The responses vary on what makes a mother cool or wonderful. Whether it be because she always buys her kid ice cream (as Darryn Price says about her mama, Alisa) or because she "maintains the wisdom and grace of a woman well-versed in all critical matters of life and love" (as Morgan Jones says about his mother, Mary), the idea of what makes a mother great is flexible. Regardless, these seven women, quite simply, have got it going on. And what's better—their kids actually recognize how lucky they are.
Carolyn Dennis
53, Founder and Managing Member,
The Jolivette Group, LLC, an independent consultancy.
"No matter what the situation, my mom always looks for that silver lining. Back in 2002, I decided to return to school and get that degree. My mother never said, 'Don't do it.' She has stood by my side and helps me in every way she can. She is a wonderful grandmother to my two kids—Carolyn, age 15 (we call her Carolyn Jr.), and Gabriel, age 9—and she does for them what I cannot do when times get hard. I truly believe that without her I would not have been able to complete school (I graduate with a BA on May 7). She is my angel, and she will always have my love, respect and honor."
— Andrea Dennis, 33, Student at Jackson State and a student assistant with the Mississippi Learning Institute
"I have never known anyone that can react so well under pressure. I should know because I have put a lot on her. She has an ability to always come in the clutch. I have never met anyone else that has never messed up in the big situation. She has been a mother and grandmother simultaneously and has done both perfectly. She has been such a strong force for me while I am all the way in North Carolina. She sends me goody boxes constantly and has, for the most part, been able to leave me alone when I need her to, which I know is very hard to do. All in all, I'd say she's the best mom in the world."
— David Dennis, 19, Freshman at Davidson College, N.C. (not pictured)
"It is quite hard to narrow down to just three sentences why my mom is the best and we love her so much. She has been a mother and father to us for a long time. She has taught us how to keep our heads up and to bounce back. She has enforced that we should never focus on the negative but to dust ourselves off and continue on with our lives. She has always forgiven us and helped us even though we have been dumb and stupid. When we are down, she always gives us the love we need to get up and move on. She knows when we need tough love and when we need to be babied. When we were growing up, she always went without so we had. She has shown me how to be a strong,black woman who can make it through anything with a lesson learned on the other side. Her favorite saying is that the definition of insanity is doing the same things and expecting a different result."
— Stacie Dennis, 27
Patsy Langford
79
"I confess that it took me well into adulthood to appreciate her fully, and to understand that she's cool in so many ways. But that's standard operating procedure for family dynamics, right? Mom raised four children, all of whom have stayed out of jail (so far!) and, honestly, are pretty decent folks with good families trying to do good things in their communities. Mom tells the story of coming here from her native Virginia in 1955, crying all the way. Now, even though she remains hotly critical of the negative "isms" that we're still working through here, she's one of Mississippi's staunchest defenders. Her lifelong interest in community and political issues certainly rubbed off on her sons and daughter, and that's way cool. I think what she taught me best, though, besides to bend my knees when I hit a tennis forehand, is that it's absolutely vital that we strive to be kind and faithful to each other, starting first with family, then taking that out into the community. I don't necessarily do that all day long every day, but Mom sure set that example most of the time.
— Robert Langford, 41, Executive Director, Operation Shoestring
"Momma moved down here with my daddy (Herbert G Langford, M.D., d.1991) in 1955 at age 28 or 29, had us all at the University Hopital and somehow taught us to love Mississippi—but not blindly—to want to make a difference in the world and somehow to maintain a respect for the goodness of all people, even the ones who acted/act hateful. I love her sense of humor/irony, her sense of style, her love of animals and the natural world. She was an accomplished competitive athlete into her 60s and is a passionate gardener. She's a devoted grandmother and has nurtured and maintained long-lasting friendships with folks of all ages all over the world. Last week, I came across a sweater she had knitted through my last season of high school basketball. She traveled all over the state that winter, supporting us, yelling at the refs and knitting that sweater. I'm looking at 40 now, and she's almost 80. I love her so much it hurts, and I'm prouder all the time of what an amazing woman she is. She's the best, and I'm lucky to have her as my momma."
—Ellen Langford, 37, Artist
Alisa Price
32, Admissions Associate for Virginia College
Her youngest child, Gabriel, is only 1, so he can't attest to how great his mom is yet. But Darryn, 4, asserts, "She buys me ice cream. She always buys me something. She's my mommy, so she takes care of me. We always play freeze. She loves me, and she's really pretty."
Merrill McKewen
49, Consultant
"She lets us and all of our friends call her Mo—how cool is that? She raised us right—from the get-go. My sister and I both had incredible childhoods, all thanks to her. As we grew, she let us become our own people and never made us feel that one path of thought or lifestyle was more righteous than another. We were able to actually talk to her: mother to daughter, adult to adult, friend to friend. She was there, and we always knew that she would listen. I know most young adults don't want to be like their parents when they grow up, but I think if I turn out anything like her, I'll be doing pretty good."
— Erin McKewen, 19
"My mother is an incredible person for so many reasons. As a single mom, she has taught the two of us the importance of responsibility and independence. Since we were young, she has given my sister and me the space and love needed for us to develop and come into our own. She is always there for us, no matter what it takes. She works hard to allow us to take advantage of all the opportunities presented to us and to make sure we are never in need. There are not enough days in a year to show my appreciation for the gifts she has given me but she definitely deserves a day just for her."
— Augusta McKewen, 17
Victoria Taylor
53, Project Specialist with Access to Care Study, UMC
Victoria Taylor has five amazing children who respect and admire her. Her oldest daughter, Tina, 26, is currently working on her master's degree for counseling rehabilitation at Alabama A & M. "I love my mom; she's been there for me when I had no one else to turn to," she said. Her second oldest daughter, Tammi, 24, is working on her Ph.D for microbiology at Indiana University School of Medicine. She told us that her mother "instills on them the importance of hard work and education." And we agree! Each of Taylor's children works and attends school.
Emmitt, 23, is pursuing his business and finance degree and attending culinary school at Hinds Community College. He describes his mom as "the most wonderful mother on the planet." Tracey, 21, dubbs her mom a "woman of her word" and a "woman who possesses unique qualities." She adds, "She's smart, determined and very giving." Tracey is currently working on her B.S. in education at Jackson State University.
Victoria's youngest son, Mike, 19, is presently working on his B.A. in accounting. He expressed much gratitude when he said, "Through everything that has happened with our family, she has always been there."
Edna Earle Henderson
79
"Since we started living together in June 2001, we have been on an unspoken but thoroughly enjoyed mission of satisfying Mama's curiosity about life. There's live music—Raphael Semmes, eZra Brown, Eddie Cotton, The Vamps and Eric Stracener. And oh how she loves JFP karaoke at Hal & Mal's, with singers like Todd, Tony DiFatta, Chuck Tucker and the great numbers of people singing for the pure enjoyment of it. Certain Thursdays we sit at the JFP table at ARTMix. She's been to book readings at Lemuriabooks.com; she's read Fannie Flagg and Jeanne Ray and laughed and laughed. And there's Duncan, the darling Dachshund. The two of them are charter members of a mutual admiration society that includes of her ever-widening circle of family and friends. Finally, Mama has added a new TV show to her short list of favorites, "Wheel of Fortune" and "The Price Is Right." Weeknights at 10 p.m., our TV is on Ch. 251 for "The Ellen Degeneres Show.""
— Lynette Hanson, 57, JFP Copy Chief
Mary Jones
44
"My mom's really great. She stays up just as late as my friends and me. She's sitting downstairs watching movies and eating popcorn when my friends and family are ready to go to bed, just as if she didn't have to get up early the next morning to take care of a whole household. My friends tell me, 'It's OK if you want to go on to bed. I'll just go downstairs and talk to your mom.' She's always there for me. The older I get, the more I appreciate her."
— Bessie Burton, 14
"I think my mom's cool because she understands what brothers and sisters go through. She helps me get through things that are tough on me. I never get embarrassed in front of her, and she never embarrasses me. She's also an animal scientist and knows so much about them that she's taught me. At school, when somebody has an animal question, they ask me instead of the teacher. If I don't know, they tell me to ask my mom, and I do and tell the class the next day. The other thing about my mom is that she makes my friends so welcome at my house. Every week one of my friends will ask, 'If I invite you to my house can I come to yours?' But the most important thing is she loves all of us, my brothers, sister and dad, and we all love her back."
— Ethel Ann, 8
"Mom is everything a mother could and should be. Whether I'm in need of company, advice or a good meal, she is always willing to help in any way possible. To others, she is southern hospitality personified. My friends are consistently taken aback by the way my mother considers it her personal responsibility to make certain that each and every one of them is comfortable, happy and supported. I'm so lucky to have her, either all to myself or to help my friends. She is the best of all of us."
— Hewitt, 20
"Mary Jones can give me the right shirt to wear, rare information to remember and love to reciprocate—all in the same breath. My father says she has a voice that can pierce through lead, and while she really does have the lung power of a senator, she can in an instant sound as sweet and innocent as a girl. She treats all of my friends as she treats me, addressing the needs of the young mind first and foremost, and she always judges fairly and without the condescending tones I hear everywhere else. Whole understanding young angst and all the malarkey that we kids are full of, she maintains the wisdom and grace of a woman well-versed in all critical matters of life and love. My mother is my friend, my comrade, my confidante, but most of all my mother. I will always run to her for laughs and lessons."
— Morgan, 18
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