Yesterday we paid our respects to Linda's family. We went to the visitation a bit early to avoid the crowds of people that would be there. We found Cousin Tom sitting by himself in the front pew of the church. Others were in the church making sure the meal was being prepared and everything was just so for their Mothers/Grandmothers funeral service.
Cousin Tom is sad, he has moved into Senior Living Apartments and out of his home. The move was planned well before Linda died. He shared that their home held 50 years of "stuff" and is for sale. They would have been married 59 years at the end of this month.
Linda wrote her own obituary and it was lovely especially the last few words. " I have lived a wonderfully ordinary life; celebrate that with me."
There were a number of her poems in the funeral program!
I recall one of our first conversations probably the weekend near June 13 when we all used to gather to celebrate Grandma Tracie's birthday. Linda liked to suck on rocks...she did it quite discreetly so small children would not notice...she said she had done it all her life and wondered if it was the minerals she liked. I had never met someone who sucked on rocks before...she seemed pretty normal to me...and she was.
She had a marvelous laugh and she was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother and great grandmother. Linda was 78 years old. She died from Leukemia.
Far Side
Sucking on rocks is a new one to me, but I am betting is it not as uncommon as one would think.
ReplyDeleteShe sounds like she was an amazing woman! I love her poetry. Wow.
ReplyDeleteHer picture is great. You can tell she has a joy for life because it is in her eyes and smile. This is a lovely tribute to her. I am so sorry she had to deal with leukemia.
ReplyDeleteI am sorry for this loss, but what a beautiful obituary piece she wrote. I have always heard that people who put rocks in their mouth and even dirt, are lacking some very important minerals....Iron and such. We had a grandson that had Leukemia when he was a child..those were some very difficult years. Praise God he is healed.
ReplyDeleteHer photo is great! A huge warm smile and a twinkle in her eyes! I love the tribute.
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely person she must have been. Very grounded and obviously very loved. May her soul rest in eternal peace.
ReplyDeleteLinda looks like she was a very lively character. It takes a special person to accept their own death and write their own obituary. You bet they were special.
ReplyDeleteUsually sucking or licking rocks or dirt starts from a mineral deficiency and then becomes a habit. We can form a habit easily in 14 days. Habits are hard to break. It’s a path in the brain a groove. To let it smooth then leave is difficult. Nicotine addiction remains one of the most difficult habits to break.
ReplyDeleteI love the poem. She will be one very missed lady. I hope Cousin Tom settles into his new home okay. It will all be a big change for him. Hugz xx
ReplyDeleteLinda has a kind and very friendly look and it sounds like she was that kind of a person. The world will be impoverished by her passing. Granny Marigold
ReplyDeleteThat poem! And the obituary line. She was a great writer. I know she will be sadly missed. A weight on poor Tom. But it sounds like he has a loving family to help.
ReplyDeleteSo sorry for your loss! She sounds like she was very brave even in adversity! My husband now has Leukemia too!
ReplyDeleteShe looks like she truly enjoyed her life. Thank you for sharing so much about her.
ReplyDeleteIf she had a happy life and a peaceful passing, she would have been blessed
ReplyDeleteThis post is just lovely. I would have liked this Linda.
ReplyDeleteI find myself wishing I had known Linda.
ReplyDeleteI can't remember if I tapped the "publish" button. Repeating my comment in case I didn't. Linda sounds like a person I would have loved knowing. Keeping Tom in my prayers.
ReplyDeleteI love her obituary and as far as the rocks, there are stranger things and much worse. I'm sorry for your loss and for her family who will miss her terribly I'm sure.
ReplyDeleteHow sad, especially for Tom. So sorry for such a hard loss of a wonderfully grounded person. Absolutely loved her poem! Thanks for sharing with us.
ReplyDeleteLinda sounds like a lovely lady who loved and enjoyed her life immensely. I think I would have liked to know her. I feel for Tom. It's hard when you've had a companion for so long, to suddenly be alone. And trying to make a new life at his new home probably isn't easy alone either. Life is hard sometimes isn't it?
ReplyDeleteBlessings and love,
Betsy
The poem is wonderful. I'm glad she enjoyed her life.
ReplyDeleteI lost my first wife from that disease in 1980. I like she wrote her own words. She sounds like a better person and more interesting than she would want to realize. I feel sorry for Tom and know getting older really is not so much what we wished for. LD.
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