What character traits best describe Bud's mom?

I would say that Bud's mom is a strong woman.  I do not mean physically strong with big muscles though.  I mean emotionally strong.  We know that she had Bud at a very young age.  Bud was age 6 when she died, and she died at the age of 26.  That means she had Bud when she was 20.  Additionally, Bud's mother raised Bud on her own.  Bud has never known his father.  Bud's mother was able to support herself and her child during the Great Depression.  This tells readers that she is a mentally strong, capable, and dedicated woman.  
She's also blunt, forceful, and to the point.  One of my favorite parts of the book is when she is explaining to Bud why his name is Bud, not Buddy.  She tells Bud that "Buddy" is a dog's name, and that if she wanted people to call him that she would have added the "dy" to the end of his name.  During the entire conversation, Bud can only get in a few syllables at a time because his mother is in charge of the conversation.  It's her opinion, but Bud had better agree with it.