Eulogy For Louise Hallas May 5,1926 – March 4, 2002
I wanted to take a few moments, on behalf of our whole family, to
honor and remember my mother. Mom was never one to make a big
deal out of herself, but when I reflect back on her life now I can see
so much to admire.
Helen Louise White was one of 11 children born to Floyd and Lillian
White. She was born in Marquand, Missouri in 1926. The family
moved to Chicago in 1930, and her mother Lillian died three years
later when Mom was only 7 years old. So her father had to raise 9
kids as a single parent during the Great Depression. Mom told us
how she went to 8 different elementary schools and she couldn’t ever
remember celebrating her birthday. But somehow Grandpa White
kept the family together, and the older kids helped to raise the
younger ones.
Mom met my father, Vernon Hallas, in 1943 while they both worked at
Sears -Roebuck. My father joined the Navy a year later, and he and
Mom were married in Seattle right after World War II. They moved
back to Chicago and started having kids.
Rich and Dave were born right away, and then Vern and I. Mom and
Dad already had 4 boys by the time they were 32. But my Dad
wanted girls, so they just kept on going. Dad liked to take home
movies, and in every one Mom was holding a baby and pregnant with
another. Jeanette, then Gale and then Kathy came along. Not long
after Kathy was born, Mom told Dad that he could have the master
bedroom for himself and his assorted pets.
It was a challenge to raise 7 kids in our little house on Panama Ave,
but somehow Mom and Dad managed. We slept in the 3 upstairs
bedrooms, the basement, the couch, and even in a car parked in front
of the house. Our garage was a studio where the older boys
practiced with their rock and roll band, and our front yard was a
baseball diamond for the neighborhood kids.
Mom would teach us to read on her lap, one-by-one. When all of us
were finally in school, Mom did childcare for other kids to make extra
money. When Mom was 50 years old, she finally got her drivers
license. She used her car to get housekeeping jobs, and she kept
working until she lost much of her sight to diabetes. But Mom never
lost her positive outlook on life, and she never worried about the
things she didn’t have. She just kept loving her family, and keeping
her sense of humor. For those of you who knew our Dad, you
understand how important it was for my Mom to not lose that sense of
humor!
Mom and Dad were married for 47 years with no grandchildren. But
then the floodgates opened, and there were 8 grandkids in the next 4
years. Mom helped watch some of them right up until this last year
when she got sick, and she loved them all.
Tom Brokaw wrote a book a few years ago called “The Greatest
Generation” about the men and women of my parents’ time. I read
about growing up in the depression, sacrificing during the war years,
and then building the greatest country in the world. I tried to relate
and understand all my Mom and Dad and others went through for our
benefit. I think it’s only recently as my kids are growing, that I can
begin to appreciate what my parents and all the parents of their
generation really accomplished.
My wife, April, and I have 2 kids and we think we have our hands full.
My Mom and Dad raised 7 with a lot less available to them. My Uncle
Ray and Aunt Betty here raised 10. Amazing, just amazing!
I’ll finish with a story from the Bible. Jesus’ disciples were arguing
with each other, and they asked Jesus who amongst them was the
greatest. Jesus said ‘the greatest among you is the servant’. My
Mom served her family, her neighbors and friends all her life. She
lived a full life, full of joy, and she knew what things were really
important. So we just want to say thanks, Mom, for showing us
what really matters. May we all pass these things on to our own
families and friends.
Thank You……