Memories of Mama: A Tribute to My Grandmother
“Where should we start?” she asks while rocking in her rocking chair, sipping her tea, with both her dogs curled around her feet. “At the beginning, I suppose”, I reply.
And so it begins.
It was the spring of 1922; May 27th to be exact. At a little house near “The Forks”, where the Cains and Miramichi rivers meet at Howard, Ella and William Colford welcomed their second child, a daughter, Noreen Mary.
Noreen would be the second of seven children. Marguerite, born a year earlier, followed by five younger siblings: Patricia, Mary, Doris, Ernest, who was born deaf and mute, and Basil.
Times were tough for the Colford family, but their spirits were always high. They made the best with what they had and their house was always filled with love. The girls all slept in one bed, the boys in another. Their beds, straw mattresses, lay on the wooden floor.
The children often played in the sand, making mud cakes, and playing hopscotch. They’d come home to a supper of bread and molasses and a glass of milk.
Christmastime was always a special time. The tree would be trimmed with red and white yarn and tea lead. The kids would all receive an orange and an apple, and sometimes a bag of candy for their presents.
These were the “good old days”, as she calls them.
A few years later, Noreen started school in a one-room schoolhouse where one teacher taught six grades. During the warmer months, the teacher would take the students outside to play ball, and in the winter, they would go sliding. The school was heated by a woodstove in the center of the room, with oil lamps providing light. The students all had slates and chalk to do their work on.
As a student, Noreen loved reading, although she didn’t care much for the other subjects. On a cool fall day, Noreen and a fellow classmate, Henry Colford, saw the doctor coming with vaccinations, and ran out the schoolhouse door and jumped over the school fence, not stopping until they got home, frightened of getting a needle.
In her teens, Noreen would pole her father’s canoe up the Miramichi River and Cains River and sail down in the evening. She would do this often. Sometimes, she would sail down the river lying down, and people thinking it was empty, would chase down the river trying to stop it.
On November 26, 1940, at the age of eighteen, Noreen married Joseph Keenan and moved to Keenan Siding. Here she gave birth to the first of twelve children, a stillborn girl named Rose Marie. A year later, a healthy baby boy, Billy was born, followed by daughters Theresa, Louise, Mary Ellen, Margaret (Peggy), and Josephine. After another stillborn son, Joseph Thomas, Joseph Jr. was born, followed by Daniel, Ernest and Mark. Life was going well for Noreen, Joseph and their ten children. The children would spend their days swimming in the river, playing in the sand, picking berries with their mother and fishing with their father. By 1969, two of their children had married and moved out. Then, on his way to work, on August 25, Noreen’s husband Joseph passed away. She was left with eight children to raise on her own.
The following years were hard, to say the least. Noreen would stay up all night splitting wood and keeping the fire burning so the kids would be warm, before sending them off to school in the morning. There were times when the house was so cold that the tea in the teapot would be frozen.
The responsibilities she shared with her husband now belonged to her. Splitting wood, milking the cow, churning butter, and carrying water from the spring to drink, clean and scrub clothes in, were just a few of the daily chores she faced on her own. No matter how hard the work, she always pulled through it.
As the years passed on, her children grew older, married and moved out. Her sister Marguerite passed away and her brother Ernie was killed in a tragic accident while riding his bike and in 1994, Noreen was diagnosed with throat cancer. For thirty weeks, she received radiation treatments. Prayer kept her spirits up during the good days and the bad days. After thirty treatments, the cancer was cured.
Now in her mid-eighties, Noreen is as strong and active as ever. Always on the go, you’d be hard-pressed not to find her sitting at the front table at Nine Pine on Thursday nights, listening to the local talent and chatting with friends. Though many things have changed over the years, some things have remained constant; her love of life and her family; her strength to overcome any obstacle thrown her way; and her ever-lasting faith. The glue that holds her family together, I’m proud to call her my Grandmother.
I wrote the story above back in 2009 for a local magazine, Bread ‘n Molasses. I remember bringing Gram a copy of the magazine when it was published and seeing her eyes light up as she flipped through the pages looking for her life story; a life filled with many ups and downs. Despite her trials and tribulations, her strong will always pulled her through the tough times.
Gram and I at the Keenan Christmas party, December 2009.
My Gram and I had a special bond. Throughout my school years I spent most weekends at her house, switching off with my sister Jennifer who stayed with her during the week. My Gram didn’t like to stay alone, although she eventually did as we got older.
Around 2010, Gram’s health started to decline. She didn’t get out as much as she used to, which was hard for her. The Thursday nights she spent at Nine Pine became less frequent. Every Tuesday you’d find her at Trio Pizza having the fish ‘n chip special… these visits too became rare. Eventually she became dependent on an oxygen tank. Restrictive at first, she accepted this as her new normal. She started going for drives again, and going out if she felt up to it. She was a hard one to keep down.
On March 4, 2012 Gram called me to pick up a fish ‘n chip for her at Trio. This was a Sunday night – a night I always stayed with her until Judy, her night worker, showed up, but for some reason or other, I wasn’t able to stay. My uncle Junior took my place that night. When I showed up with her takeout, I remember her trying to slip $10 in my pocket for the food. Although she always tried, I would never take money from her. 
She told me that if I didn’t take it she wouldn’t ask me again, but I refused and told her ‘next time’. I gave her a hug and told her I’d see her tomorrow. Tomorrow never came. Monday morning, March 5, my Gram passed away at home. My heart was broken. All these years later, it still is. Time may heal all wounds, but the scar remains.
Gram was known as Mama to many. It didn’t matter if you were family or not or even if you knew her closely. After her death, people would approach me and tell me stories of ‘Mama’. I had never fully realized how many people she had touched. She was a special lady.
Driving through Keenan’s just isn’t the same anymore. The house sits empty, the driveway unplowed – a sad reminder that the home that once was filled with so much love and laughter is now just an empty shell of what once was. All we have left now are the fond memories of Mama.
UPDATE: This story was originally written on March 5, 2014. Gram’s house is no longer standing. To read more about her home and my memories as a child there, click here to read The House That Built Me – Memories of My Grandmother’s Home in Keenans.
Love this story. Have Keenans and Colfords in my family’s background (Hambrook, McEvoy, McGinnis, etc.) and just love hearing these contemporaneous stories that put all these relationships and people and familiar last names into better context. Thanks for a great story.
With tears in my eyes, this touch my heart. She was truly blessed to be so loved. I see that same spirit in you Leslie, she would be very proud of the young man you are. Very special.
I so enjoyed reading your tribute,She was one special lady.
She was a very special lady
Very, very nice…. Thanks for sharing!
Great tribute to your grandmother… she was very special..she would be so proud of you..
Very touching. That wonderful smile. Always loved going there, me and mommy. How time changes. Now you have me crying
So very Beautiful. May You Rest In Peace, Mama Noreen.
That was so nice.
This is a beautiful tribute to your grandmother
Beautiful!! You did an amazing job Les McLaughlin
This is beautiful
A beautiful tribute in your Grandmother’s memory.
What an incredibly beautiful tribute to you grandmother Les. As we are cousins, I am always interested in adding more stories etc to my family tree, which I keep private except for family members who may wish for me to share. With your permission, may I add yours to mine?
Sure Patsy, feel free to share. Thanks for the comments. I appreciate them.
That’s a beautiful picture of her! It sounds like she had a life to aspire to.
RT @BlackvilleNB: Memories of Mama – A tribute to my grandmother Noreen on the third anniversary of her death : http://t.co/0uPLnLTGTC
I can’t believe that it’s been this long already. I miss you to pieces grammy, you were my biggest inspiration, so kind, so loving. It still hurts every time we go back to Blackville, and sometimes I forget for just a few minutes until we don’t instinctively drive to your house. It’s so different, your memory will live on for all of eternity because you were -you are- that amazing. People say that time heals all wounds, but it doesn’t make today any easier… I love you so much gram. Rest in paradise, I know you’re in a better place now. Until we meet again xo
A beautiful tribute to a wonderful lady.
She was such a special lady xo
This is a story that my cousin, Les McLaughlin wrote about our Grammie. Les, I love this story. Thank you for sharing it again. Miss you Gram. Love you to the moon and back…
Such a great woman and love the tribute for her.
Miss you Noreen
Beautiful… absolutely beautiful tribute of a wonderful lady!
A wonderful heart warming story. This World is badly in need of women/people like her. She was the salt of the Earth. A great job well done Les, putting the story together with all the fringe work. Kudos to you.
What a special tribute and a wonderful read.
She was one of a kind. Great story.
Wonderful tribute….thank you so much for posting.
Les you do a great job
RT @BlackvilleNB: Memories of Mama – A tribute to my grandmother Noreen on the second anniversary of her death: http://t.co/0uPLnLCDRC
Wow, Beautiful
Very nice. Les it says so much about her. She was special,for sure.
So nice! Great job Leslie!
That was the most touching story I ever read. Noreen was a very special lady. Just to be loved so much by all her children and grandkids is proof. I just pray we all should be as loved as Noreen. God bless all of you!
Very nice and touching. She was well loved.
You laid your heart in this story of “Gram”. Beautiful.
This was awesome to read… she was a beautiful aunt & a great help to my momma xo
Leslie this is a lovely tribute to Noreen!
Very nice Les. Love and miss you Mama.
Thanks for sharing. Noreen was my cousin. Beautiful touching tribute to a strong lady who endured life’s trials with a smile. RIP Noreen.
Les did a great job on this even though it made me cry.
Such beautiful words for a beautiful woman…and he is right… Keenan’s will never be the same without those lovely ladies.
Beautiful you have all these great memories xoxo that will be with you always .
OMG Les you did a beautiful job. Sure is something to treasure.
Always loved to hear the stories about mama! She produced some pretty special people! Obviously that hard work paid off!!
Beautiful and very moving.
I miss my Grammy Keenan
A beautiful tribute to a very special lady. Always so sweet.
Wow, amazing job Les
Stunning!
Omg I love this xo
Les this is phenomenal. I feel so honored and privileged, to have been welcomed into such a wonderful Family. Headed by such an extraordinary Lady. It is quite obvious where you all have inherited such a Loving trait, of Family bonding. ~~ RIP Noreen~~ Love you and miss you ~~ <3
What an amazing woman
Oh My!!! This says it all straight from her heart through yours Les McLaughlin.
This is amazing, I miss you Gram
Amazing job. I’m in tears xo
Beautiful Les. She was a very special lady. I delivered a few meals on wheels to her.
She was a very special lady, that was great Les. Love the picture of you and her.
Les this is so nice, Gram would really like this. Forever in my heart Gram~ Love and miss you lots!!
Beautiful story and video of a beautiful lady. You did a great job Les.
This is absolutely beautiful! What a treasure! The beautiful story and the video is just wonderful! What a great lady she was!
Read the story and it was one of the most beautiful and touching stories I’ve ever read. You are lucky to have this!
This is a beautiful tribute to your grandmother, a sweet beautiful person!
Beautiful.
Wow so beautiful she was such a wonderful person
This is an amazing tribute to my Gram, who passed away 2 years ago, by my cousin Les. She was strong, loving and a free spirit. She lives on in all her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Great job Les
Cannot believe it’s been two years since I last seen your smiling face. Not a day goes by that I don’t think of you. Love and miss you more and more each day Gram.
What a beautiful tribute……..well done!
A beautiful tribute for a beautiful lady……..well done
Miss you Gram… Sometimes I still feel your arms around me and see your beautiful smile…
This woman was one of the strongest women I know…. miss her more and more every day!!!!!!!! You did a beautiful job Les McLaughlin!!!!!!
My beautiful Gram. She passed away 2 years ago today. Les , you did an amazing job on this. Love you forever Gram.
Nice article.
What a loving tribute to your Gram, Leslie!! Well done!!!!!!!!
Thanks so much for sharing Les. A beautiful tribute to a beautiful person, so lucky to call her Gram <3
Beautiful Leslie, brought tears to my eyes. I remember staying with Jennifer when we were in school at Noreen’s playing cards with her and Beatrice 🙂 Those were the good old days for us! She was a lovely lady.
A Great example for us all!!
Wow! What a tribute!
Amazing, she will always be missed.
Beautiful Les. She was a beautiful person.
Very nice Les <3
Wow! This is such an amazing and true tribute to Gram. It shows where she got her strength, her love for us and her free spirit. I think she leaves such a whole in our lives because she was such a big part of who we all are. I am so thankful that you shared this Les. Someday I will even watch the video. <3
A wonderful tribute Les to a wonderful lady. Thank you Les.
Thanks for the comments Sylvia. She is missed.