My mom, Mavis Cleophia Ebel (nee Power), turns 95 today and she has lived a full life. As I have told her many times, she has lived to see so much change during a whirlwind era of American history. Imagine being born in 1928 and into the frenzied prosperity of the Roaring 20s in New York City. Only an infant, my mom is then plunged into one of the worst periods in American history, the Great Depression. Then world war, followed by VE Day and VJ Day.
And shortly after that, she marries my dad, a returning Navy veteran and they move from Queens, NY to Long Island and their first house in a suburban sprawl, typical of the exploding, new growth happening throughout the country in post-war America.
A few years later, they go movin’ on up to Massapequa, NY – to raise three kids. The rock era displaces, for a while, the music they had cherished – Sinatra, Bennett and more – but soon, they return ever stronger.
Meanwhile, the American Century pumps along but soon, another war, Viet Nam, clouds the darkening 1960s. Many more events occur and my mom witnesses them all: the Oil Embargo, the Hostage Crisis in Iran, Reaganism.
During her life, washing machines, cars, dryers and other items go from being considered luxuries to everyday necessities. Also, microwaves, food processors, blenders come along and change the way she cooks. And computers? A game changer that revolutionizes everyone’s life. Even more so when the internet is introduced.
There are so many more inventions and attitudes that took place in the last 95 years that I could include, but think about all that upheaval to American society – good and bad! People had to acquire and accept and adapt to these things to have them benefit society. It was a lot to take on and it was an exciting time to watch your country go from being a youngster among world powers to becoming known for American Exceptionalism.
It is mind boggling to really think about how fast we became the leader of the free world during a time of the Cold War and the growing threats to world peace.
And my mom continues on, to see it all unfold during her lifetime. And she got to give birth to three children beginning in the Eisenhower Era and ending just before JFK’s assassination. Best of all, she enjoyed raising those three children who all gave her back much love and wisdom, too. She learned a lot from watching us and of course, we learned a lot from her mothering skills. Back then, there were no books to provide advice to first-time moms. Well, there was one, Dr. Spock’s Baby and Child Care and I did see it around the house from time to time when I was a kid.
But somehow, I don’t think she ever read the whole book – she didn’t need to. She figured it out just like she figured out all those new TVs, washing machine cycles and how to drive a car during her lifetime. She figured it all out for herself and she always tried to make sure that raising a child meant raising their lives and standards too.
It’s been a full life and when I speak to her, she agrees and says, “I am blessed, life has been very good to me” and she always repeats her motto, “Life is good.” She has made it good, she didn’t just let life happen to her. She shaped it along the way to make it better for all those around her.
No, she is not a saint, but she is pretty close. The other day, when I was chatting with one of my high school friends, I referred to her as St. Mom. But I like to think of her as the young girl born among the flappers of the 1920s, who persevered during the Great Depression and flourished as the War years plodded along and she grew into the person she has become during this incredible 95-year journey.
What a wonderful life! Happy Birthday, Mom!
Chris Ebel
4/12/23
Photo credit: the author