In addition to her growth as a
recognized artist, she was also
recognized as being a fun, funny,
and kooky hostess.
For example, she would invent
meals.
Son, Perez, explained,
“There was this one dish: it was
like a seven layer cake, but it was
made with bread. And she would
put peanut butter in there, and she
would put pureed eggplant in there
- and then she would layer in some
peppers! Anyway, this thing, she’d
build it up to several layers, and
then you’d cut through it and you’d
see all these colors and stripes.
You’d have no idea what it was. But
she just thought that it was really
beautiful and exciting. We were all
afraid to eat those things! … And
another time, she lost her purse
and couldn’t find it for - I don’t
know - it was probably a couple of
weeks. And then she cleaned the
refrigerator out - and there it was in
the back of the refrigerator.”
She was also recognized for her
loving kindness – not just with her
children and grandchildren, but
within her community. According
to Perez, “Dorothy Fisher was quite
a bit older and mother knew her
very well. [When Ms. Fisher could
no longer see], Mother used to go
up and read to her.”
Lone Woman
Life changed when Fred and Lea di-
vorced in 1970. They had endured
marital struggles for several years
prior. Per Elizabeth, “She often talk-
ed to me about the end of her mar-
riage and how upsetting that was for
her - and how she didn’t understand
it. I believe it bothered her until