Another Gaurdian Angel among us

She was married at 20 to my Uncle Leroy, they raised seven children and helped raise many others along the way. A shining example of love and marriage, 69 years of marriage this year. These photos show the love and devotion they have always shown our family.

Today my Aunt Leona passed away, she went into the hospital Thursday night with a brain bleed, they thought it would be 24 hours but being her normal get her way person she lasted until the moment they were going to move her home. I know she was still listening and wanted so badly to talk to us while in the hospital. She was so tiny but had the biggest personality of anyone I know. She was feisty and never met a stranger, they all were friends or on their way to becoming her friend even if they didn't know it.


I love the story my mom tells, Aunt Leona being the oldest sibling ran away when she found out my mom was on her way, she had had enough of younger siblings and did not want another one. They were 15 years apart so of course she came back and spoiled my mom along the way. So many stories we will miss now that she is not here to tell them.

I am lucky, I was able to spend my summers with my cousins and in turn got time with each of my aunts. So many memories of my times at Aunt Leona's. My earliest memory is that I could not say her name - Leona, it was frustrating as a kid not being able to pronounce the L.


The first house I really remember is the one in Naches, we would meet for holidays there, kids running everywhere, wheelbarrows of kids dumped in leaves. Walking to the park in huge groups. My summertime spent with Cherie, the discovery of the bookmobile. For a girl who loves to read the library on wheels was such a joy! Homemade ice cream on the back porch, all the kids taking turns turning the churn, helping to pit the cherries. Uncle Leroy's gardens always so beautiful.


My teen years they lived in Kennewick. I spent many a night in that backyard, roaming the neighborhoods with Cherie swimming whenever we could. I remember it being the weekend and Uncle Leroy loading us all up and heading to the swap meet, so much fun!


Easters spent at our house with all the cousins, and of course 2p and it was time for you to go, Uncle Leroy needed to water the garden you know!


Summers vacations at all the different spots, the Potholes, Fish Lake, and of course Curlew. My memory will always be of  her sitting in a lawn chair, her cigarette pouch in her hand. Running past her and her whipping that shoe off to smack our butts on the way by for being obnoxious or trying to get out of our night for dishes. In the 80's the shoe of choice was Dr. Scholl's, if you don't know what those are they are the wooden sole flip flops and they hurt if she caught you with them! I was happy when the soft soled shoes came back in. Hours upon hours sitting in her Caveman camper reading all the different comic books as a kid, romance novels as a teen. One of the many summer storms that came while camping at the Potholes and the tent came down on all of us kids. Aunt Leona dividing us and sending us off to a camper to get dry and warm.

For some reason people think bossy woman is a bad title, in this family full of bossy women she was the Queen, which is a coveted title. We have been known to give out a crown for it on our Curlew vacations. If she wanted it done she made it happen, not many would tell her no when she asked you to do something. Her home was always open, she invited everyone in and made them feel as if they were family. No surer sign of that then the presence of people that came through her hospital room to say their goodbyes. At least 50 family members not to mention her friends and church family. She was well loved.


My Uncle Leroy was given a diagnosis of a short time to live recently, I know my Aunt Leona did not want to be left here with out him, and in her usual flair she went on ahead and will prepare the way for him to join her. She was always taking care of people, even in death I believe.


I have lost some uncles but she is my first aunt to pass away. My Uncle Leroy has lost his partner of 69 plus years, my mom and her siblings have lost a sister, my cousins have lost their mom and grandma, her loss will be felt deeply for a long time. She has left a legacy of children, grandchildren, great grandchildren and so many others that have loved her.


Our grand family started with my grandparents and their love has been continued on in each of their children. They will be happy to see their oldest child when she joins them. We will be lucky to have one more angel to look over us. She will take bossy guardian angel to a whole new level so we all better be on our toes!


Godspeed and give Grandma and Grandpa a hug for us.

This old piano

I know you my children and husband don't love my beat up old piano. Yes, she has seen better days, but she is still beautiful to me.

This piano is a living memory of generations that have come and gone. She has been played by your Great Grandma, your Great Aunt's, your Grandma, your Mom and your Aunts and Uncles and many cousins along the way. The places this piano has lived are many different homes. It has been the center of all, or hidden in a corner. If only she could tell us all the family holidays that revolved around her.


You only need to open her bench to see the music from generations past, all the way back to the 1930's. I love that I get to see the music my Grandma, my Aunts and my Mom loved and played.. In that bench are the work books that I did as a child during my lessons. When I was little this piano lived at the farm with my grandparents, the last home my mom shared with her parents. I loved that farm, the joy of going, the fun to be had, and hearing my grandma play that piano. When my grandparents sold the farm the piano came home to Lynnwood to live with us in the last home that I shared with my parents. My grandma would still play that piano when she came to stay with us. I spent hours of my childhood practicing at that piano. No TV or play till my practice and homework were done. I didn't love it like some, didn't appreciate it as much as I should have, but as and adult I know the value of it.


She has been mistreated, her keys are broken from a hundred hot wheel cars driving over them. Things have been spilled on her and in her. I know for a fact my siblings have hidden on top, behind and even tried to hide inside it at one time or another. Every little kid that came to our house loved to run their fingers over the keys to hear the sounds she would make. Still she stands straight and true, no longer with the beautiful sounds she is capable of. I know she is worth nothing in value, but in memories of love and generations of people she is invaluable to me. I don't ask that you keep her when I am gone, I just want you to know that is why I keep her while I am here. I hope that you find something in life that brings you the joy of these type memories to hold as you get older.


So for now my beautifully ugly piano will stay. I thank her for the memories that she holds for me. I cherish her as I can still see my Grandma Grace sitting on her bench. I am a person that loves things from generations, I like to think of all that have come before me that have acquired joy from those things. I know they are flawed, and so am I. Nothing is perfect and everything new becomes old at some point.


So my dearest children and husband if you don't like her just don't look at her!


Love your wife and mom!

EMPATHY

Empathy, the definition: the feeling that you understand and share another person's experiences and emotions : the ability to share someone else's feelings.


This is our issue in America, it is an epidemic in our children that we are failing at an unimaginable rate. Do you wonder why we are having issues with our children shooting each other at the very places that they gather to learn and that should create fellowship and friendship among them? Why they feel no remorse at killing their peers? I think of it often since the Columbine shooting.


I am not even going to go into the gun issue, yes we have a problem, I am not opposed to rules but without addressing the real issues in society it is not going to help. The law abiding citizens are not the people killing others, it is the emotionally and mentally challenged that are. Why don't we address our very poor mental health system?


Even more importantly why don't we address our generation of children that are lacking empathy for others? They are a generation lost, with no clear lines on who they answer to for their actions. Whether you believe in God, a higher power or don't believe at all, there still must be somebody whom these children FEEL that is owed their respect and love. Lack of feelings for others is the mess we are leaving for this generation. It is just getting worse with the social media available and the lack of control parents have over this. It is easy to be mean to somebody from your bedroom where no one can see your ugly nature. To not care that you make someone feel bad, with out real life interaction you don't have to feel their pain. It is easy for children to hide their pain from parents, to feel helpless, unloved, locked away with no parental interaction. We abuse our weakest society the most, children and elderly. They have so much to give, if we could only get them together.