Lorna Colbert as shown as a young woman on “Faces of America” with Henry Louis Gates, Jr.
Henry Louis Gates, Jr.: Can you tell me about your mother, what kind of person she is?
Stephen Colbert: Bright. Not just intelligent, but bright. She shines. Hopeful, indefatigable, great faith. Tough, she raised eleven kids, and she raised me after my father and two of my brothers died. Irish. (Gates laughs) Irish.
The above exchange resulted from Stephen’s participation in Faces of America, in which Henry Louis Gates, Jr. tracked Stephen’s genealogy — but particularly memorable is the way Stephen lit up when describing his mother. It’s easy to understand why, once you get to know her, and in many ways we of the Colbert Nation felt we did know her due to Stephen’s many references to her on the Report and in interviews. Let’s take a moment to remember and honor this remarkable woman and supermom of eleven through Stephen’s lens.
Mrs. Colbert’s official obituary states that “she entered into eternal rest on Wednesday, June 12, 2013. She was born in Larchmont, NY on November 6, 1920, a daughter of Andrew Edward and Marie Elizabeth Fee Tuck. Lorna Colbert was an adored wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. In addition to being the matriarch of a family of 82, Lorna Colbert was an accomplished artist, a church leader, a businesswoman, a supporter of the arts and a woman whose profound faith was apparent in her daily life. She was predeceased by her husband, Dr. James William Colbert, Jr., her sons, William George Colbert, Sr., Paul Joseph Colbert and Peter Michael Colbert.”
In the hearts and minds of the Colbert fan base, she is best appreciated for giving us the great gift of Stephen. Her profound influence on Stephen has been readily apparent in the many ways he has honored her on the Report and elsewhere.
Stephen shouted out his mother most emphatically and recently when Frank Luntz polled South Carolina moms for their opinions of Stephen during the 2012 primaries. The SC moms proved to be a tough crowd (he was accused of being a “Charleston Dandy” at one point), but Stephen’s love of Lorna rang through loud and clear:
The most direct access we had from Lorna herself occurred when she participated on South Carolina’s ETV’s The Big Picture, when she and moms of other prominent South Carolinians were interviewed. Here is the only tidbit of the program that survives on the interwebs:
Other portions of this show that don’t appear (there is a little more about the appearance here) gave us a lot of insight into Lorna and Stephen’s relationship as well. She admitted in true fangirl fashion that she had to limit herself to watching The Colbert Report to only twice a day. Stephen, in a prepared segment in which he addresses his mom directly, told a funny story where his Mom mistakenly sent him to school at 2 in the morning, but it was dark when he left, so she gave him a flashlight. He tells her warmly, “you were a lot of fun.”
Mrs. Colbert has been frequently mentioned throughout the Report’s tenure. Even during the Iraq shows, he couldn’t resist the opportunity to get all the troops to join in. When she called Stephen’s 2007 GQ cover photo “adorable,” her praise got airtime. And she came up quite a bit in interviews, particularly on Letterman, where Stephen shared pictures of her attending the 2006 White House Correspondents Dinner and meeting President Bush, and of getting into Stephen’s hand crafted boat for its maiden voyage. Stephen has always been quick to remind people that he “attended” Dr. Martin Luther King’s March on Washington in 1963, though he was in utero at the time – a nice way of also noting that his mother was a civil rights supporter/marcher. She also came up on The View, with Stephen praising her strength and courage in the wake of the great tragedy that took her husband and two of her sons.
Said Elizabeth Colbert Busch, “People always say to me, ‘You must be so proud of your brother.’ And I tell them I am proud. But the thing I’m most proud of is being Lorna Colbert’s daughter.” Elizabeth referenced in her recent congressional campaign how during the days following the tragedy, Lorna still encouraged them remain positive and move forward, to “put one foot in front of the other” and that “life [was] still good” – an unbelievably courageous stance to take in the light of such circumstances. Not that it was easy for her to do so. Stephen recalls to Parade magazine his mother in the aftermath of the accident: “The shades were down, and she wore a lot of black, and it was very quiet.”
This photo was featured recently on Elizabeth Colbert Busch’s congressional campaign.
The Colbert Report contributed to Mrs. Colbert being able to see her husband’s legacy honored in a truly lasting fashion. When Stephen interviewed Ambassador Andrew Young during the “strike episodes” in January 2008, Stephen highlighted Ambassador Young’s and his father Dr. James Colbert’s involvement in settling a divisive, racially charged hospital strike in 1969 at the Medical University of South Carolina, where Dr. Colbert worked at the time. In the summer of 2009, MUSC honored Dr. Colbert’s memory by renaming the medical library the James W. Colbert Education Center and Library for his efforts. Mrs. Colbert and all of her children were all proudly on hand for the ribbon cutting:
Stephen, his mother Lorna, and all of his siblings at the ribbon cutting ceremony for the James W. Colbert Library at MUSC in the summer of 2009.
Despite being in frail health, she appeared with beaming smiles at campaign events for Elizabeth Colbert Busch this past May, including a final visit to Dr. Colbert’s library where Elizabeth delivered a political speech shortly before the election.
A fan site probably is not the most optimal place to remember someone so special, but for what it is worth, thank you, Mrs. Colbert, for what you have taught us through your wonderful, resilient example, and through your children. May you rest in peace.
Remembering Lorna Elizabeth Tuck Colbert (1920-2013)
Lorna Colbert as shown as a young woman on “Faces of America” with Henry Louis Gates, Jr.
The above exchange resulted from Stephen’s participation in Faces of America, in which Henry Louis Gates, Jr. tracked Stephen’s genealogy — but particularly memorable is the way Stephen lit up when describing his mother. It’s easy to understand why, once you get to know her, and in many ways we of the Colbert Nation felt we did know her due to Stephen’s many references to her on the Report and in interviews. Let’s take a moment to remember and honor this remarkable woman and supermom of eleven through Stephen’s lens.
Mrs. Colbert’s official obituary states that “she entered into eternal rest on Wednesday, June 12, 2013. She was born in Larchmont, NY on November 6, 1920, a daughter of Andrew Edward and Marie Elizabeth Fee Tuck. Lorna Colbert was an adored wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. In addition to being the matriarch of a family of 82, Lorna Colbert was an accomplished artist, a church leader, a businesswoman, a supporter of the arts and a woman whose profound faith was apparent in her daily life. She was predeceased by her husband, Dr. James William Colbert, Jr., her sons, William George Colbert, Sr., Paul Joseph Colbert and Peter Michael Colbert.”
In the hearts and minds of the Colbert fan base, she is best appreciated for giving us the great gift of Stephen. Her profound influence on Stephen has been readily apparent in the many ways he has honored her on the Report and elsewhere.
Stephen shouted out his mother most emphatically and recently when Frank Luntz polled South Carolina moms for their opinions of Stephen during the 2012 primaries. The SC moms proved to be a tough crowd (he was accused of being a “Charleston Dandy” at one point), but Stephen’s love of Lorna rang through loud and clear:
The most direct access we had from Lorna herself occurred when she participated on South Carolina’s ETV’s The Big Picture, when she and moms of other prominent South Carolinians were interviewed. Here is the only tidbit of the program that survives on the interwebs:
Other portions of this show that don’t appear (there is a little more about the appearance here) gave us a lot of insight into Lorna and Stephen’s relationship as well. She admitted in true fangirl fashion that she had to limit herself to watching The Colbert Report to only twice a day. Stephen, in a prepared segment in which he addresses his mom directly, told a funny story where his Mom mistakenly sent him to school at 2 in the morning, but it was dark when he left, so she gave him a flashlight. He tells her warmly, “you were a lot of fun.”
Mrs. Colbert has been frequently mentioned throughout the Report’s tenure. Even during the Iraq shows, he couldn’t resist the opportunity to get all the troops to join in. When she called Stephen’s 2007 GQ cover photo “adorable,” her praise got airtime. And she came up quite a bit in interviews, particularly on Letterman, where Stephen shared pictures of her attending the 2006 White House Correspondents Dinner and meeting President Bush, and of getting into Stephen’s hand crafted boat for its maiden voyage. Stephen has always been quick to remind people that he “attended” Dr. Martin Luther King’s March on Washington in 1963, though he was in utero at the time – a nice way of also noting that his mother was a civil rights supporter/marcher. She also came up on The View, with Stephen praising her strength and courage in the wake of the great tragedy that took her husband and two of her sons.
Said Elizabeth Colbert Busch, “People always say to me, ‘You must be so proud of your brother.’ And I tell them I am proud. But the thing I’m most proud of is being Lorna Colbert’s daughter.” Elizabeth referenced in her recent congressional campaign how during the days following the tragedy, Lorna still encouraged them remain positive and move forward, to “put one foot in front of the other” and that “life [was] still good” – an unbelievably courageous stance to take in the light of such circumstances. Not that it was easy for her to do so. Stephen recalls to Parade magazine his mother in the aftermath of the accident: “The shades were down, and she wore a lot of black, and it was very quiet.”
This photo was featured recently on Elizabeth Colbert Busch’s congressional campaign.
The Colbert Report contributed to Mrs. Colbert being able to see her husband’s legacy honored in a truly lasting fashion. When Stephen interviewed Ambassador Andrew Young during the “strike episodes” in January 2008, Stephen highlighted Ambassador Young’s and his father Dr. James Colbert’s involvement in settling a divisive, racially charged hospital strike in 1969 at the Medical University of South Carolina, where Dr. Colbert worked at the time. In the summer of 2009, MUSC honored Dr. Colbert’s memory by renaming the medical library the James W. Colbert Education Center and Library for his efforts. Mrs. Colbert and all of her children were all proudly on hand for the ribbon cutting:
Stephen, his mother Lorna, and all of his siblings at the ribbon cutting ceremony for the James W. Colbert Library at MUSC in the summer of 2009.
Despite being in frail health, she appeared with beaming smiles at campaign events for Elizabeth Colbert Busch this past May, including a final visit to Dr. Colbert’s library where Elizabeth delivered a political speech shortly before the election.
A fan site probably is not the most optimal place to remember someone so special, but for what it is worth, thank you, Mrs. Colbert, for what you have taught us through your wonderful, resilient example, and through your children. May you rest in peace.