My Great Aunt Quack

My Poppy's baby sister, Questa Mounts Berry, the last of the Mounts children, passed away Tuesday, December 2. Her funeral was today in Tyro, Kansas. She was 81.

Although her name was Questa, we all called her "Quack." Don't ask me why. She did not in any way resemble a duck.

What I remember about Aunt Quack is that she was the sweetest lady you'd ever meet. I never saw her without a smile. She was a hard worker, kind, absolutely adored her family, and made the best yeast rolls in these United States. My poor father would stuff himself silly with those dinner rolls at family reunions. The rolls came to the reunion, but no roll ever made it out. Quack always took home empty pans.

I learned something about Aunt Quack today that I never knew before and it made me even more aware of how special she was. There were six children born to Eva Mae (Holeman) and Earnest E. Mounts, my great-grandparents. They included my Aunt Bea (Veva Mounts Carter); Aunt Toots (Vella Mounts High); Uncle Erwin Mounts; Jesse E. "Jay" Mounts (my Poppy); Aunt Mugs (Margaret Mounts Pierce); and Aunt Quack. My great-grandmother, Eva Mae, died when Quack was just four years old. Subsequently, she was sent to a boarding school. I cannot imagine how lonely and difficult her life must have been. The pastor of her church surmised that this was the reason family was so important to my Aunt Quack, and I believe he is right.

Of course, all of the Mounts children suffered after my great-grandmother died. As a teenager, my Poppy began working with my great-grandfather at the Chapman-Barnard Ranch north of Pawhuska, Oklahoma, now the Tallgrass Prairie Reserve. He did not finish school, but he learned how to work hard, keep house, and cook. He also took up smoking and drinking. I've often wondered how his life would have been different had my great-grandmother lived longer.

In all the family lore, however, I'd never heard this story about Quack being sent to boarding school. I wonder how many nights she cried herself to sleep as a little girl, wanting both her mother and her father. I couldn't help looking at my own nearly four-year-old child this evening and wondering how a little mind like that can wrap itself around the idea of loss and permanent separation. My Aunt Quack was a resilient soul, of that I am certain. I have a new-found appreciation for her.

Another reason I admired my Aunt Quack was because she took on raising her grandsons, Jeremy and Mark, both of whom have turned out to be fine young men with beautiful families of their own. In fact, Jeremy is the one who took Quack to the hospital on Tuesday when she knew she was having a heart attack. He was devoted to her, and I know she considered him to be like her own son.

My condolences go out to Claudia and Cindy in the loss of their mother, to Uncle Berry in the loss of his life partner, and to Russell, Adam, Rachel, Jeremy, and Mark (and all of their beautiful children) in the loss of their grandmother. She was a precious lady of whom I have such precious memories.

Claudia told me today that the weekend before Thanksgiving, Quack baked two pans of rolls for a fundraising auction. She told Claudia the pans of rolls would net at least $10. I know several nieces, nephews, sons-in-law, and grandchildren who'd walk across a desert and back right now for a pan of those rolls, if not a hug from the lovely lady who made them.

Rest in peace, Aunt Quack, knowing you were (and still are) loved.