"Yesterday, we memorialized my mother(Janet Evernden Tuggey) in Southlake, TX. I wanted to share some of my comments that I had about my beautiful mother with you. On a side note, if you can have 40-50 members of the Vocal Majority come to your mother's memorial, it will be an extra special day.

The heavens are rejoicing, a beautiful voice, a beautiful soul and a wonderful wife, mother and grandmother has joined the heavenly chorus.

My mother went to college in Sherman at Austin College where she would meet her best friend Yvonne.

She had a whirlwind romance with Dad.

She not only lived in France and Germany, but she gave birth to two of her sons in these countries.

Dad, Mom and I lived in Teheran, Iran in 1978 -- 1979
• Dad and I went on a father-son retreat to the Caspian Sea, we were looking forward to coming home to some of Mom's good cooking. Arriving at our apartment, a note on the door indicated that Dad should call the embassy ASAP. It seems that she had gotten herself caught in a coup while in Kabul, Afghanistan, while on an American Wives trip.
• She and I rode into the Iranian deserts on camels, a trip that took almost three hours where we slept in an ancient king's caravan where bats flew by our tents as we tried to sleep.

She not only lived for an extended period in Singapore with Dad, but was able to share this experience with all three of her adult sons, traveling to some of the most exotic locations on earth.

She stood upon the Great Wall of China, she held a baby Tasmanian devil in Tasmania. She walked the streets of London with most of her family. She traveled with Tim, Melissa, Chris and Kat to visit Tim's place of birth. She visited Scotland with Matt, Jean, Lindsay and Leslie. She walked the beaches of Oahu and the Big Island with Amy, Christina, Kelly, Grace and I. She visited more countries than I can count in her travels with my dad. She took several trips to New York with all of the children and grandchildren, taking in some of the greatest musicals written.

In her later years, Mom and Dad were very fond of taking trips around the Great State of Texas visiting the beautiful court houses and bluebonnets (and other wild flowers) on an annual basis.

She truly lived an extraordinary life.

My mom was the perfect woman for my Dad (and us boys). She was yin to Dad's yang. She was classical music to Dad's barbershop music. She had enough estrogen to overcome all four of our combined testosterone. She provided us a loving home and taught us boys how to treat a lady. She had a great smile and had a great sense of humor.

Lastly, let us remember that the vessel is empty but her spirit lives in each of us that have been touched by her. Love a cat (or anything with four legs), love your family with all you are and be kind to all the people that cross your path."

James Tuggey
January 18, 2014

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