Dorothy Wilhelm reflects on Mother’s Day legacies across generations

Mother’s Day became an official US holiday in 1914, signed into law by President Woodrow Wilson. We forget sometimes that honoring mothers was a pretty radical idea in many parts of the world at the time Mother’s Day came along.

Mother’s Day was brand new when my grandmother, Angelina Franco, arrived at Ellis Island where the Statue of Liberty was already there to greet her. One of her children had died and two had what we think may have been measles because they were in quarantine for several weeks. My grandfather had come from Italy two years before to establish a business in Chicago. This didn’t work as well as he hoped.

The firstborn child of a wealthy family, he was mostly suited for riding about the area on a white horse. There weren’t many white horse riding positions open. Grandpa imported grape vines and spent a few contented years making wine. And drinking it.

My grandparents had their share of trouble living on the sun flecked hills of Reggio Calabria in Southern Italy. Nobody had any idea what grandpa did for a living. He was a switch foreman and a flag man. Grandma cleaned section houses. She thought grandpa was on the police force, but it turned out that he was a minor mafia officer. But now they were Americans, and the family obtained a Donation Claim ranch in Roseburg, Oregon where grandma gave birth to six more children.

All of us have special memories of Mother’s Day. By the time my first Mother’s Day came along, we were stationed at Castle Air Force Base in Merced, California with two small children under 13 months old. Yeah, ask me sometime how that happened. In those days in military hospitals, new mothers were expected to get up immediately after giving birth to do chores like washing dishes, making beds and folding laundry.

Grandma died in 1955 as my first daughter came into the world. I don’t know if she felt honored, but I hope so.

Because these passing years have become so precious, it’s natural that we start to think of the legacy we leave behind. Life coach Regina Clarey urges families to collect stories that will create a family legacy and make it part of our home.

One of my own legacy stories was about the day when I brought my new fiancé, a shiny brand new second lieutenant, home to meet my dad. I was so proud and wanted to show the young man and my brand new, minuscule ring everywhere. Waving it before my dad, I said, “I wonder how I can keep my ring so beautiful and sparkly.” My dad contemplated the ring and informed me seriously, “I think you have to dip it in dishwater three times a day.”

The ring is gone now and so is the young soldier but that day when we set forth on our journey together forms a most important chapter in our family. Now it’s possible that you’re saying, “but that wasn’t a real Mother’s Day story.” I’ll have to admit you’re right, but I think all of the remembrances come together to create the whole story.

So, it’s time for Mother’s Day again, for those of us who are lucky enough to have a Mother’s Day legacy to look back on. My grandma had 12 children, my great-grandmother had 24, and my mother had two children. I have six children and I know that there will be flowers and special festive dishes.

So may you have a happy Mother’s Day and may your legacy be all joy.

Where to find Dorothy

Find Dorothy’s virtual events and podcasts at www.itsnevertoolate.com. You can also find her on YouTube, Spotify, Apple or wherever you get podcasts.

This story was originally published May 3, 2026 at 5:15 AM with the headline "Dorothy Wilhelm reflects on Mother’s Day legacies across generations."