Madeline Smith
Mum - Madeline Smith
Mum! I love you...
Madeline Smith, 69, of Hot Springs Village, Arkansas, passed away peacefully with her family at her bedside on Sunday, June 22nd, 2008, at the St. Mary Hospice House in Athens, Georgia.
Madeline was born on March 11th, 1939, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, the daughter of Pierre and Alice DeClaive. She was a woman of unstoppable accomplishments. At age 17 she earned what was then Girl Scout's highest award - the Curved Bar. Madeline graduated from nursing school and had three children, a son, Michael, and twin daughters Lori and Linda. Later her career gave her the opportunity to become Director of Nurses for several large Louisiana hospitals and met and married James Lee Smith on December 14th, 1972. Jim's employment with the US Air Force gave Madeline and her family the opportunity to travel throughout the world and live in such exotic places as the islands of Crete, Greece, and Okinawa, Japan.
Madeline always found ways to learn about and enjoy the local customs and people. While living in Greece she led tours of Alexandria and Cairo, Egypt for military base personnel. In Japan studied Ikebana, the Japanese art of flower arranging, becoming one of only a handful of American Ikebana Master Instructors.
After returning to the United States, Madeline opened two flower shops in Ohio and was named Centerville, Ohio's, Small Businessperson of the Year in 1992. Two years later Madeline sold the flower businesses and retired to Hot Springs Village, Arkansas with her husband. Never one to be idle, Madeline helped at the Hot Springs Village animal shelter and later took up bass fishing, becoming the first woman professional angler in the Village. Madeline was the founder of an online Retail Bass Fishing Store, BassGifts.com and Woman's Bass Fishing Website, LadyBassAngler.com.
Madeline was always ready to step up and help her many friends in any way she could and volunteered her time and experience to many organizations: B.A.S.S.; Arkansas Hawg Hunters; Arkansas B.A.S.S. Federation Nation; FLW; Arkansas T.B.F.; Spa City Bass Club; Hot Springs Village Anglers Club; WBT F.O.C.A.S. She will be missed by all whose lives she touched.
Surviving are her loving husband, James Smith of Hot Springs Village; son Michael Brennan of Tampa, FL; daughter Lori Manske and her husband, Dan of Athens, GA; daughter Linda Rodgers and her husband, Fred of Marietta, GA; stepdaughter Jill Morgan of Antelope, CA and stepson Larry Brennan of Hayward, CA.
Madeline is the beloved grandmother of Grace and Nicholas Manske, Brad, Cody and Ireland Rodgers, and Tommy Morgan.
A memorial service and celebration of her life will be at 10:30 a.m. Friday, July 25, 2008, at Community of Joy Church, Hot Springs Village, Arkansas. Memorial contributions may be made in her name to the St. Mary's Hospice House, P.O. Box 6588, Athens, GA 30604.
Di petik dari:
http://www.texasfishingforum.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/topics/2447123/Ma...
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Madeline - Seorang wanita yang telah banyak berjasa pada saya dan secara tidak langsung kepada keluarga. Mengenalinya pada hujung tahun 1999 sebagai diantara pelanggan pertama di www.logowaves.com.
Oleh kerana sikapnya yang peramah dan suka membantu, beliau bukan sahaja membantu dalam membangunkan LogoWaves namun telah menjadi ibu angkat yang prihatin. Beliau sentiasa sedia membantu tidak kira masa. Samada dalam hal perniagaan (logo) atau hal peribadi - nasihatnya selalu menenangkan.
Hinggalah pada tahun 2005 beliau mengundurkan diri dari LogoWaves untuk benar benar bersara dari aktiviti perniagaan. Saya tidak kecewa namun rasa gembira kerana beliau akhirnya dapat berehat dan menghabiskan sisa hidupnya dengan suami (Jim) di Arkansas sambil meneruskan aktiviti harian terutamanya memancing.
Bila saya pindah ke Perak, saya terputus hubungan buat seketika dan kemudian mendapat berita beliau mengidap penyakit kanser paru paru dan sedang menjalani terapi. Beliau tetap mengirim email (bulan April) walaupun berada di hostipal. Namun setelah beberapa bulan, beliau tidak lagi membalas email saya! Saya syak.. dan tadi saya cuba mencari berita mengenainya di google. Dan ternyata beliau sebenarnya telahpun pergi buat selamanya.
Artikel diatas saya jumpa bila mencari beliau di google dan ianya sungguh menyedihkan. Walaupun airmata saya tidak mengalir, namun saya berasa sayu dan sebak. Walaupun dia seorang "American" dan penganut Kristian, namun sikapnya yang penyayang dan suka membantu menjadikan beliau seolah ibu kandung.
Kami tidak pernah bertemu. Cuma email dan saya ada menelefon beliau. Beliau tidak suka saya telefon selalu kerana katanya "membazir".. "Save you hard earn money.. just email me!" Itulah kata beliau.
Saya tidak sempat mengucapkan sesungguh dan sebenar terima kasih kepadanya. Namun rasanya beliau tahu saya amat menghargai segala pengorbanan beliau. Tak mungkin saya lupa kata-katanya yang mengaku saya juga dianggap seperti anaknya sendiri.
Oh! Saya terharu dan tidak tahu apa yang harus dikata atau dilakukan. God bless you Madeline!