Moma Yvonne Messer Stockman
My Mom, Yvonne Messer Stockman, is the greatest teacher I've ever had and I'm proud that she is my moma. Yeah, I'm from the "South". Louisiana as a matter of fact. Right in the center of the state. What a great place to be. Mom has taught me so much I don't know where to begin. This page is to honor her and let her know how much I love her and how much I appreciate all the effort she has taken to teach me all the things that she has learned.
Moma grew up in the depression the second child in a very poor family with 11 brothers and sisters. She married my dad at 16. He was 40. They had 5 children together. I am the oldest. They were married 41 years until the time of his death in 1993. They worked hard to teach us how to live solid Christian lives and how to take care of ourselves. They made sure we got our high school education and went to church every time the doors were open. For that I am thankful. It has made a difference in my life.
Mom went to nursing school the same time I did. She went to trade school to be a LPN and I went to college to be an RN. We both finished about the same time because she had to have major surgery in the middle of the training. She overcame great obstacles and finished. She has great determination to do what she sets out to do. I admire that about her. She retired from Pinecrest State School for the mentally handicapped. We both retired from nursing about the same time because of the same reason. We have inherited a desease from the Giles family called Charcot Marie Tooth Neuropathy. We began to discover this when my Grandma Viola became ill with cancer. We begin to notice that we all had the same type symptoms. The desease affects the nerve and muscles. They begin to deteriorate and as they do the sensation and coordination decreases. Moma has serious degeneration in her hands and feet with total loss of sensation in both. The amazing thing is that she doesn't let this stop her. She has to be dead tired just to stop and rest. I wish I had half the stamina and determination to make each day count that she has. You can learn more about this desease by linking to CMTA web site.
Mom loves children. She has worked with children all her life and continues to do so. Now she is teaching others to work with children through I Am Able Ministries. Her heart is in reaching children for Christ.
Mom has taught me a lot about sewing, quilting, and cooking as well as children ministry. I haven't really wanted to learn everything that she knows. It's more than I have time or energy for. But I will share with you a few of mom's many talents and artistic works.
To get a glimpse of a few of Mom's many talents check out the following pages.
Moma's Hidden Wells Workshop 1998
To Grandma Viola Giles Messer's Page