Suzetta Pfeiffer’s first sight of America was the Statue of Liberty. She sailed from Rotterdam to Ellis Island before stepping onto New York’s chaotic streets, unable to speak English. Age 16, she had to find Central Station to buy a ticket to Muskegon, Michigan. Suze was strong, generous, supportive, and the wisest, most perceptive person I’ve ever known. She could watch a room, sitting quietly with her knitting needles clicking non-stop, and discern the concerns, motivations, and secrets of everyone in the room. Suze married Hans, and they lived life deeply in love for nearly 60 years. She was my grandmother.
Her daughter Frances dreamed of teaching and was the third of the four sisters to attend university. Frances and her sisters grew up poor in the Depression, but in her words, “Everyone was poor, so we didn’t really think about it.” The girls only got one new pair of shoes each year, so they played in last year’s shoes to keep the new shoes nice for school and church. My mother’s stories about growing up in Muskegon reminded me of the Little Rascals movies. Mom taught first grade for 33 years, proud that she taught more than 1,000 kids to read in her lifetime. She did it with such a madcap, infectious, and creative energy that she inspired a number of her students to become teachers themselves.
My wife Sue moved to Cadillac when she was seven. Her family opened one of the first Little Caesar’s pizza franchises in Michigan. Her dad ran the morning set up operation, her mom laundered uniforms every night and kept the books, and the kids ran the restaurant for nearly 15 years. Sue learned to work insanely hard, to play Euchre to win, and use available time to study. She earned a Computer Science degree with highest honors from Michigan Tech. She was a tremendous programmer, yet she gave up this career to support her three children and me when our lives got very busy.
I could write pages on the profound impact these women had on me. To know one would be lucky, but I’m blessed knowing all three. Contrasted against our modern culture of self-absorption, they all share something in common — they live(d) every day in service of others. We are surrounded by many wonderful mothers at Wolverine who know how to work hard, make due, and serve others, from “veteran” moms to Ashley Herweyer, our newest mom just this week! This Mother’s Day Sunday, find a mother, and tell her thank you. I would love to hear about the great mothers in your lives.
What a beautiful tribute, Eric! Thank you for sharing 🙂
Eric:
I learned during the last few weeks with the passing of my dad, what a strong woman my mother was. My sister was living in Alaska the summer my mom left my dad. She sent me to visit my sister for a few weeks so I didn’t have to go through what she was going to go through. I flew out of Iowa and back to Michigan. I remember that day very well, of course at the time not knowing what was going on, but my dad waving good-bye to me at the airport as I boarded the plane. He was crying. My Aunt told my sister and I that my mom came back to Michigan on the ferry across Lake Michigan and my Aunt picked her up in Ludington. My Aunt tells us now that all she had was the clothes on her back. We lived with my grandparents until she saved enough money for us to get an apartment of our own. She worked really hard and eventually purchased a home for us. I think she did a great job of raising me, giving me the opportunity to go to school and providing me with a beautiful wedding. Dave always tells people, he had the best mother-in-law a son-in-law could ask for. My boys loved her so much. She taught both of them how to swim and now Scott has taught his girls to swim. Like your mom, she was taken from us way to soon. Mother’s Day is very hard for me. I miss her a lot!