gone fishin'

About a week ago my Aunt Gladys passed away.  She was ninety. Ever since I have been obsessed with reading the obituaries of old people

Today I read about Velma, she died on Monday, she was 95.  According to her obituary, she was a “highly-principled woman who valued honesty, generosity, fairness and unpretentiousness.” WoW!  That’s cool!  She probably wouldn’t have liked me.  But, obviously she raised some remarkable kids, considering that's what they wrote about her.

Trudy didn’t live as long as Velma, she was only 69 upon passing. Her children praised Trudy for being a wonderful mother who taught them "the value of education and faith”. Her kid's continued praising her for two more paragraphs; detailing each of their own remarkable accomplishments. Towards the end of this lengthy obituary it was unsurprisingly revealed that Trudy “spent her entire life in the service of her family and the Lord”.  Sadly, she will be terribly missed; afterall her kids just lost their free babysitter.

At the ripe age of 79, good ol' Keith went fishing.  I think that means Keith died. But who knows? The way it reads suggests that Keith has been “gone fishing” for a long, long time (...and hunting ….and camping). Perhaps he’ll be missed by his 7 kids, 33 grand-kids, 12 g-grand-kids and 2 g-g-grand-kids; but my sympathy totally goes out for Keith’s faithful companion “Dusty”

My family has been informed that when they write my o-bit, It would be better to leave out the part about my being “a devoted and loving mother who never wavered in her support for her husband”. That’s what 87 year old Helen's obituary said. I found this a little disturbing, considering her husband died 25 years ago. 

I want it on the record that I never have "served" anyone "diligently” and I am nobody’s  “humble servant”.  Leland (86)  probably wants to be remembered this way. 

 Personally,  I would  prefer to be remembered like Erma Ruth (91) from Park City ; “ an honest and a unique person who has been a true friend and expected no less from others”.

I have a long way to go;

hopefully, I still have a long time to get there.

-Susan