Today is the sixth anniversary of my mother-in-law's passing, Mary Hartman. Her claim to fame was a popular television show called Mary Hartman Mary Hartman from the 60's. Like Mary our married name was made famous by others. Something we laughed about on many occasions.
Mary had just moved from Tucson, Arizona to Utah to be closer to our family in her final years. It turned out to be a few short days. Raylan and I had meticulously decorated her two bedroom apartment to perfection. She would spend one night in her new place and then entered the hospital and died a few days later.
She had been ill for many years with emphysema and had buried three husbands. The most recent one, Les had died just two years earlier. Les was the love of her life as she would tell us after his passing. The thing she would miss most, was making his favorite cookies every morning while he played golf. Then she would sit at the kitchen table waiting for him to come home. As soon as she heard his car pull into the driveway her heart would flutter.
When I met Mary, Raylan and I had been dating for a short time. We met her and Les in Las Vegas for a long weekend. She would later tell me she fell in love with me when I ordered a White Zin and added ice cubes to it to make it colder, something she did as well. I know, I know it's not a high class wine, but it tastes good to me and Mary!
I was Wife #3 but she never treated me as anything other than Wife #1! Two nights before she passed away she told me that she was thankful that Raylan had found me. She knew that she could leave and I would love and take care of Raylan. She would never need to worry. I promised her that I would always love him and take care of him no matter what life through our way. A promise I will never break.
In honor of Mary we will be sitting on the porch drinking a cocktail in her honor just like she did every night without fail.
We love you and miss you terribly Mary! Wish you were here!