Catherine Ann Boyle Stickley, Mimi, as known by her grandchildren (CABS Kids), had a dream. Her dream was to leave a legacy for her grandchildren. She would not live to fulfill her dream. A legacy stolen from her on April 29th, 2011 <-Click link for more info.
Mimi's Grandkids (CABS Kids) - Mother's Day 2010 was not suppose to be her last, a surprise visit by us. Click here to see her surprise!
Our family would surprise Mimi again in 2011, this time on Easter. It was a fortuitous event as it would be our last visit with Mimi before she was taken from us. There were no pictures from that day, but the below picture also from Mother's Day 2010 is a picture taken as seen through the eyes of Mimi of her entire family there to visit her as we would do again on Easter 2011, just 5 days before she was left us.
Mother's Day 2010 - Family picture through Mimi's eye.
Mimi loved to have her grandchildren over for various projects. She would invite them to partake in her hobby, painting. Below is a canvas painting by Mimi, hung in my dining room. The grandkids all have their favorite or gifted Mimi painted art pieces at home.
"Stars and Moons" - Mimi's painting is a reminder of Cathy's 2nd favorite phrase to text to her kids while working, "Share the Moon!".
One of her loves was taking us kids and later the grandkids to the park. Bever Park has probably the most memories for all of us kids and influences on the grandkids as well. Our love of the park was created by Mimi's inspiration. At Bever, I would place in the MNB Bike race around the park. My wife, Amanda, and I would have our first kiss at Bever Park. My son, Tannon, would propose to his wife Rayne at Old Mcdonald's farm. The memories are of family reunions, birthdays and celebrations of life and even a story of Brucemore Estate's lions terrorizing my grandfather there.
June 2010 - Tiffany, David and Chris are playing catch with football while Tannon looks on in admiration of Aunt Tiffany's passing prowess.
We were able to procure a nice marker for her final resting place, the "Garden of Reflection", at the Cedar Memorial cemetery. Indeed provides a comforting place for reflection.
Garden of Reflection - Cedar Memorial: Memorial Markers for Catherine Ann Boyle Stickley and her son David Allen Stickley Jr.
Unfortunately, it's a difficult place to visit. Thoughts of how she died are near impossible to avoid. We want to change the story and focus on her legacy, her love of arts and parks.
What are we trying to do? We're trying to restore her legacy with her grandkids and pass on the legacy to her great-grandchildren. The hardest battle these past years has been watching our kids struggle with the grief associated with the tragic way Mimi was taken from them.
A tragic loss of a grandparent is like the roots of a fully grown tree being uprooted. All of the branches suffer, and the leaves of the branches wilt and are depressed. Their energy source, foundation, and lack of sunshine all disrupt the balance of life.
Why do we want to restore her legacy? Her kids and grandchildren struggle with remembering Mimi as she was, as we are constantly consumed with how she died. My hope is that creating this legacy for Mimi will help provide her grandkids with a purpose. A place to reflect on who Mimi was. A place to remember the visits to the zoo. Such as our recent trip as a family to NEW Zoo in Wisconsin.
August 20th - CABS Kids at NEW Zoo, Howard Wisconsin. Left to Right: Amanda, Tannon, Charlie, Rayne, Tiara, Dodge, Quiton, Tiffany, Chris, Dawn and Emma. Not pictured: Caleb, Devin, Monica
Our goal is set at $6,100. An amount that should help us place memorial markers at some of our favorite places to visit with Mimi. Whether that's Old McDonald's farm in Cedar Rapids, or the NEW Zoo in Green Bay, WI. We want CABS Kids to have a place to remember Mimi, where they remember how she lived and would want us to live.
Please consider a small donation of $6.10, the cost of a cab fare to a local store, in remembrance of Mom, Mimi, Catherine Ann Boyle Stickley, Century Cab Car #61.