Just wanted to post
Tonight at 8:30, my mother, Emelia, passed. Had driven down to hospice today to see her with her cat in tow. He laid in her arm while she lay unconscious as family sat nearby. After we all left, she passed. It was a difficult struggle for her for the last five days while her mind/spirit and body fought with each other but in the end, her body was tired and won. She had suffered a massive stroke on Friday the 13th in January that left her paralyzed on her right side and silenced her ability to speak.
NE Minneapolis is all the poorer for her passing. She worked with Sen. Pogemiller, City Council member Walt Dziedzic and many many others on projects. She gave her heart to NE. She was NE. In fact, I had started to affectionately call her the Queen of NE. No one knew the secrets of some of the history there as much as she did. She shared it with new artists that had moved to the area, with committees she served on and projects that she worked on including the ethnic signage on the Broadway/Central Bridge.
She was the Secretary of the NE Neighborhood Association for many years. She worked on the Quarry Project. She connected me with City Planners and others in order that I could find out that they were demolishing five artists buildings in Downtown, so that I could tell them in advance and then work with local Government to pave the way for the artists to move NE Minneapolis. She taught me well and gave me many tools politically that enabled me to contribute to my City. My birth home.
Minneapolis has lost someone tonight that gave their everything. I have lost not only my mother but someone who planted the seed of passion for purpose. For what is right......
Just wanted to post......
= new reply since forum marked as read
Your mother sounds like a real nice woman.
We are the poorer for her passing and the richer for her having been here. I wish I had known her.
As a NordEaster, I just love those pieces of community you mention, especially the bridge signage - it's 3 blocks or so from my house, I see it all the time.
