The Legacy of a Godly Woman, 100 Years Later

Today, I’m thinking about important events that occurred on November 10th.

On this date, November 10, 1483, the German Theologian Martin Luther was born. His role in the Protestant Reformation makes him one of the most influential figures in religious history.

Ordained as a Catholic Priest, Luther’s study of the Bible caused to reject many cardinal Catholic teachings. He caused an international stir when he challenged Pope Leo X to a debate on his 95 Theses, which legend says he nailed to the door of All Saints’ Church in Wittenberg.

Fast forward about 500 years, and the Welsh actor Richard Burton was born on November 10, 1925, in Wales. Burton, who established himself as a formidable Shakespearean actor and is widely regarded as one of the finest actors of his generation. He was a top box-office star and one of the highest-paid performers in Hollywood at the time.

However, more important to me personally than the birth of famous people or noteworthy historical events was the birth of a baby girl in Butler County, Kentucky, on November 10, 1925 — the same day Burton was born.

That baby, Mattie Katherine Key, became my mother.

By the world’s standards, my Mom never attained fame, wealth, or notoriety. She dropped out of school in the eighth grade to help with chores at home and on the farm. When she turned 18, she moved to Indianapolis to work in a factory. There she met the man of her dreams, Roy Weliever, who worked as a guard. In 1946, they married in a small ceremony officiated by a preacher, Earl West. Soon she quit work, began a family, and worked the rest of her life as a homemaker.

She would be unknown to anyone outside of her immediate family, friends, neighbors, and church family. Yet, my Mom has made a greater difference in my life than Martin Luther, Richard Burton, or any other celebrity or famous person in history.

On this 100th anniversary of her birth, I honor the legacy she left with these memories.

My Mom was a “stay-at-home” mom.” At the time, I never thought much about it. That’s just the way it was back then. Some mothers worked outside the home, but most didn’t. So, my mom was at home in the morning to see me off to school and to be there when I arrived home to hear about my day.

My Mom was a faithful Christian. She modeled before me the way a Christian ought to live. No, she wasn’t perfect, but she was always pressing on the upward way. She put the Lord first in her life. It was seen in her commitments to church attendance, Bible reading, and daily living.

I remember many occasions of getting up for school and seeing my mother’s Bible open at the kitchen table. She had been reading and studying between the time Dad left for work and the time I had to wake up for school. That example is more powerful than any lecture on “doing your Bible reading.”

My Mom taught me right from wrong. She taught me there are some words you don’t say. She never excused the things I did that were wrong. Instead, she corrected me. Mom taught me how to treat other people. She taught me manners. She gave me a Biblical value system to live by.

My Mom taught me respect. She taught me to respect teachers, older people, and those in authority. She taught me to respect my Dad. When Dad would leave work for me to do, Mom always made a point of seeing that I carried it out the way Dad wanted.

My Mom extended hospitality to the brethren. We got to know preachers who came for meetings. We had a positive association with other Christians. I can even remember Dad bringing home someone “passing through” and Mom fixing them a meal.

My Mom was a faithful companion to my Dad. She was the perfect “helper” to him. She complimented him so well. She was a great elder’s wife, a trusted partner, and a valuable co-worker.

My Mom taught me how to work. Mom was a keeper at home and a worker at home. But not just inside the house, she worked in the garden and the field. And until I was old enough, she took care of feeding the pigs and cows. She modeled a good work ethic before me. And expected me to work.

My Mom encouraged me. She encouraged me in my activities. I remember how sore my ankles were when I ran cross-country. Every day after practice, she would prepare hot salt water for me to soak my feet in. And she always encouraged me to do my best and not to give up.

When I started giving talks as a teenager, I also preached for small churches. I vividly remember standing in the living room, using my Dad’s desk as a pulpit, practicing a lesson before an audience of one person–my mother. She always offered a constructive critique, helpful advice, and wise counsel.

Mom was an example of service to others. She was always willing to give. To share. To help others. She took meals to others, gave rides to the doctor, visited the sick, took people to church, called those who needed encouragement, and did whatever she could. My Mom was a great example of a humble, sacrificial, selfless person.

My Mom was a mom to my wife. Norma Jean always thought of her as her own mother, not a mother-in-law. That relationship was a tribute to both my mom and to Norma Jean.

My Mom passed from this life on December 29, 2009. But her memory burns bright in my heart. She was a role model of godliness, virtue, and devotion. In childhood, she instructed me. In life, she encouraged me. In death, she continues to motivate me to be a better man. Mom’s legacy lives on.

Indeed, “the memory of the righteous is blessed.”

–Ken Weliever, The Preacherman