I always enjoy coming across a gallery of photos of celebrities with their mothers. It’s always interesting to find out whose mother is who, especially when the pair in question look nothing alike, or perhaps exemplified very different screen personas. I remember being astounded when I discovered that Debbie Reynolds was Carrie Fisher’s mom and having the same reaction when I realized that Jayne Mansfield was the mother of Mariska Hargitay, though admittedly they do bear more of a resemblance to one another.
Many mothers have traversed the canvas of history and left their indelible mark upon not only the lives of their own children, but also upon the lives of those who study and follow them. I’ve compiled a list of just a noteworthy few and their achievements and legacies, most of which were accomplished while they themselves were busy having and raising children of their own!
Abigail Adams – First Lady of the United States
Abigail Adams was the wife of the second U. S. president, John Adams, and the mother of the sixth president, John Quincy Adams. During her lifetime and the nascency of the United States, she not only bore and raised five children of her own, but also cared for and raised others, including some of her grandchildren. Her husband’s busy career often kept him away from home, so Abigail Adams managed the family farm and raised and educated her children mainly as a single parent. A staunch supporter of education, particularly for women and slaves, Mrs. Adams famously wrote to her husband in 1776: “Remember the ladies, and be more generous and favorable to them than your ancestors. Do not put such unlimited power into the hands of the husbands.”
Marie Curie – Physicist and Chemist, Nobel Prize winner
Known for her vast achievements, which include the development of the theory of radioactivity, techniques for isolating radioactive isotopes and the discovery of two elements, polonium and radium, physicist and chemist Marie Curie was indeed a busy mom. After the untimely death of her husband (chemist Pierre Curie), Madame Curie was left to raise her two young daughters alone. A native of Poland, Curie ensured that her daughters would absorb as much of the culture of that country as possible. She taught them the Polish language and took them on visits to Poland. One of only four people to win the Nobel prize twice in her lifetime, Curie lived to see her daughter Iréne win a Nobel Prize in Chemistry as well.
Maria von Trapp – Teacher, Refugee, Singer, Author
Perhaps the most indefatigable mother I can think of in the pages of modern history is this lady, who came from Austria and who had originally intended to become a nun. After joining the household of Baron von Trapp as a temporary teacher for one of his daughters, Maria became the stepmother to Georg von Trapp’s seven children when she married him in 1927. They had two more children together before fleeing Nazi-occupied Austria to settle in America. Maria was pregnant with her third child during this time and recounts, often humorously, the many trials and triumphs that she and her family experienced as refugees in her book, The Story of the von Trapp Family Singers.
More Mother’s Day Fun!
Mother's Day is this Sunday, and here at The Weimer Group we are having a special giveaway! Enter to win by posting four words or less that describe that special woman in your life, or how you feel about her. We will draw the winning name on Thursday afternoon for a chance to win the candle holders, and a $25 WaWa gift card. Show your love for the special Mom in your life!
Are her insurance needs covered and up to date? Does she own property? Has her life situation changed recently? Did she buy or sell an automobile? Check in with us at either our Perkasie 215-257-9171 or Harleysville 215-723-9805 locations and one of our agents will be happy to go over any questions you may have about Mom. Let’s honor our amazing mothers and make sure they have the insurance that they need. Contact The Weimer Group today!