Indiana — circa early 2000s
A daughter remembers the many roles, quiet gifts, and enduring faith of her mother.
Ruth Lorraine Strand McClanahan was a lot of different people, just as we all are.
She was a baby 76 years ago, but more important than that, she was…
- A daughter to Annarose
- George Strand’s granddaughter
- A great-granddaughter
- A child
- A big sister to Karen
- A niece
- A cousin
- A college student
- A sweetheart to several young men, and then a wife to Mac McClanahan
- A sister-in-law
- A daughter-in-law
- An aunt
- A mother
But she was always a friend to many people. The Bible tells us that the name “Ruth” means friendship, and my mom was always very proud to be named after the woman in Scripture. In the story of Ruth, we see her character as generous, loyal, and loving. I believe that is an accurate description of my mom.
Dear Mom,
Thank you so much for sharing so much of your young life with me. I adored your stories about growing up in Chicago—riding the streetcars and living in what you always described as a kinder and gentler world.
You made it sound so enchanting that I always knew I would have loved being a child back then, too. As I look back on my own childhood in Indianapolis and compare it to the world my children are growing up in today, I realize that you and Dad truly did give us a kinder and gentler world.
Thank you for finding the house on Farmleigh Drive in Indianapolis—the one you bought before Dad had even seen it. You were a visionary. You knew it was the perfect house, with the right schools, the right friends, and the right environment for the three of us to grow up in. Thank you for those memories.
And speaking of memories, our holidays were filled with traditions you lovingly created and continued. Each celebration came with delicious food, special table settings, and child-made place cards that you always welcomed with grace. After dinner, we often played cards—Liverpool was the favorite for years, at a nickel a hand. Great fun. Auntie Karen still laughs about earning her $1.25 lunch money.
As the McClanahan Five, we had so much fun. Then, as we each married, you and Dad welcomed our spouses with such warmth and love. We thank God every day for Tom, Nancy, and John. And then came the grandchildren—the prince and the princess.
J.P. and Michelle—wow. No two babies could ever have entered the world more loved. And I must thank the people of Shelbyville for their patience with Dad, who was the worst at bragging about his grandchildren. With the way he talked, you would have thought he was the only one who had any.
You also shared wisdom with me, Mom. You warned me never to say, “My kid would never do that,” because you knew life has a way of humbling us.
I loved your creative side—the crafts you made and so generously gave away. You taught me many things, but most of all you taught me generosity. I was so proud of you when you learned to use the computer, and we were all blessed by your computer-generated greeting cards, invitations, and notes.
Your smile—oh, Mom—your smile, with that twinkle in your blue eyes. You loved life, and more importantly, you loved your life. You were content. You loved your friends, and you loved your family even more.
You and Dad taught us to look for the bright side, to see the glass half full, to keep smiling. Attitude is everything. Each day we choose how we greet the world. You chose joy—and you taught us to do the same.
Romans 8:25 reminds us, “But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.” And Romans 15:13 says, “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him.”
Mom, we will be patient. We will wait. And we will thank God every day for the hope we hold in our hearts. We will continue to celebrate you and your life.
Thank you, and God bless everyone.
Love forever,
Pam