At the age of nine, Evelyn’s mom died, leaving Evelyn in the care of her dad, their housekeeper, and two older brothers. Despite the absence of a mother, Evelyn blossomed in her surroundings, excelling in school and growing up to become a devoted wife and mother of three daughters. She poured herself into her family-selflessly sacrificing-determined to give them the loving instruction she was shown at home and more.

Along the way, Evelyn encountered obstacles that would cause the average person to give up in defeat, but not this mom. Her gray hair may have been an indication of these rough times in her life, but Evelyn drew strength from her faith, her family who loved and supported her, as well as the many friends she acquired along the way. These influences, when combined with her sense of humor and enthusiasm for life-with all of its challenges-enabled her to push onward, even when situations seemed hopeless.

In Why Mothers Get Gray, author Deborah A. Romesberg offers a series of vignettes paying tribute to her mother, Evelyn. This often-humorous memoir reveals the deep impact Evelyn left, through her words and actions, on those who knew her well.