Madeline is the mother of Bonnie McElveen-Hunter, national fund-raising chairman for Liddy Dole. Her name kept popping up as Bonnie talked about how she got involved with Liddy’s pursuit of the GOP presidential nomination.

And it became clear quickly that Madeline McElveen is the mother all of us would like to have.

Or be.

She’s part of the Hunter household, Bonnie said, “when we can get her. She’s in great demand” by all three of her children, who include Bonnie’s brother, a doctor in Durham, and her sister, who has a design and antique shop at Litchfield Beach.

But wherever she is, she adds to those “pearls of wisdom” that she’s been feeding her children since they were born.

“Even if she thinks we ought to know them all by heart,” Bonnie said.

Whether they do or don’t, she’s got a limitless — and growing — supply I discovered when I called her at Litchfield where she was busy helping her other daughter, Tweed, in her shop.

And they apply to everything.

For example, she believes Bonnie’s involvement with Liddy’s campaign is nothing less than divine intervention.

As soon as her daughter saw an article in the Wall Street Journal showing Liddy’s fund-raising at the bottom of the heap, Madeline says, “she was very, very concerned, and she said, ‘This is not right and we have to make it right.’ ”

And she got busy doing what she could to make it right.

“Bonnie is action,” her mother says, “When she sees something that needs to be done, she does it.”

And so is Madeline. She started dropping more pearls. No telling when one might come in handy.

Pearls like:

• Those who walk with God will reach their destination.
• There are two types of people in the world — givers and takers.
• Nobody can make you feel anything without your consent. The way you feel right now is the way you choose to feel. So always feel like champion.
• Whenever you get your head above the crowd, be prepared because you’ll surely be shot at.
• We see our weaknesses in others and we hate them, so be careful what you say.
• You are what you think, so think successful.
• We are blessed when our children are successful, are happy and have a passion for things. When our children turn out, we turn out.
• God made my children and your children special.
• We see what we look for, so look for something wonderful.
• We’re not asked to be born, and we’re not asked to die, but we are asked to make a difference in this world — for all of God’s children.