Bee Castro: 5/18/1923- 9/5/2021
Today, perhaps the saddest day in my life thus far, we gather together to celebrate the life of our dear, beautiful mother, wife, Aunt, cousin and friend.
I’d like to thank my father for loving my mother for the last 78 years, and then some. I thank my sister, brother, nephews, their families and our friends for taking care and loving my mother since they entered her life. We all have something to say about this special woman, who for me, was the glue that held this family together.
I’ve decided to share something personal with you all…..
I called my mother Bee… This all started when I was about 7 years old. Those as ancient as me will remember a children’s Television program called Soupy Sales. The host, Soupy had continuous banter with hand puppets of various dorky names. One particular puppet , I think it was a white lion. Whenever Soupy would ask the white lion anything, the puppet would reply,
“Ok Booby!” And then throw a pie in his face.
My brother and I found this endlessly amusing laughing our young, little heads off. Around this time our mother came into the den and announced, “Ok boys, time for dinner. We responded cheerfully, “Ok Booby!”
This didn’t sit well with her, and she replied back sharply, “That is disrespectful to call your mother Booby!.”
Surprised that she found this offensive, I later shorten down my replies to. “Ok, Bee.” Spelled B-E-E, not B-E-A nor the letter B.
My mother turned to me and said, “ I know what you’re trying to say! You want to call me a bitch!” I was so shocked that she thought this, and laughed out loud. In that era, circa 1965, it was absolutely unheard of to call your mother, let alone anyone else the B-word. To think that a little kid would come up with something like that… I mean I simply wasn’t that diabolical at age 7!
Somehow over the months, Bee no longer took my nick-name as an insult, but understood this was the special name I’d given her. Over the years she would respond happily to Bee. Most, if not all of my friends thought her name was in fact, Bee. They would greet her with, " Hallo Bee," and Bee would happily responded, “ Well Hi!”
She finally understood this was my personal endearment to her, and it was.
So I thank you my dear Bee for being my mother, guider and provider for all my life. I thank you for being my ally, support system, always having my back, and always giving me sold, good advice. That is until this hideous illness called Alzheimers began to steal her brain about 17 years ago.
I’m actually thinking it may have been even longer than that. I do know that by insisting on an Immediate diagnosis and medication by the late Doctor Aben, definitely prolonged her life. At the time she was very angry with me for doing this, but I know I made the right decision.
Over the years some reference the term “Momma’s boy.” This isn’t used in a complementary manner. No not at all…. I find it interesting that there’s nothing wrong with being a “Daddy’s girl, “or “daddy’s boy.” I don’t know if the term “Mama’s girl” is even used at all, but somehow “Mamma’s boy”, is used to describe someone as less than. Not able, coddled.
I suspect this is veiled in misogyny and the historic idea that women are somehow less than men.
So for those who describe “momma’s boy”as a put down, I have this, to say about that…
It was a pleasure. It was an honor. It was my honor. I will always love you Bee.
your son, Rick Castro 9/22/2021
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