In Memoriam

Norma Drews

1924-2006

My mother, Norma Drews, died Saturday, January 14 after a brief, courageous battle with cancer.

She passed away at home, in peace and without pain. She was surrounded by her two loving daughters, Joyce McKay of Kennebunk and Linda Morgan of Buffalo; son-in-law Tom McKay; and her only grandson, Jason McKay of Kennebunk and Tucson.

She is also survived by two brothers, Robert Helmuth of Lancaster, NY and Norman Helmuth of Auburn, NY. For 45 years she was married to my dad, John W. Drews, who predeceased her in 1991.

Mom was born and lived most of her life in Buffalo and Lancaster, NY. She moved to Kennebunk to live with us in 1993.

An avid gardener, she was a lover of both animals and people. She touched everyone with her kindness, sincerity and desire to help, asking nothing in return. Behind her soft, seaglass-colored eyes, she lived a life that was brave and authentic.

Her heart always led the way. She was the biggest cheerleader of any underdog -- human or animal. She always went out of her way to help someone who was down on their luck, or a homeless animal who had little chance to survive until it fell under her watchful care and those gentle eyes.

Back in the 1950s she worked tirelessly to care for us, as a wife and mother. During the day and after school,  she worked on our small farm. She'd come home exhausted, then sew my sister and me something lovely to wear to school for a special occasion the next day.

She never wanted a thing for herself, only to make us and everyone she knew happier.

Cooking and baking were expressions of her love. She whistled a lot. She loved to fly kites. She loved the ocean. Her favorite sounds were the wild geese flying overhead. She loved that haunting, honking sound they made, how that lovely, wild sound stirred her heart! She loved the song of the crickets, as much as she loved all kinds of music.

Mom was open-minded and so much fun. We would be silly together and dance wildly when no one watched, and would laugh until we'd cry.

A tireless animal lover, mom was very active in animal rescue and fostering programs with Safe Haven.

At a young age, Momma taught my sister, Linda, and me to love animals. Under the elm tree in our back field, we watched with wonder as she tended to a baby rabbit badly wounded in the wild.

She was so tender and caring. Together, we saved everything that breathed, frogs and turtles and birds and mice. She taught us that life is precious.

When she moved to Maine, mom and I got busy rescuing cats and kittens from the area shelter. Many times we'd sit up around the clock, caring for them until they were well enough to be adopted. We fostered more than 80 cats and kittens, many of them very ill, and never lost a single one. We'd carry them around the house in our sweaters and refuse to let them die.

She was beautiful. I loved to see her outside in the garden, wrapped in sunshine, with a stray leaf or two stuck in her beautiful silver-gray braid, which wrapped around her head like a halo. She looked like a Swedish doll with those cherry-colored cheeks and cheerful smile.

Whatever she did, Norma totally immersed herself. Never did I see anyone get so dirty. She came in from gardening looking like a child that had played hard and with abandon. When she cooked or baked she looked like a sugar cookie, with flour dusted all over her.

For her, every minute of every day was a celebration. Mom never wanted to 'call it a day' and go to bed before midnight. Because that meant the day would finally come to an end, and she wanted to squeeze every last second out of each day. So she'd do a few more rows in a hat she was knitting for the American Indian children in the Southwest, or write one more letter to an old friend.

If friends desire, donations may be made to Hospice of Southern Maine, 901 Washington Avenue, Suite 104, Portland, ME 04103, which provided wonderful care, kindness and support during her passage, or to Safe Haven Animal Shelter and Humane Society, PO Box 91, Wells, ME 04090.

A private memorial service and celebration of her life was held for family and close friends.

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