Wistful Wednesday : Another Goodbye

One by one my Maternal Grandparents immediate family is dwindling.

There are only three children left…my Mother and two of her brothers Al and Kenny.

This is a photo taken in 1961 at the farm where I grew up.  Those sections of boards going horizontal used to mark the walls of the old pantry. When my parents remodeled the house in 1959-1960 the pantry walls were removed and a picture window was added. The drapes were off white with shades of green tropical plants and small pink flowers…wall to wall drapes.  My Mother sewed the drapes.

This is a photo of my grandparents and their children with their spouses in 1961.

from the left the stars ** are living persons

**Madeline and **Jake (my parents)

Marion and Marvin both deceased in 2004

Vivian “Skip” (2007) and Theron (1978) both deceased

Delbert in back (2009) and Delores (2018)  both deceased.  Aunt Delores died last Friday night/Saturday morning in her sleep.

Dennis in back and **Judy  Uncle Dennis is deceased (2015). My Aunt Judy is Delores sister…brothers married sisters.

Esther “Toots” (1996) and Ray (2004) both deceased

Clarence “Butch” in back (1993) and Kay (2017) both deceased

Elsie and Albert my Grandparents both deceased in 1995

**Al (standing behind my Grandparents)  He wasn’t married in 1961.  He did marry **Pat, divorced and now is married to **Donna.

In front is the Twins

Karen she was married to and divorced from **Al Dean  She is deceased (2017).

**Kenneth “Kenny”  married to **Linda.

Two children died before this photo was taken Alfred 1947 in and James in 1948.

I saw my Aunt Delores a few weeks ago.  She asked “Do I know you?” I said “Yes I am Connie” she replied “Of course you are” and gave me a hug. She had been more confused since moving into assisted living this spring. The funeral is later this week. What a blessing to sleep away during the night. No long drawn out hospital stay or convalescing in “the home.”

Funeral : Aunt Kay

My Aunt Kay died a week ago she was 76 years old. The funeral was yesterday.  My Mother is fighting a bad cold, she sent my Father out to go to the funeral with us.  My other baby brother and she who sees robin’s first went too.  Far Guy stayed home…good thing too as the perfumy smell of cleaning products assaulted you as soon as you opened the door of the church.

My Aunt Kay was married to my Uncle Clarence, Butch was his nickname.   They raised four children together and then divorced.  I had not seen my cousins in about 24 years.  It was good to see them at the funeral…now they are in their 50’s except for Holly who is going to be 48 she was born on our wedding day back in 1969.

My Aunt Kay was a very kind woman, she was a good mother and grandmother.  I have many good memories of her when I was growing up. I saw her and my uncle just about every week at my grandparents for Sunday dinner.  Their place on Little Floyd Lake where they raised chinchillas.  The new home they built together that had a double fireplace was beautiful.   We butchered chickens one summer out on a picnic table in the yard.  My Dad worked at the “shop” there and we would visit him there in the spring. When Far Guy and I picked out Mom and Dad’s White German Shepard puppy in Ada Minnesota…we took the pup as far as Uncle Butch and Aunt Kay’s place so my parents could pick her up.

The Funeral Sermon was short and sweet and to the point.  Ashes to ashes dust to dust.  Laugh and enjoy your time here on earth whatever troubles you encounter won’t matter in heaven.  Death has lost it’s sting because Jesus died on the cross. 

O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?  The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 

I took a photo inside the church so my Mother could see all the flowers.

After the afternoon service we joined with the family for coffee and bars…all kinds mainly chocolate!

I took some photos of my Uncle and Aunt’s wedding album…they got married in October of 1960.

 

 

My baby brother was the ring bearer.

The parents looking at the ring.  Those are my grandparents on the right.  Grandma wore gloves and grandpa had some dark hair.

The wedding cake photo with a bunch of little girls looking on.  One is me, I am the tallest, my Aunt Karen is next to me…down in front the little gal with the great expression on her face might be  relatives from the other side of the family or it might be cousins La Rae, Vickie or Diane.

From weddings to the grave…my Uncle Butch died in 1993 and now Aunt Kay in 2017.

Wistful Wednesday: Uncle Butch

I had an Uncle Butch…his real name was Clarence.  I am not sure why the nickname stuck …but some do. 

Daisy and June with Clarence

He was quite a bit younger than my Mother, she was eleven when he was born.  I think perhaps he was a bit of a favorite to her. 

Confirmation Day

He was quite tall and handsome with blonde hair and blue eyes.

He married and had four kids and divorced.  I have not seen my cousins in years.  I used to send my Aunt a Christmas Card every year but then she moved…and well...Christmas Greetings are a two way street sometimes.  Their youngest daughter was born the day Far Guy and I got married in 1969…he brought the news of her birth along to the wedding.

He died of Cancer… if I recall correctly Liver Cancer.

I went to his funeral and burial. 

Last winter I searched for his grave on Find A Grave…he was not to be found.  I did find a Clarence Drews with the same birth and death date…so I got that corrected.

Last week I was determined to find his grave…it was kinda on a hill as I recall.  I was close.  After Jen and I wandered around awhile a fellow on a lawn mower stopped and asked if I was looking for someone?   Of course he knew right where the grave was…in fact he had met my Uncle a time or two.   He said “Just go a little more east and you will run right into the grave.”

There were two bunches of flowers there, so some of my cousins must be visiting his grave.

I took a photo for Find A Grave.

At one time Uncle Butch was a very successful businessman, then he lost sight of what was really important and lost it all…and eventually his life.