Gail Dr
I just wanted to post some words about my mother Leona (Lee) Altman.
The other night after mom had passed I was standing in the apartment where she had lived for the past 3 years and I looked around the room. There, in front of me were not just her things, but rather some mementos of her life. There were things she shared with my father Fred and tons of photos, gifts or cards Glen or I gave her or the handmade arts and crafts projects the grandkids gave her displayed on the dining room table. There were things she bought through the years and cherished. There was Grandma Adele’s infamous silver chest with the secret drawers. These were meaningful things often overlooked each time I’d go visit her which honestly I did not think much about when I was there. Then it hit me and the tears began to flow big time… these are symbols of her life. They each contained memories and the love they brought her and keeping them was her way of showing us all how much she cared and loved us.
She talked about growing up in the Bronx on Hunts Point Ave all the time and what fun she had as a child. Even in her senior living community in Atlanta she gravitated to those NY transplants-- several from the Bronx, and shared stories about “those days!”
I admired my mother in many ways. She was a very good cook, had a great sense of humor and loved animals. I guess that’s where I got my love of animals from. Glen and I grew up with a flurry of animals of various kinds. Mom and Dad’s first dog Tammy, was their prize possession, well UNTIL I CAME ALONG! I guess it was good training in parenting for them! Mom loved to take Tammy out and about and often a freshly groomed Tammy could be seen on the subways of Manhattan sporting a pretty poodle cut and sparkling manicure. I never met Tammy but knew even as a baby I had big paws to fill! (just kidding of course)
When Tammy passed we had another poodle named Bebe. She was NO TAMMY but was basically Mom’s dog. When we moved to our home in Thousand Oaks, California we had Bebe, numerous fish, a bird named Yenta, various hamsters, and my beloved rabbit Cuddles. During the day while Glen and I were in school Mom would let the bird out of the cage to walk around near her cage and bring the rabbit inside to play with Bebe. Believe it or not our house was as clean as a whistle. She just loved these animals so much.
We had a wonderful childhood and Mom and Dad supported our love for sports, music and we took many fun trips. Mom enthusiastically taught me how to cook, make delicious matzah ball soup, brisket and other Jewish delicacies she learned from Grandma Adele. Mom loved music and had a beautiful voice and loved to sing. I got my love for music from her and my dream job was to be on Broadway in musical theater, but I had to settle for performing in high school instead. Mom and Dad were at every performance I had but I knew if I so much as made eye contact with Mom, who was in the audience, we would both break down and laugh. I don’t know why that was? She took guitar lessons and learned to play the organ both of which I later began playing as well and she enjoyed helping me learn songs and sang scales with me on the organ. This created a bond between us.
Mom and Dad were married for over 50 years and had a wonderful life together. They shared their love for family and our extended family was extremely important to them. Mom asked me to keep up with our cousins in Israel and make sure to report back to her that everyone was OK with the recent issues going on there. They enjoyed their many trips to Vegas with our aunts and uncles, and Mom and Dad enjoyed planning many Jewish holiday dinners together with everyone whenever possible. When Dad passed Mom left her home in Florida and moved to Atlanta which was a very hard thing for her to do but it made her feel safer knowing me, Mark and Ashley were nearby and Glen, Lisa, Fletcher and Mackenzie were a few hours away. Mom loved being closer to her grand dogs too, of course!!
I am glad I got to spend these years in Atlanta with her and that I could make a difference in her life. She was adored by her caregivers and the staff at the Renaissance on Peachtree loved MS. LEE very much. They’ve always told me Mom was the sweetest resident they had there and chuckled that she was so concerned about their comfort and well-being when they were there taking care of her! She always made sure there were enough chocolate bars in her fridge for them to eat. Their concern and love for each other was genuine until the very end. I could not have asked for more knowing our mom was in good hands!
Ms. Lee, MOM, I know how very scared you were these last few weeks but you are safe and at peace now. I miss you so very much and cannot thank you enough for being my mother. Keep on singing!
