Her Mother died when she was just 20 years old, three weeks before I, her eldest of 3 sons, was born. She had a difficult relationship with her father and I think that this hindered her relationship with God.
In her 30's she had a gallstone operation. A stone was left behind and was found years later having blocked her liver. In the end this killed her. A little unfair for a woman who almost never drunk alcohol to die of a liver complaint.
My Mum could certainly hold a grudge for years, while still being able to be civil to the person (in most cases), to the point that they may not have even known. But she could also be very charitable. She never really got on with her first Mother-in-law, my Nan and had no contact with her for years once she and my Father divorced. Then one day when my brother was unable to go on a planned visit to Nan, Mum went to let her know, went in for a coffee and struck up a friendship. When Nan had a stroke my Mum helped find her a home, visited her and took her out on day trips. Work colleagues could not believe it, "your taking your ex-Mother-in-law out for the day!"
In September 2016 we went Oxford for a day out and met up with Father Udris who is looking into the Cause of GK Chesterton. Father recieved high praise from my Mother when we arrived home and she said to my brother-in-law that "He was a very nice Priest, if I was going to convert it would be with someone like that, NOT that I'm going to anyway." She didn't say it within my hearing!
She died on the 13th January 2017, the 20th Anniversary of the founding of The Good Counsel Network, which she had supported financially for a number of years, despite not being totally Pro-Life herself. One of my brothers, his girlfriend and myself had just left the hospital to get some sleep while my Wife and son stayed with Mum when she died.
Please keep my Mum in your prayers as I don't think most of her side of the Family will do so.
