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"I've Never Done That Before"
Appreciation for Clara V. Lokiec

Today she is 84 years old, robbed of memory by a decade-long struggle with Alzheimer's, but still strong in spirit and warm in sweet affection.

Today she wanders. But, oh, there has been a lifetime of determined steps that never faltered no matter how difficult the challenge.

Today she seems really quite clueless, unable to identify her children, grandchildren, or even herself.

But oh, I will remember her words of wisdom, her admonitions, her endless encouragement.

Clara Lokiec, my mother and my (s)hero, has been a source of inspiration for me and for countless others. What she has forgotten, I will remember and treasure.

I will remember that she was forced to drop out of school after the 8th grade to make money for her Polish immigrant family, but that she grew to be widely read and traveled, a whiz at crosswords, and a lifelong learner. She had high expectations for the academic success of her children and we knew that diligence and hard work were fundamental expectations.

I will remember that she was truly a "Rosie the Riveter"—climbing over the wings of airplanes in the factory while my dad earned seven battle stars in the European theater.

I will remember that she was a city girl who learned to feed the chickens and chase the cows when the decision was made to give the children a healthier life in the country. For Clara, the phrase, "I've never done that before," was an opportunity, not an obstacle.

I will remember that she was a woman of spirit and humor. Impatient with my father's good intentions to begin construction of a new kitchen on the dilapidated farmhouse they had purchased, she kept my sister home from high school one day. Armed with crowbars, the two of them tore off the back of the house. When my father came home from work, she announced that reconstruction was ready to begin.

I will remember that she was so thankful for the gift of her own children, she opened her home and her arms to a string of foster children over the course of more than 30 years. She loved her family, her community, her church, and her country. And she worked to serve them all.

Today, Clara has lost all of her words, but I am thankful for the opportunity to use these few lines to introduce you to a remarkable woman—my role model, my mentor, my mother.

—Submitted by Christine M. Hammond, Ph.D.
   State Coordinator, Michigan-ACE Network