Love Letter To Mom: Happy Mother's Day, Lenore Grace

ACROSS MICHIGAN, MI — She's the one that loved you first, but mom is much more than that. She’s a friend, a teacher, a counselor, a shoulder to cry on — and maybe one of the toughest women you’ve ever met.

We asked Patch readers in more than 1,000 communities to tell us what their moms mean to them. Nearly 200 people responded, paying tribute not just to moms but sometimes to grandmas, sisters and daughters who deserve recognition for Mother’s Day 2021.

Here’s what Donna Jones of Canton had to say about mom Lenore Grace of Detroit :

Dear Mom, although you are no longer with us I am very grateful and thankful for you . I know it was not easy raising three daughters on your own and remember sometimes how I ashamed I was of you . Not you personally mom but the situation even though I never conveyed this to you. I truly never learned to appreciate you until I began attending Eastern Michigan University in 2015 four years after your passing. As a non -traditional student I thought I’m so thankful I was not allowed to attend collage right out of high school. I just don’t think I would have comprehended all the martial the black life’s matter or the daily range against the men in blue ( the police) since on our block many of our neighbors were police officers and babysat for many of them and held them in highest regard and wanted to a police officer growing up . Although I was never able to attend collage I was able to attend in my latter years and mom I most likely would not have appreciated my education then as I do now. I was also a bit jealous of you since all of my friends wanted to live with us cause you always listened to their family problems I wanted to have there parents that were strick but kind but they all wanted you to be thetre mom because you your funny and their for them ever my Teresa used to call you mom and this bothered me a lot back then. I know I have that same gift mom from you to lend a listening ear seemingly on a daily basis lately since I now work in the public schools and decided to apply to Masers program to became a school social worker . I never would have thought in million years that your baby girl would find a career she loved at my age since you and I are indeed people who love and enjoy other people children are so honest with telling you there entire life the problem is most educaters to today are there for the paycheck and the kids no this and tell me this all time . I told someone in the office the other day if I could have done a job for free it would be teaching since I love all the children so much and they no this. Who would have ever thought . I come home exhausted mentally and physically and often wish I could call you and ask your advice . This had happened as recent as this Friday due a situation with a child that covered some horrific things to me. Like I said kids tell you everything and unlike adults they tell it the way it is. I know my friends told you a lot about there life’s and you never gossiped about it or told there parents I feel I have that ability to problem solve and be a good listener that stems from watching you. While attending EMu I had to take a class entitled, and Woman and gender studies the reason I’m telling you this mom is because this class gave me a better understanding of why you made some of the choices you did . I recented back then and for a very long time but I forgive you now and I wish I could call you and tell you this. You may never have recived the mother of the year award mom but let’s be Frank shall we their are non if they told you their were they were darn good liers . When I wondered how all four of us woman survived that small home I’ll never no. I appreciate one thing now more then ever you always had a house that you owned we always had food on the table and clothes on are backs and back then and now it’s easy for a single mother to do . Fir this mom I am so blessed and thankful for . I had one more memory that piped in my head while driving home the other day. Remember the Rickles down the the street the entire family we use to call The Adams’s family since they were a very strange bunch of kids and the parents were strange as well. Well when you recived dads child support checks you would always take us to McDonald’s and back then it was a real treat well Alena R approached me and stated you should not be taking us to McDonald’s bra case you can’t afford this . I got in her face as a skinny mild mannered 10 year old girl I was and told her it’s non of her business and she doesn’t pay are bills. Furthermore they 10 kids I think that ran streets and stole from the corner five and dime I’m not suprised if all those children are serving time in a federal prison she was just jealous . So on Mother’s Day I want to say thank you for help molding me into the strong proud women I am today and how much I appreciate the clean home and clothes you gave us and most of all this bi weekly McDonald’s and trips to the park where you would allow me to talk about school my friends or whatever else was on my mind . Love and miss you buckets your favorite daughter Donna