Thanksgiving is a two-fer for the Pundit this year.
Credit must be given where credit is due, and if you enjoy the Pundit it would be a treat if you might raise a glass of apple cider this Thanksgiving to a woman who, in no small part, is responsible for its existence.
Momma Pundit — aka Roslyn Prevor — will be celebrating her 70th birthday this Thanksgiving. A beautiful, vibrant and energetic woman, you would think she is decades younger if you would ever have the privilege to meet her.
She grew up as a foster child and was intent on creating for her husband and children the loving family she never knew.
A teacher by trade, she gave up her profession when this little Pundit came into the world, intent on teaching all she could to her little boy.
She taught her children that, through reading, you could go anywhere and learn anything.
She taught that being a good person was more important than being a winner.
She taught that family was the center of a life well lived.
She taught that you finish what you start.
She taught how to look up words in a dictionary.
She taught that we never had to eat anything, but we had to try everything.
She taught her children the joy of discovery that an encyclopedia holds.
She taught that an educated man read a newspaper every day, preferably two.
She always believed in her children, even when the children didn’t merit that faith.
She set an example of what true love means, falling in love at age 15 with the man who would be her husband — and ultimately the Pundit Poppa; she has always striven, every single day, to love and support him and when, as he was turning 70, his life was threatened by Leukemia, she gathered her inner strength and outer resources and set out to save the man she loved, which she did, and in so doing she proved, once again, her ability to inspire her children and the world that knows her.
She headed the PTA, had the philosophy that her children’s friends were always welcome, hosted countless cast parties, graduation parties and pre-prom parties.
She also proofread plenty of issues of PRODUCE BUSINESS in our early years.
We often have occasion to write about the Poppa Pundit as he was in the business, but raising a child is a complex task and while Poppa Pundit was busy on Hunts Point, Momma Pundit was cleaning scraped knees, reading stories and telling her children they could be all they wanted to be.
Once, at a party many years ago, we were asked to say a few words about Roslyn Prevor… we called her Rambo Roz because, as is true to this day, if she takes on a project she is like a whirlwind at making it happen.
She took on childrearing with the same sense of responsibility.
If you ever find wit, cleverness, elegance or insight in these pages, she gets the credit.
The mistakes, they are all mine.
Happy Birthday Mom!
