Jun 24, 1944 – Jul 20, 2018
I just found out this past Friday that my Aunt Elsie passed away. She said she didn’t want a funeral, or anything along the lines of a celebration or a wake. She even donated her body to science. I tried to talk my mom into a get-together of the remaining family, but she said Elsie would get really mad if we did. But I can’t help myself.
I just found out this past Friday that my Aunt Elsie passed away. She said she didn’t want a funeral, or anything along the lines of a celebration or a wake. She even donated her body to science. I tried to talk my mom into a get-together of the remaining family, but she said Elsie would get really mad if we did. But I can’t help myself.
My aunt was there when my parents divorced in the early 70’s. I didn’t know much of mom’s family at that
time. Mom had to go to work out of town and
she talked Elsie into babysitting us in the evenings, while she was gone.
Elsie shared in my desire to watch the Twilight Zone. She
told me she went to school with Rod Sterling, right here in Ohio. I don’t know if that was true or not, but
Elsie was a classy gal. She taught me the art of letter writing, and
insisted that I write her letters in order to achieve a Girl Scout badge I was
after. She taught me how to embroider too.
She was the best babysitter I ever had. She helped me through a difficult time in my
life. She certainly would have made a
great mom. Elsie never had any children
of her own, but after her best friend died, she raised her friends’ two boys.
Mom said most of the family didn’t know Elsie, not even my
cousins. What a shame.
Elsie and I lost touch over the years, but every once in
awhile I would drop her line from wherever I was living at the time, and she
would always write me back. A couple of
years ago I spoke to Elsie on the phone, before she had surgery on her
heart. I’m glad I did. After the surgery
she wasn’t quite the same.
Unfortunately she could no longer care for herself and was
stuck in a convalescent home. She still
knew what the hell was going on though.
One day the nurse’s aids skipped my aunt when it came time to shower,
and Elsie stripped herself naked and wheeled her way down the hall demanding
they clean her now! Laugh out loud, I
can see me doing the same thing.
I see a lot of Elsie in me.
Although she didn’t want a
funeral, I cannot let go without giving thanks. I could not find an obituary
for her, so I share this story. And I
don’t give two hoots if she does get mad.
Elsie was a person; a human being, and a good one to boot. She deserves way more than my silence; like I’m
supposed to simply let go without a word?
No way! I can be just a
bull-headed as she can be!
I’ll never forget her.
She is in my heart where she will live forever.
“Thank you for being my aunt, and being there for us when we
needed you Elsie.”
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| Elsie and Me Elsie hated getting her picture taken too! It's a very flattering picture though, so I don't think she'll mind. |
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