Remembering My Mom

Diane Carol Zwalinski

Born January 1956, Died October 2010

Proud Mother of Diane, Lisa and Joseph Zwalinski Jr. 

Grandmother of Kenneth Paul III, Jocelyn Zwalinski & Madelyn Diane Hare...

Sister to Mike, Sueann, Ron, John, Ken, Steve and Brian Dauber

Daughter of John & Doris Dauber (late)

Devoted friend to so many!

I still feel the pain I felt the moment my sister informed me that my Mother had passed away. It is a pain that will always be with me and I don't think I'll ever "get used to" either. She fought so hard for many years battling cancer and other health issues yet always managed to keep a smile and was way more concerned with how everybody else was doing. That was my Mom! A very caring and loving person that wanted the best for everybody and she always saw the best in people no matter what. 

I want to share a couple of memories of my Mother that I hold on to and keep in mind for times when I really need. I urge people to show love and appreciation to their loved ones, especially their Mothers, because once they are gone you will wish you had.

As a kid I remember my Mom always working so hard along with my Dad to make sure my sisters and I were fed and sheltered and my Mom especially made sure our home was a HOME. We didn't have extremely extravagant things but we had each other and for the most part we were a great family. Through the worst of times Mom always kept fighting and kept that smile going and I'll always admire her for her strength and determination. She was determined to make sure we knew she loved us and to make sure we were taken care of. 

She loved to have a warm cup of tea and talk with her friends or do her puzzles, she LOVED puzzles, and crossword puzzles as well. She'd watch her favorite tv shows as much as she could but the thing she enjoyed most was doing things for others especially the children in her life. Like most Mothers, my Mama also loved to cook for us and we LOVED when she cooked! I still make some of her dishes but I try to add my own little touch to some recipes just to feel like I am shaping it to pass on to my little girl.

My Mom had me watching General Hospital from the time I was little til I am now 30 years old. She watched all of the ABC soaps but General Hospital was what I ended up sticking with and when she was living out in Philly and I still here in the Chicago area, we would watch GH together and text back and forth to chat about what was going on. After her death I have kept watching and have little conversations to myself in my head, asking my Mom things like "can you believe this here????" and stuff like that. 

One last quick thing I'd like to share about my Mom is that I think she'd like to tell my Sisters and I that she loves us and is proud of us. Though times are tough we have her as someone to look up to when we need an example of survival. She fought cancer like a true champion in life and I think she deserves to be honored by us moving forward and making the best out of the life we have left. The love and lessons that my Mom taught me, either directly or indirectly, I am paying forward to my wife Angela and daughter Jocelyn. 

I miss you Mom!

Joey