The Personal Memories of Sr. Anna Bittner, DW, Part 6

Sr. Anna Bittner, DW with the children of St. Mary’s Infant Home in Norfolk , VA.

My mom, a genuinely devoted woman, also a tireless worker, was very burdened by life. She was slender, had numerous pregnancies, several miscarriages, four infant deaths, and some stillborn babies. Four of us lived into adulthood. I remember some gentle and tender moments from early childhood.

She was determined to care for us in the best possible way. For example, my oldest sister Mary had Tuberculosis. She also suffered from an underdeveloped chest and all the complications that resulted from it. When mom was able to get tender meat, she'd make soup for her. When John came home from the service, she would make his favorite dishes. Mom would outdo herself to provide the necessities for us. We always had homemade bread, creamed vegetables. During the depression, when food was very scarce, she'd cook and cream certain weeds, procure horse meat, and whatever else was possible. I regret not being old enough to appreciate her, all she did, and the person she was.

She would shear the sheep for a Slavic family living on our block (the same family whose daughter we took into hiding). Endless hours were spent washing and spinning the wool. Wash days were extremely heavy. Soap had to be made from scratch. Water was gotten from the well and heated on the wood/coal stove. Whites had to be boiled. However, those heavy muslin sheets were always clean. The closet could be opened any time with everything in perfect order.

Then there was the gardening, working the field, cooking from scratch, and knitting long into the night. Love was not expressed openly, but it certainly was shown by doing and caring, it was limitless.