My Grandma's

In my parents kitchen there is a painted wood sign that says “Families are like fudge; sweet but sometimes nutty.” That saying is more then applicable to my family. We are a crazy bunch; we are never bored and always find something to laugh about. I have found that there is where our greatest strength lies. In times of trouble and heartache we find joy in the little things and peace in the Lord. My sudden decision to start my business is not a family first, and I am honored to share that my grandparents owned a nursery and florist in Hawthorne Nevada.

Mary Armstrong and Loel Rae O’Brian are two women in my life that mean a lot to me. Both have passed away in the past 10 years, but both played important roles in my life. Loel Ray O’Brian, my grandmother, will be remembered as a woman of kindness with a gift of creativity. She worked at Sparks Florist after working at her mother’s florist and nursery in Hawthorne Nevada. I always knew that my great grandparents owned a nursery, but I never found out the full story. In 1965 my grandparents moved from Texas to Hawthorne to help my great grandparents at the nursery. They did this because great grandpa was sick and my grandparents went to chip in to keep the business going. My grandpa Mel told me stories how he would drive flower deliveries through the desert from Hawthorne to Reno on his way to work.

Mary Armstrong, Loel Rae’s mother, my great grandmother was one of the first female business owners in the sate of Nevada, and was once voted Nevada State Mother of the Year. She lived up to that title. I will forever try to embody the characteristics of Mary Armstrong because she was a woman of class, love, compassion, and dignity. I feel so blessed to have known my Great Grandma and I hope to leave a legacy as influential as hers.