few times a day, seems to work on my arthritis, and under that bottle my magnets. When I get an ache or a sore spot, I use a magnet, and it goes away in a short time. Hey, it works for me, and there are many people who I suggested those remedy's to, and they have often thanked me.

My Mom always referred to things like those as her "treasures" and  these certainly are to me.

In a brief glance I can go from the Civil war, to today, and all that happened in between.

Quiet time, so much "noise" in the world, nice to spend some "quiet" time, with t table full of memories.

Jessie Maud Shannon Dooley

My Mom, and my thoughts go out to  her as we get closer to Mother's Day. She left this earth too soon.
She loved family, and "good times" with her family.

She was a "PK," a Preachers Kid. James Shannon, her Father, was a United Brethren Minister, now Methodist, and her early life revolved around the church. He ultimately became a Bishop in the church.

A lot of her stories revolved around the church, and incidents that happened there. She had a sister, Eva Shannon, and they had so many stories to tell of their growing up, many of which revolved around the church.

They always told the story of an elderly man in the church who had not been feeling well for quite some time, and finally felt good enough one Sunday morning to give it a try. He and his wife agreed that if he got to feeling bad, he would get up, go outside, and wait for his wife outside.

During the service, he leaned forward in the pew, and told his wife, "Mother, I think I'm going."

She reluctantly told him, "Oh, alright," a little disgruntled that he was leaving, but as they agreed, she thought he was leaning forward to retrieve his hat from under the pew.

He died, right there in the church.

I never heard her use a "cuss" word, they were not in her vocabulary. She was a patient, faithful and dutiful Doctors wife. The hospital and his patients came first, she understood that.

When Dad first retired, he agreed to go to work for Blue Shield, travel the state, and implore Doctors to not take advantage of health insurance. They gave him a car and an assistant  for his travels

On one occasion, Mom was going to accompany them on a short trip, and they took my Dad's car, Werner, his assistant drove.

After a while, my Mom commented, "Dean, there aren't nearly as many bastards on the road when Werner drives." A rare occurrence for Jessie to use a word like that, my Dad, the Doctor, had a bit of a temper.

If a child used an "off color" word or phrase, her comment generally was, "He/she didn't suck that out of his/her thumb."

Mom died suddenly, I wish I had more time with her, some of those great summer evenings, sitting on the front screened-in porch, looking out over the lawn, the smell of fresh mowed grass in the air, and the pond, some occasional fireflies lighting up the night, just sitting and talking. I was always too busy doing something else to spend much time with her.

"Backward, turn backward ........................"

Happy Mothers Day.