Cotati Heart and Soul by Deborah Taylor-French - May 2017

“…my mother’s face in the garden, was completely different.” —Colette

This May 14th my mother celebrates her 90th birthday. In many ways, Evelyn French is the smart, beautiful and sweetly social girl she was and always has been. In Anderson, where my sister and I grew up, when I mention Evelyn’s name people say, “Oh I love Evelyn. She is delightful.” Or “I knew her at the bank and liked her.” Evelyn’s mother, Alice Shepherd, lived and picked fruit in Sebastopol during the Depression.

When Evelyn was pregnant she taped a smiling Gerber baby on an inside door. “Every time I got sick, I would look at it and say, ‘I’m having a beautiful baby just like that one. And you were beautiful.” While my younger sister, Denise and I were in school mom worked part-time at a photography studio, hand-coloring the black and white portraits. She encouraged us to play and to read. We would often find her deep in a book or Good Housekeeping. Evelyn loved being a stay-at-home mother. She looked for good qualities in her family, neighbors and everyone she met.

When we were young teens Evelyn became a full partner in a 24-hour pancake house. From then on both of our parents worked long weeks. Denise and I wanted to be with them so we learned every job they were willing to teach. We greeted people, seated families and cleared tables. On busy Sundays, we helped mom or dad at the cash register. Our place was mobbed on Mothers’ Day, Easter, etc. They needed us. Eventually, we obtained work permits and became waitresses. I remember feet burning from running on hard floors. We enjoyed the tips and smiles from customers. Of course, we received some grumpy complaints from hungry or crazy customers. Returning home, our white uniforms and shoes were plastered in maple syrup, mustard and steak sauce. By the time our parents returned to their home in Anderson, Denise and I had married. In Anderson Evelyn took a job as a bank teller, eventually being hired as the manager of a savings and loan.

Celebrating Lisa Fischer, a Cotati Mother

Lisa Fischer, my closest friend of 18 years, lived in Cotati for over 25 years. Born and raised in Lincoln, Nebraska, Lisa grew up with her younger sister, Bonnie, in a strong Russian-Scottish community. As a college graduate Lisa backpacked through Europe alone. She enjoyed a career as a licensed social worker in Lincoln, Nebraska.

She relocated to California, buying a home in Cotati and changed careers. Lisa had myriad talents. She became a stained glass designer in Marin County. Her curiosity and thirst for knowledge extended to studies as a master gardener. She also studied as a pastry chef then, with an Italian master jewelry designer all the while studying vegetarian cooking.

Lead poisoning from stained-glass craft delayed Lisa’s dream of motherhood. Years later, Lisa married and gave birth to her beloved daughter, Ariana. Had Lisa not become a mother, we might never have met. At Thomas Page elementary, with her daughter in first grade and mine in kindergarten, we met at an art docent training. Lisa and I loved our art instruction from the solo art program founder, Jan Brady. Soon we’re working together as volunteers, giving lessons in the in watercolor technique, Japanese Sumi ink painting, Matisse collage, contour drawing, etc. Other mothers joined from time to time, but none as steadfast and creative as Ann Mathewson, who had been running the clay art program for years. We led three to four classes a day for every student four days a week. We, with help from teachers and volunteers, produced open houses and fall festivals. It was the best of times.

Our mothers carried, nurtured and taught us from conception to birth dramatically changing their lives to enable ours. They instilled traits and values we may not recognize but we apply them in our lives. We mimic their smiles, their attitudes, their posture, demeanor and caring ways. Everyday our mothers still carry us.