THE CIRCLE OF LOVE

WRITER: JAMES COMBS

The first meaningful bond and relationship a child forms is with parents.

The baby cries. The parent cuddles. The baby smiles. The parent smiles back. The baby makes funny noises. The parent imitates those noises.

Back and forth, countless times throughout the day, that bond is strengthened.

And in the case of Leesburg resident Linda Watts, the child-parent bond is one that has lasted a lifetime.

Her mother, Ouida Kenney, is a 95-year-old resident of Umatilla who lives in the same home she purchased in 1960. Linda has openly embraced life’s inevitable role reversal: she is now the parent and her mother is the child.

Each week, Linda drives to her mother’s home and assists with grocery shopping, organizes her medication, completes household chores, and prepares weekly meals.

For Linda, being a caregiver is not taxing or arduous. It’s all about spending valuable time with her mother. And the time they have together is a constant reminder of their indestructible bond.

“Every time I leave she gives me a hug and kiss and thanks me for everything I do for her,” Linda says. “I tell her, ‘I will always be there for you no matter what.’”

Linda’s time is precious. A retired teacher, she serves as director of two nonprofit organizations—Florida’s Hometown USA Program and the Miss Leesburg Scholarship program. She assumes the daunting tasks of organizing several fundraisers throughout the year and coordinating volunteer opportunities for the young women in her program.

Still, her mother takes a backseat to nobody.

“No matter how busy I get, my mom always comes first,” Linda says. “However, I don’t do this alone. My sister, Lois Wetz, and brother, Greg Kenney, also help with doctor’s appointments and running errands.”

For Linda, it’s the least she could do for the person who once fed and clothed her, helped her with homework, and shaped her into the person she is today.

As a girl growing up in Umatilla, Linda admired her mother’s strength and resiliency. Ouida raised four children by herself. Her first husband died in an accident in 1946, and 12 years later her second husband succumbed to a heart attack.

Ouida proudly assumed the roles of housewife, breadwinner, mother, and family head. She worked as a cafeteria worker and custodian at Umatilla Elementary School.

“She worked at the school because she wanted to spend as much time as possible with us. She would get off work when we got off school. We never had to go do daycare or needed a babysitter. Because she was a cafeteria worker, the school allowed her to bring leftover food home so we could have it for dinner.”

The family was not wealthy, but Ouida always managed to provide. She used her sewing skills to make her children Halloween costumes and Easter dresses. And she always managed to stash a little extra money away when birthdays rolled around.

In fact, Linda’s 13th birthday is one she’ll never forget.

“My mom bought me a record player,” Linda fondly recalls. “She knew I really wanted one and worked hard to buy it for me. That’s one of the special memories about my mom that always stands out in my mind.”

When Linda needed money to attend her senior class trip to Washington D.C., Ouida held yard sales on the weekend.

“She even went on the trip as a chaperone. My mom was always involved in my life. She has taught me how to be strong, independent, and caring. She raised me to help others and that’s the only way of life I know.”

That caring spirit may explain why Ouida is still going strong at 95. She attends bible study, Sunday school, and worship services at First Baptist Church of Umatilla twice a week. At home, she solves word puzzles, reads Christian-inspired novels, and without fail, sends birthday cards to family members and friends.

“I know mom is not going to live forever, but in my mind her life is never going to end because she has always been there for me,” Linda says. “I love my mom so much, and I feel fortunate our relationship has been so strong all these years.”