Starkville leaders reflect on Mother's Day
BY MARY RUMORE life@starkvilledailynews.com
Prominent community leaders spent this week reflecting on their own mothers heading into Mother's Day.
Greater Starkville Development Partnership CEO and President Scott Maynard said the most important lesson he learned from his mother, Margie, is to be kind to everyone and to do good, a lesson he hopes he passed down to his children.
Debra Prince, Starkville Oktibbeha Consolidated School District Board of Trustee member, said the one quality she admires most about her mother Jackie Lindsey is her selflessness.
"For my entire life to this very day, my mother has always put her children and now grand and great grandchildren first," Prince said. "Regardless of what's going on, it's not about her. It's about looking out for her family and always being there for them regardless of what the circumstances may be. As a mother, I want to always display her unselfish lifestyle and follow her example of displaying unconditional love to my children Edward, Lauren, Lezli and Tramon."
District 38 State Rep. Cheikh Taylor said, as a child, it was hard for him to understand why his mother Helen Taylor took so much time helping others.
"As a kid it's hard to share your mom, but one day she told me that helping others and showing compassion is never about self gratification but understanding that one day someone will show that same compassion to your child," Taylor said. "Looking at how my community responded to me with such a great deal of support, I have to say, Mom you were right."
Nelle Cohen said her mother Dianne Baker's curiosity about the world and her ability to live by her own rules is something she most admires about her, and a quality she hopes to pass down to her own daughters.
"She has a tremendous passion for reading and learning new things, and this passion has never waned," Nelle said. "She's a devoted world adventurer too. My mother has traveled to all but one continent —Australia—and she plans to hit that this summer. Her curiosity, love of learning, respect for all people and sense of adventure are all things I've tried to carry forth in parenting my own daughters.”
Cohen said one of the earliest memories of her mother was going with her to Samford University to register for classes when she was three years old.
“She put her education on hold to marry my father when she was 19,” Cohen said. “She decided after my sister Alice was born to finish her degree.”
Prince said one memory from childhood that
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