My brother Jim and I want to thank you for coming to celebrate our Mother Eileen's life. Eileen loved life and told me numerous times in the last 2 years that she had lived a full and wonderful life. Eileen believed that she was still living because the "Good Lord" wasn't ready for her yet. She had no fears about meeting her maker and said when it was her time, she would be ready. She told me two weeks ago that she hoped that when her time did come, that she would go quickly like my Dad. She went to sleep on Monday night and passed on peacefully Tuesday without ever waking up.

My mother was an all American 4 F girl. Family, Friends, Food and Fun is what she loved and enjoyed most. In this day of remembrance it is important to recall all of the wonderful things that she experienced in her life.

Eileen was the 3rd of 5 children of Earl and Effie Ott. She was born during the Depression, and while she grew up in a family that struggled financially, they were rich in love, character and family connection. Eileen loved her family and always told great stories about her childhood. The Ott's were a close knit family that loved to have fun. Eileen and her sisters have always been very close. A family built on love stays connected throughout life. The Ott house was always abuzz with activity. Eileen grew up on Main Street and there where many kids her age that lived there. Eileen loved to play and she had many fond memories of playing with the "Main Street Gang". Rumor has it that she was quite the tomboy when she was younger. As a teenager, she loved to go to movies, rollers skate, and go to the Dewdrop Inn on summer nights with a nickel to buy an ice cream cone, soda or a pork sandwich.

The Ott girls and the boys from Holgate must have had some strong magnetic attraction, because 3 of the 4 girls married Holgate boys. Now some might think that Eileen was robbing the cradle marrying a 19 year old when she was 21. However, even cupid could not have found a greater match for these two. This was true love. Eileen and John really and truly enjoyed each other's company. They were soul mates for each others sense of adventure, humor and ambition. Both had great love of Family, Friends, Food and Fun. They really helped each other through their successes and struggles.

Eileen and John both valued family first and foremost. My parents gave my brother and myself a loving and secure childhood. One of my favorite sayings states "that a happy childhood lasts a lifetime" Thank you Eileen and thank you John for always being loving and kind to us.

Family gatherings were a cornerstone of Eileen's life. I have so many recollections of family parties and dinners at both the Ott's and Huber's. Good food, good conversations and lots of laughing were always present. All of the Ott's here share the fond memories of the sisters and Effie laughing non-stop around a dining room table, the huge holiday meals in Earl's garage and the long summer week-end parties we had at our house when were lived at the lake in Michigan. Likewise, the Huber's here remember the great gatherings at Old Grandpa John's house. Eileen and her clan had many great times socializing and card playing with Clarence & Vida's family and my Grandpa Dan.

Eileen's love of people was reflected in her many friends that she made and kept in contact with throughout her life. From the Main Street gang of her childhood to her many friends here in Napoleon, Eileen was intrigued by all types of people both young and old. She loved to have fun; friends and family were always a big part of having fun. She and John moved a few times in her life. Her moves to Michigan and Illinois meant starting anew with meeting and making friends. Her first step would be to contact Welcome Wagon and join a card club or two. A favorite story of Eileen's was asking a realtor if the neighbors in our new neighborhood were friendly. The realtor replied by asking if the neighbors in her last home were friendly? Eileen replied yes. The realtor replied that they would be here too. Friendliness attracts friendliness and Eileen was always a good friend. She regularly heard from her friends from Michigan and Illinois.

Food and Eileen were good friends. Eileen always enjoyed a good meal! She loved to cook and she loved to eat. A slow and deliberate eater, she savored her meals and was always a member of the clean plate club. I'm guessing all of the Ott girls are members of this club. She always had a treat drawer in her kitchen that was well stocked and well visited by all. Growing up, family meals were a time for my parents, brother and I to catch up on each others day. Eileen took great pleasure in going out to eat.. Fancy or fast food, Eileen would enjoy her meals with her friends and family. Eileen would have a little hip wiggle when recollecting on a favorite food or desert.

My motto with my mother was keep her well fed and warm, and Eileen was open to any adventure. One example of this was when she sat inside a warm ski lodge for 8 hours trying to catch a glimpse of Zoe and me skiing down the Oregon Mountains. In the mean time, she made several new friends inside the lodge and, as she said, she sat in the Lodge for so long, that people asked her if she worked there. She thought this was hysterically funny.

This brings me to fun! Eileen certainly liked to have fun. She and John were a great match because they both LOVED having a good time in a similar fashion. Eileen loved to go out and socialize, and she had great teachers in this department. Effie and Earl would go to the Moose and Elks to dance and drink and be merry with friends every weekend utill Earl was in his late 80's. As you know, Eileen loved to play cards, a skill that she acquired from my father. The Huber's played cards in their sleep and Eileen took to cards like a duck to water. She and John learned to play bridge when they were first married and many a bridge hand did Eileen play in her life. She loved traveling, and everything new was exciting and fun for her. Whether she was visiting the east coast with her parents as a teenager or Salt Lake City with our family when I was 10 or the Bahamas, Jamaica and Hawaii with John, or the West Coast with Annie, Zoe and I, Eileen loved gardens, restaurants and sight seeing. One of her favorite areas for fun was being with Jim, Jill, Jaimie and Eric in Chicago and visiting downtown Chicago during Christmas.

Eileen loved to celebrate life's special moments including visiting her children and grandchildren on their birthdays and decorating her home for Christmas and Easter.

During the last five years, Eileen lived her life with incredible courage, determination and grace while she faced daunting physical challenges. She inspired many of her friends and family with her positive attitude and tenacity as she not only coped but turned her lemons into lemonade over and over again. Eileen would never have thought of herself as an intellect or a teacher. However, she taught us all many of the most important and valuable lessons that life has to offer. Most importantly, she showed us that whatever cards you're dealt in the great card game of life, you can finesse it into a winning hand. All obstacles can be trumped. And Mom, you were triumphant in both life and your death. You will always be with us as we all learn to accept and enjoy the hands life deals us. Whenever we are with our families and friends, we will remember you. When we are enjoying a good meal or having a great time, you'll be with us. Your spirit will forever be etched in all of our minds.

We love you, will miss you and we know that you will be waiting for us when we come to join you.