Lila Dean – The “Reelest” Lady I Ever Knew!

I have never shared on my blog yet about my paternal Grandma Lila Dean, affectionately known as Mamo by all who knew her.   I felt like it was time to share about the “Reelest” lady I ever knew….Truly when I am asked who is a strong female role-model who had a major influence in my life she is certainly at the top of the list. I truly grew up to be such a complex byproduct of my maternal and paternal Grandmothers that it almost explains the internal struggle I have at times between being practical and down to earth and getting stuff done and setting down for a spell, spending time with family and friends and weaving a magnificent story. This could also be that I was born a cusp baby right on the line between being a Leo and a Virgo. Flamboyant or down to earth – my life long struggle; but that’s another blog post entirely.

A reader and a story-teller the two ladies were such contrasts but both held such a huge amount of influence over me Karen Lynn and I was grateful to have such a strong connection with both of them. I have already shared with you about my maternal Grandmother Norma in this post here.

Now it’s time to give Lila Dean aka “Mamo” the floor….so where do I begin she was indeed a strong female role model, she was a devout Catholic, who raised 9 children to all the way to adulthood and beyond, she was an amazing wife, mother, and friend  – all of those things are true but that’s not what I remember about her and not what stood out to me.

I remember a wide smile, green sparkly eyes, a firmness in her presence, she was resolute and Mamo’s strength came from an inner source to which I must credit to her upbringing or the fortitude that slowly develops when you have a large close knit family and she was the”glue” that held it all together.  She would spend hours fishing and taking incredible photos that were published (some) with my Grandfather “the love of her life!”  They led a happy marriage together and went on many adventures.  She was the ultimate treasure hunter and could see the “diamond” in the rough even when others could not – that my friends is the definition in my opinion of a visionary.  She never worked outside the home…her home, her family, her husband was her life.  Don’t discount that my Grandfather met her when she was young and the most beautiful woman he had ever laid eyes on.  I can only imagine although I was never told the story of how they met that one look and he was hooked…she was that magnetic.  She could cook breakfast for 16 people and never break a sweat, she would delegate to you without you even knowing how it happened.  She loved her travels and their camping and loved to share stories of all the folks they met on their journeys.

She was an incredible angler, she made an incredible fruit salad, fried apples, and she could find a gift to match the recipient like no one’s business. She had amazing intuitive skills to read people and she had a heart of gold that included a very wide circle of friends…she was inclusive to all.  I try to remember it’s the little things that folks remember about us it’s not the stuff that we get caught up in sometimes.  

I could go on and on but now you know about the “Reelest” lady I ever knew and I hope you enjoyed my post from the heart about this amazing lady and role-model in my life!

Other Inspirational posts you may enjoy by some of my wonderful blogging friends:

I wish you all a beautiful week…until next time!

Fondly,