Alone On A Limb

Another week, two funerals. Just now learned of Mary Doster's death (see below). Last night Sheila and I attended the visitation for my first cousin, Benny Loyd, down in Rockmart.

Benny, an older teen in my earliest memories, was my beloved Aunt Vek's son. Funerals bring us together. As sad as we are, it still felt good to be with Evelyn and her four kids. And to see my cousin Marian, Benny's sister. And David and Susan, her son and daughter. And catch up. As time has passed and later generations have multiplied and gone off to soccer and softball and proms and all the living of their own lives, it gets harder and harder to get the cousins together. That's a pity. We have already lost a bunch of us. There's been lots of water over the shoals at Porterdale since we climbed that big ol' chinaberry tree behind Mama Baird's house and threw those hard yellow berries at each other. Or ate Aunt Mary's divinity and fudge or one of those clove-flavored candy sticks they kept around the house. . Or played hopscotch on the sidewalk out front.

So you Baird cousins and families, let's make the Labor Day reunion a big one this year. And let's hear lots of stories of Benny, and Bobby, and Gail, and Jerry, and Jack, and Don, and the others who have left us.

It's always interesting to find unknown connections at visitations. Brenda Henderson who taught with me at Armuchee was there for her friend Diane, Benny's daughter.

 Comments:

Chris Frazier

I'm sorry to learn of these two deaths. Mary Doster was a friend whom I had not seen for years. I don't understand why we're here, but I know that the Leech is coming for us all.

Deborah Lake Dawson
I just lost someone yesterday. So hard to loose icons in your life.

Donald Murdock
Sorry for your loss, Terrell. Reminded me that I haven't spoken with my aunt, Gwen Murdock, in awhile. Will phone now. BTW, for all us Murdock cousins it was a huge crabapple tree in my grandma's back yard on E. 9th. Great memories.

Julia Hilburn Dent
What happened to Mary??? She was a bud and one of my good friend's aunts!!!

Wanda Mulkey Dagraedt
Sorry for your Loss.

Barbara J. Gale
So sorry about Mary. She was one of my first friends in Rome.

Gary Greene
So sorry my condolences

Rose McDonald Darby
Scary when members of one's own generation are dying. All my mom and dad's brothers and sisters are gone. We are now the grandmas and papas, the old ones. Hard for me to believe. I still feel 30.

Terrell Shaw
I'm inexperienced at this being old thing. I hope to gets lots of practice so I can eventually get it right!

Rose McDonald Darby
Jim's dad is living with us; at age 91 he is getting it right!

Terrell Shaw
Yep. I still have my 91 hr-old Mom, who is working on another book! The key, I think, is to not slow down.

Rose McDonald Darby
I agree. I hope to still be running about at an old age.