Cobb leaders share wisdom of their mothers

May 12—"God could not be everywhere, and therefore he made mothers," said Rudyard Kipling.

With Mother's Day on Sunday, the MDJ asked community leaders to share something important they learned from their mothers. Here's what they said:

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Johnny Sinclair, Realtor

Jill Sinclair, mother of real estate agent and former Marietta City Councilman Johnny Sinclair, lives in Whitlock Heights in Marietta. She worked her entire career at Lockheed on the C-130.

"My mother is descended from Massachusetts Puritans and she instilled in her children the importance of telling the truth always, and treating every person with kindness," Johnny Sinclair said.

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Angela Orange, Marietta school board member

Orange's mother, Mary Orange, cleaned houses for a living and is now retired. She lives in Jakin, Georgia.

"One of my most poignant memories of this growing up was when one of my older brothers, who was in the Army, was called up for Operation Desert Storm in Kuwait in the early 90s," Orange said. "I saw my mom kneel by the bed to pray every night until he returned home safely."

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State Rep. Teri Anulewicz, D-Smyrna

Bonnie Lippincott is the mother of state Rep. Teri Anulewicz, D-Smyrna.

Anulewicz's mother lives in New Orleans and is enjoying her retirement by spending a lot of time entertaining. Other time is spent at the farm she and Anulewicz's father have in north Mississippi, and visiting their six children and 15 grandchildren in Atlanta, Nashville and Seattle.

"Having moved multiple times in the U.S. and internationally for my dad's job in the energy industry, she spent several years working as a corporate relocation consultant for different energy companies based in New Orleans," Anulewicz said. "No matter how busy she was raising the six of us, she always made sure to spend time volunteering and working in our community, particularly supporting the arts, and she made sure that we knew how important community involvement is. This continues now, as she is actively involved volunteering with multiple groups in New Orleans that support children and youth as part of her leadership role with the Kiwanis Club of Third District."

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Kellie Hill, Cobb Superior Court judge

Hill said her mother, Helen Stevens, is her "She-ro." Stevens, a retired physical therapist who is currently working as a part-time court bailiff, has been a Cobb resident for the past 25 years since retiring from New Jersey.

"My mother always told me to get my education, which no one can take away, and then shoot for the Moon," Hill said. "Mom made me believe I could be and have anything I desired in life."

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Monique Sheffield, Cobb Commissioner for District 4

Sheffield's mother, Herlene Green Jackson, is a retired education paraprofessional.

Jackson lives with Sheffield, her caregiver.

"Out of the many lessons, the greatest would be that of hard work and perseverance," Sheffield said. "It sounds a bit cliché but those two principles were instilled in me at a very young age and has chart the course for my life. My mom always reminded me growing up that you don't get what you want in life, you get what you prepare for and hard work and perseverance will help you along the way."

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Salleigh Grubbs, Cobb GOP chair

Crystobel Calhoun Malmquist, mother of Cobb GOP Chairwoman Salleigh Grubbs, was born in Vidalia and lives in Marietta. She's 95.

"My mom is an amazing woman. She has always taught the importance of God, family, hard work, and to appreciate all the beautiful things in life from fine china, home grown roses and peach trees to Southern cooking. Even now into her 90s, she always stresses proper posture. On Mother's Day she always made sure we have corsages to wear — and now I make sure she has hers. She's all things beautiful and I love her so!" Grubbs said.

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Rhonda Anderson, chief deputy, Cobb County Sheriff's Office

Anderson's mother, Carol Gresham, is retired from the medical field and lives in Cobb County.

Anderson said her mother taught her, "Treat people the way you would like to be treated," and "Always be respectful."

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Vic Reynolds, Cobb Superior Court judge

"My mom, Margaret Eden Reynolds, worked at the Rome News Tribune for 42 years in the circulation department — she loved the newspaper business!

"Mom lived her entire life in Rome. She passed in 2017 at the age of 83.

"Mom taught us to see the good in everyone. Being a woman of strong faith, she would often give Bibles to folks she felt were struggling. We learned after her passing, that she would frequently place several $100 dollar bills in the pages to help those in need."

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Michael Owens, mayor of Mableton

Claudette Owens, the mayor's mother, is a retired nurse who worked at Wellstar Cobb Hospital.

She lives in the new city of Mableton which Owens now governs, in District 5.

"The saying that sticks with me the most is, 'Do the things in life that you have to do, so you can do the thing in life that you want to do,'" Owens said. "Meaning, that I should first build a solid career as a foundation that would enable me to have the experience and financial footing to later travel, explore other business opportunities and continue to serve my country and community."

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Chris Ragsdale, Cobb County Schools superintendent

Ragsdale's mother is Brenda Ragsdale, a South Cobb High School graduate and retired educator who lives in Paulding County.

"She taught/teaches me love of God, love of country, love of family, and the best way to accomplish your goals is by working hard without complaining," Chris Ragsdale said.

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David Chastain, Cobb school board member

Chastain's mother was Shirley Chastain, originally from Cincinnati, Ohio, who passed away in 2004 at the age of 74. A registered nurse, Shirley Chastain retired from Kennestone Hospital as a nurse supervisor. Before that, she worked at Georgia Baptist Hospital and the Atlanta Jewish Home and taught classes at Kennesaw State University and the Georgia Baptist School of nursing.

"By example, Mom taught me to strive to be independent, get to know people, don't be afraid to try new things, and to have fun," David Chastain said.

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Randy Scamihorn, Cobb school board member

Scamihorn's stepmother was Iona May Barber Scamihorn, "a Godsend, changing my life forever, and providing me with what I needed to become successful in life," he said. She died in 1993 at the age of 84.

She worked in retail sales and management at Spiegel Catalog and Montgomery Ward department stores. A coal miner's daughter who grew up in a large family near Covington, Kentucky, she received no more than an eighth grade education but became the manager of the credit department for a large department chain store.

"Even though she had modest means, she, along with my father, enjoyed living in different parts of the country throughout her life, including both coasts and the Midwest," Scamihorn said.

He added she taught him "many lessons as a living example to me of patience for even the most annoying, compassion for those less fortunate, a strong work ethic, and perseverance to obtain one's life-time goals — ensuring that those goals are moral, reasonable and important to the 'grand scheme of life.'"

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M. Carlyle Kent, Ward 5 councilman, Marietta

Kent's mother, Marjorie Lee Kent, died in the late 1960s, when he was 16, from a heart attack. She was in her mid-40s.

Mrs. Kent worked as a teacher and educator.

"Her and her sister grew up on a farm," Kent said. "And really what motivated me throughout my life, because I didn't go to college right away, was that they supported each other. ... They paid for their school with selling farm vegetables and other products."

When Kent's mother was a senior in college, her sister, a year younger, dropped out to work and help fund her sister's education. Marjorie Kent repaid the favor later, using money from her first job to help pay for her younger sister to finish her degree. The perseverance of Kent's mother and aunt inspired him to go back to school and earn a four-year degree after he initially earned a two-year degree.

"No matter what your circumstances are, you can always work to achieve. ... And education was a key to that achievement," he said.

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Becky Sayler, Cobb school board member

Sayler's mother, Cathy Ladner, is a retired educator who taught for 38 years. She lives in Georgia and South Carolina.

Ladner "always told my sister and me that 'Education is something that can't be taken away from you,'" Sayler said.

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Henry Lust, Ward 1 councilman, Powder Springs

Henry Lust is the son of Edna McGuire Lust. She worked as a laborer in various jobs and factories, including for Kellogg's.

Edna Lust died Sept. 4, 1999, two days before her 72nd birthday. She lived in Memphis but at the time of her death was living in Providence, Rhode Island.

"Perseverance and keep moving forward," Lust said of the lesson she taught him. "No matter what obstacles come your way, tackle them, overcome them, and keep going forward."