Obituaries: Memoirs of a Mother

Taylor Moorman's displaced fairy tale was about her experience writing obituaries, one man's specifically. I had saved an obituary from when I was 16 and a good friend of mine died: my mom. When I started thinking about it, I realized that her life also reflected a fairy tale.

"Mary-Helen Collier died of a natural illness on Thursday, April 24, 2003, in Lewistown. She was 47 years old.

Mary-Helen was born in Kalispell, on May 14, 1955, to Richard 'Dick' Collier and Pat Collier. She graduated from Flathead High School in 1973. She is survived by her father, Dick Collier, of Columbia Falls; brother, Rick Collier of Pittsburg; and brothers Robb and Randy Collier, of Marion. Mary-Helen also leaves three loved daughters: Alicia Slawson, of Las Vegas; and Aaron and Ashley Danno of Kalispell. Mary-Helen also leaves three nephews and two nieces. Mary-Helen was preceded in death by her mother, Pat Collier, and another brother, Ronnie Collier. The family is planning private services. 'May God rest her precious soul, Amen.' "

When my mom was born, my grandpa refused to pick her and my grandma up at the hospital, and instead made them take a taxi home. My grandpa always hated her, and my grandma tried to shield her from him. When my grandma died, however, there was no one left to protect my mother from my grandpa, and he disowned her. She was married four times, and it never seemed to work out. She tried to kill the last husband, my father, and was convicted of second degree attempted murder. While she was in prison, someone eventually realized that she had schizophrenia, and so she was sent instead to Warm Springs Mental Institute, where she was additionally diagnosed with Huntington's Disease. Ten years later, she died. She was cremated.

Ironically, my mom's life corresponds not only to Taylor's story about obituaries, but the fairy tale that corresponded with the example she gave: The Little Mermaid. Like the little mermaid, she didn't get along with her father and didn't have a mother figure. Also like the little mermaid, she never seemed to make love last, and tried to kill the man she loved. ALSO like the little mermaid, she chose to become one with nature and the world, not by becoming some air, but by being cremated and having her ashes spread. Is it ironic then, that while I just realized these similarities a minute ago while typing this, that me and all of my sisters' favorite Disney movie has always been The Little Mermaid? Sources say yes.

Learn more about the diseases affecting this nice lady: Huntington's Disease , Schizophrenia