Brandon Twp.-Nora Larsen has seen the joys and sorrows of motherhood in her long life.
Larsen, 98, watched her own mother’s trials and has had many of her own, almost losing her life giving birth, seeing one child go off to war, and outliving both sons.
But Larsen has also seen the joys of being a mother and the rewards of becoming a grandmother, great-grandmother and great-great grandmother.
Born in Sanilac County on Sept. 27, 1906, Larsen’s early years were spent on a farm. She remembers her mother as hard-working. When her parents purchased the land, only five acres were cleared. They cleared the other 75 acres themselves on which they grew oats, beans, wheat and clover and had eight cows.
Larsen walked two miles to school and her parents took her and her three sisters to a Mennonite church using a horse and buggy.
‘Electricity? We didn’t even know what electricity was,? scoffs Larsen. ‘We had a kerosene lamp, but couldn’t carry it upstairs. My Dad was afraid of fire.?
When she was 13, the family moved to Port Huron. She remembers it as ‘a bad time.? Her mother was ill, suffering with a kidney condition and Larsen herself became sick with appendicitis.
Of her childhood, Larsen said she most remembers obedience.
‘You didn’t backtalk, you did as you were told,? she said. ‘We were loved.?
Larsen married Gordon Considine in 1926 and began her own family, giving birth first to son James in 1927 and then William in 1930. Both pregnancies and deliveries were difficult.
‘I almost died delivering my second child,? Larsen said. ‘They gave us last rites because they didn’t think we were going to live.?
Larsen went through some difficult times, too, when her children were small. During the Great Depression, Larsen worked whenever she was needed in a dry goods store. She remembers vividly how her son Bill, 3 at the time, would cry when she left for work.
‘I’d tell him ‘Momma has to go to work, or we won’t have any bread,?? she said. ‘I came home from work that day and he was looking all over and said, ‘Where’s the bread???
She recalled another time her husband, a printer who was out of work, heard they were selling chickens in downtown Pontiac for 25 cents. He walked five miles on an October day to get one for Sunday dinner. Larsen dressed it and put it in a kettle outside to keep it cold. Someone stole the chicken.
‘I cried and cried,? Larsen said. ‘Gordon wasn’t mad, I cried too much.?
Larsen was proud of her sons, noting they both served their country. James was a Marine and William was in the Army and served in Korea.
‘For three months I didn’t know if he was dead or alive,? Larsen said, her voice breaking. ‘My heart aches so when I hear of another soldier killed in Iraq. I can’t bear it. I think of how many homes are empty of a Daddy or a son or a daughter.?
Tearing up at painful memories of her sons, she abruptly changes the subject. ‘I want to talk about my grandchildren,? she says.
Larsen has seven grandchildren? Bob, Jim, John, Ken, Susan, James, Jr. and Nancy. She also has seven great-grandchildren and two great-great grandchildren. Of the latter, she says, ‘They’re tiny, but they’re cute.?
Larsen calls her grandchildren ‘the light of my life.? They would often spend the night with her and liked going to Grandma’s house.
‘Being a Grandma is a wonderful experience,? Larsen said. ‘They’ve all been kind and never miss a chance to say, ‘I love you, Grandma.??
Larsen laments that people don’t seem to have time like they used to. She believes they need to slow down, enjoy life more and be grateful for what they have. Larsen expresses gratitude for her family and the home her daughter-in-law Marilyn Considine shares with her. Throughout the conversation, she repeats how grateful she is for Marilyn and her home.
Considine replies that she is just giving back some of what Larsen has given her.
‘She gave a lot to us,? she said. ‘She helped when the kids were young and my husband was sick. It was my privilege to help.?
Larsen married her second husband Carl Larsen at the age of 71, 15 years after her first husband died. She was married to Carl for 20 years before his death. They were married for 20 years before his death.
Larsen, who has congestive heart failure, says she is not afraid of death.
‘I’ve finished the race,? she says. ‘I’m going to heaven.?
On Mother’s Day, she won’t get a card from her sons, who have gone on before her. But, she has a card in a drawer that she treasures. She recites from memory what it says:
‘Mom, I love you.?