It seems my blog has taken a turn toward the darker side of late. Death has visited my family and my friends much too often this year. Well, we must add another to the list.

Lois Joslyn Smith.

She is my best friends Mom. She was a wonderful lady. I really liked her. I have known her for over 25 years and have spent many an hour playing guitar at her house with her two boys and her Husband. We would sit around and play Hawaiian music and drink wine and laugh. We would laugh and laugh and laugh.

She didn’t play any instrument that I was aware of, but she would sit in the family room with us and just chat away in between each song. We would end up talking more than playing. Of course, I was okay with that. I love to talk. She always had the most interesting things to talk about. Whether it be about family, friends, their dog, the news, etc. No topic was off limit.

She was also married to a really cool guy. He is Hawaiian and the Hawaiian culture runs strong in this ohana. You see, she came from Pennsylvania. Her family lineage is as old as the U.S., and then some. She happily embraced the Hawaiian culture, and customs, and followed in her Mother-in-Law’s footsteps. Her mother-in-law was a world renowned Hawaiian Quilter. If you have never seen a Hawaiian quilt, you must. They are not your grandmother’s quilt. Anyway, Lois took up quilting and became world renowned in her own right. Don’t believe me. Check this out. There she is listed right next to her Mother-in-Law under “L” in the index.

True story. I was in Kauai and I came across a museum that had a quilt from Lois’ Mother-in-law hanging on the wall. Right next to it was a book about quilting. It was opened to a special section on Mattie Smith and her daughter-in-law Lois Smith. It blew me away. I had no idea at the time that she was that well known. She was very modest.

Lois loved to see my girls when we went to the family functions. Which we were ALWAYS invited to. She was the matriarch. The center of the family. Their mother. She was warm, funny and loving. I will miss her dearly.

Lois, say “Hi” to my Dad and Grandma. I’m sure they are on a beach somewhere waiting for you to join them for dinner and tropical drinks.

I will always feel a part of the Ohana that is the Smiths. Even more so today.

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