Teaching The Angels - Swinomish Memories

Mary Lou and Mike

When I came to La Conner in 1979, Mary Lou Cladoosby was my aide, and it didn’t take her long to become my inspiration and my mentor.  She was a woman of unwavering faith, a lady who dedicated her life to education.  Mary Lou was always taking college classes and and always carried a textbook tucked under her arm.

She had many goals in life, and two of them were special.  First - she wanted to earn a college degree. Second - she wanted one of her sons to be the Swinomish Tribal Chairman.  Mary Lou completed her college degree and it was awarded posthumously in the spring of 1996.  Shortly after passing on, her son, Brian, became Swinomish Tribal Chairman, a position he still holds to this day.  I miss Mary Lou and am ever so grateful that her husband Mike, her sons Tony, Brian, Marvin, Marty and her daughter Michelle treat me like part of the family and they are all very dear to me. 

Mary Lou passed on in November of 1996, and on that day, there was a terrible storm.  I couldn’t help but imagine it was Mary Lou standing before those pearly gates a kicking up her heels.  Poor old Saint Pete was terrible upset and he brought the Lord Almighty himself to reason with Mary Lou. 

With a voice full of love, our Good Lord asked Mary Lou why she wouldn’t cross-over and she answered, “I have grandchildren to raise and students to educate.  Then God explained, “Mary Lou, I need you up here.  These young new angels are playing their harps too loud and wearing their halos like race day caps.  Especially, I need you to teach the Golden Rule so that my guardian angels can encourage peace and good will on earth.”

Being a faithful woman and seeing the Good Lord’s logic, Mary Lou crossed over that night and now she’s in heaven teaching the angels.