This week has been devastating for my family.
Sunday evening, my Aunt Lauretta passed away after fighting Alzheimers for many years. She was my grandfather's sister, and he has always told me of the happiness she brought him throughout his childhood and of the closeness they shared as adults. Memories of baseball mitts, family parties and happy days have always filled conversations about Aunt Lauretta. I remember her as she was before the Alzheimers took over -- bubbly, happy, full of life and always ready with a smile and a happy laugh.
As the family, particularly Aunt Lauretta's children Judy, Jean, Charlie and Pam, tried to deal with her loss, news of another loss came out of the blue. My Aunt Marie, my grandfather's last surviving sister, suffered a massive stroke Tuesday and passed away on Wednesday.
And this is where the words begin to fail me. I want to tell you how much Aunt Marie meant to me too -- because she meant a great deal. Always good for a chat, a letter, a note, even when we were thousands of miles away from home.
But my mind is filled with the enormity of this double loss. Two lives in four days. Two sisters gone. Two brothers who were once part of eight. Two brothers who must now deal with two deaths that come all too close together. And I think of all those who are left behind and who must continue living... children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and so on.
For continue living we must. We owe it to their memories to live, full, happy lives. As they did.
1 comment:
Here in Wis. I am feeling much the same. They were my dad's sisters and so many happy memories come to mind when I think of them.
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