MOTHER THE MUSICIAN

On this Mother's Day I remember my mother, Hazel Grosenbaugh, as I never thought I would: as a member of a band's rhythm section. That's her in the photo playing her maracas with the Wooster, Ohio, Senior Center Kazoo Band. The other half of the section is my father, Louis Grosenbaugh, who beat out rhythm on a small drum they had bought me as a child. I was privileged to hear a concert by that band which was probably the last in which my parents were involved. My parents were very involved in the Senior Center's activities. In fact, mother was in charge of collecting money for the weekly flea market which she continued after father died about a month after the photo was taken in 1989. Less than a year later, and a week after Mother's Day 1990, mother came home from a busy day at the flea market, went to sleep and died sometime during the night. I can just visualize an angel coming down and calling her to once again complete the Grosenbaugh rhythm section which is accompanying the harp band in heaven. Bless you Mom and keep on shaking.