Maudie loved life. From the time she was a little girl, growing up in the foothills of the Ozarks, she lived life with an intimate appreciation for the precious gift that it is. She treasured the birds and butterflies that fill the sky. She adored the flowers and trees. With bare feet, she walked the earth with a reverence for nature and its Creator.

She was a servant and a leader. For more than a quarter of a century Maudie worked to make the world – or at least the small community of Mounds – a better place. She believed in fairness and justice. She knew that progress had to start with a single person with enough hope and courage to be different.

Maudie was curious and inspiring. When she was in her fifties, she decided to pursue a college education. She graduated with honors and was held in the highest regard by her fellow students and instructors. She never stopped learning.

She raised four children… not to mention the dozens and dozens of other “kids” who would call her Mom and Granma and Mema and Memes and Gamma. She loved them all. Each one feeling as though they held the most precious place in her heart. And none were wrong. Her love for her “kids” was second only to her love for God.

Maudie loved the Lord. Her relationship with the Father was essential to her existence. She trusted in the power of prayer and believed with her whole heart that the Bible was God’s living word and love letter to His children.

“Love life” was more than just a phrase to Maudie. It was a credo. A mantra. A mission. She awoke each morning with the goal of loving each and every moment despite pain, or frustration, or heartache. And not a single person could ever say she failed.

Maudie loves life.