My Mom
by Todd Tannehill on 12/28/13I remember it was about this time of year when Mom passed, but the actual day I do not fret about. Dad knew, but he is gone now too. I do know we waked her on New Years Day in Kankakee, IL. The details of her death have faded, but the details that count will never leave me. Allow me today to give a tribute to my mother.
Flonnie Ward Tannehill was born in KY and eventually worked as a waitress while attending Beria College. In fact she worked at the historic Boone's Tavern (by the way it is a dry county!) Dad met Mom there while he was a professional Boy Scout (Recruiter.) After college Mom taught school and eventually got into sales working for a Imperial International Learning Company and traveling the globe.
She was good at sales and in a time where just working seemed odd for women - Mom opened her own business. Innovative Learning Systems was started in a spare office at my Dad's insurance office. Soon Dad was in the spare office and Mom and her staff had taken over. During this time Mom was running her business and also went back and got her advanced degrees.
Mom sold her business and moved on to a new career in development. She loved working for Non-Profits and found her true calling. The major fund raising projects I remember were the ER at Riverside Hospital in Kankakee, Sweetser School for Boys in Maine, and the ER and Birthing Unint at Clarksburg Hospital in WV. It was this later job she finished up two months before retirement and right as the brain tumor took over.
It was during her hospital stay in WV, at the end, that I really got to see my mom. I learned so much by talking with her assistants, friends and other department heads (a.k.a. Mom's peeps!) My father was a life long salesman and everyone told me I got my sales and management skills from him. I think it was 2/3 her and 1/3 him in truth.
I just felt like talking about Mom for a bit today. She was the most successful business person I knew and I never knew it growing up. I am a Sales Manager for an international company and spend much of my time on the road - like my Mom. I too am a multi-tasker - like my Mom. It was only after her death that I returned to school to finish my college - I graduated from her sister college in the Northeast. The words "like my Mom" are a badge I wear proud today. My only regret; my wife, daughter, and step-sons will never know this great woman.
I promise we'll lighten it up tomorrow! Here is the link for Boone Tavern:
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