  

This is your cousin, Joe Ratermann, and I'm writing because I heard that your wonderful mother and my aunt passed away. No doubt, there is probably some relief in knowing that Muggs is free from the many pains and problems that accompany such an old age, but it is also sad because our world is lessened with the loss of such a positive and remarkable woman.

 

I will always remember Muggs as the aunt with the unconditional warmth in her treatment of everyone I saw her come in contact with, especially with me, the other kids, and the Farnsworth family. I loved hearing her unique style of speaking with its Czech-Bohemian accent. To me, her accent was the embodiment of  friendly, caring speech, and I always felt uplifted after encountering Aunt Muggs.

 

I hope you and your brothers and sisters as well as Ed are able to embrace the beauty that she embodies and continue the legacy of love that she has left behind.

 

My condolences and appreciation,

Joe


First of all, I apologize that I am sending this via email as it seems so impersonal. However, at the moment, I'm living and teaching English at a university in the middle of Guinea, West Africa, a country that has no postal service. Writing you is too important to put off until I have the opportunity to send a card, thus the email.

I am so sorry about the loss of your mom and to you Ed, for the loss of your best friend and wife. While it was expected, that certainly doesn't make it easier. The finality of death is dramatic, but if I have to find the good in death, it is that it forces us to reflect on the deceased. And that is what I have done with Muggs.

In trying to come up with the best adjective to come up with to describe your mom (wife), I had the joy of revisiting our brief times together. The picture that keeps flashing through my mind is of her humble smile, her elbows bent at right angles with her hands clasped in front of her, being happy in the moment. She was always happy, perhaps because she realized she had an incredible family. I so respect the pride she felt in each one of you, a pride and love that couldn't be contained in just your every day names; instead she had to create your 'love' names:  Lump Lump, Nanny Goat, Casper, Buster Boy....I suppose Marian, Robert and Richard had such names, too, but they escape me now. The last time I saw her was at Richard's wedding in Reno. She was so welcoming (with her elbows at right angles and her hands clasped!) again in her quiet, humble way. As I write this I'm finding the adjective that keeps coming to my mind is 'humble' and 'content.' I loved the Bohemian in her, the nasal way she said words like "yams," "yeah, yeah, uh huh, uh huh..." and how she (and her sisters) would draw out words when they talked together (and when the Bohemian came out in all of them!) That part of our history is gone, as Aunt Marion doesn't have anyone to talk "Bohemian" with any more. Oh, I am so sorry to lose those beautiful sounds.

Your mom was a uniquely simple woman, a woman who didn't need money to make her happy, but rather who took pleasure in simple activities (such as collecting cans for the poor)! What a lovely gift! But I believe her most special gift is the aforementioned love and pride she had for each one of you. It was so tangible and so honest. I wish you all the best learning how to live without your mom (wife) and while it seems like a cliche to say she'll be with you always whenever you choose to have her, it is so true. My sister, Tricia, just emailed the other day (and has probably emailed you this same thing), that in the Mexican tradition a person dies three deaths: the first is the physical one, the second is when the person is buried and the third - and last - is when the last person who knows the deceased dies. So you still have her around, as she's not dead yet.

Thanks for helping make your mom who she was, a good, loving woman, my sweet Aunt Muggs.

Love, Gina

With love and sympathy.  Margaret was the nicest, kindest person, and she will be sorely missed.  Richard & Shirley Hansen

We enjoyed the photos.  She will be missed at St. Lawrence and at the 5:00 p.m. mass.  We pray for her soul, may she rest in peace in heaven with God.
Stan and Anna Spence

OBITUARY

Margaret A Hansen

April 5, 1921 – March 11, 2012

Lima Family Santa Clara Mortuary

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