Elizabeth
Chapter One
Sara and Francis
Sara Viola Warmbrodt was born on August 21, 1896, in the mill town of
Arkansas City, Kansas. For all of her time on this earth, she would be quite a
character, a memorable presence not only in her daughter, Elizabeth's,
life but in those of nearly every person she would touch over the years.
Through it all, good times and bad, she and Elizabeth would remain inseparable.
Even during times of estrangement-for they did have their
disagreements-they knew to whom to turn for unwavering support: each
other. "My mother was my best friend," Elizabeth would later say,
"my guide, my mentor, and my constant companion." Indeed, mother
and daughter were life and breath to each other, and thus it would remain until
Sara's death in 1994, just one month short of her ninety-ninth birthday.
Historically, Sara has been portrayed as a negative influence on
Elizabeth's life, mostly because of her steely determination to mold her
daughter into a star; indeed, so-called "stage mothers" are seldom
viewed in a positive light. Like many parents who encourage their children into
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