Sad

Today is a sad day for my family. My Aunt Mary passed away earlier this week, and today is her funeral. Dad asked Carl to be one of her pall bearers. He said he would be honored. I am proud that he is doing it.

I wish you could have known her. Anyone who ever met her loved, loved, loved her. She never said a cross word to anyone or about anyone. She was a true Southern Lady. She loved her Atlanta Falcons - a season ticket holder for as long as I can remember - and Georgia Tech Yellowjackets (I can't hold that against her). The only female with four brothers, she was a princess. Everyone doted on her.

As a teenager she used to cruise The Varisty is her convertible, and spent many, many days on the beaches in Florida. She even watched the early Daytona races on the beach!

For as long as I can remember, on Thanksgiving the phone would ring and when you answered it you would hear "Gobble, gobble, gobble!". At Christmas, you would call her and she would answer the phone, "Ho ho ho!"

Those calls will cease from her, but I DO know the tradition continues. When you call anyone in our family on the holidays, those are what you hear the minute the phone is answered.

God, I am going to miss her.

She was so special.

Rest in peace, Aunt Mary. Give Granny, PawPaw, Uncle Bill and Uncle Jim hugs from The Mouse of the House. I love you so very much.

This is a poem that will be read at her funeral in a few hours. It is her to a "T".

Smile Because She Lived
By David Harkins

You can shed tears that she is gone,
or you can smile because she has lived.
You can close your eyes and pray that she'll come back,
or you can open your eyes and see all she's left.
Your heart can be empty because you can't see her,
or you can be full of the love you shared.
You can turn your back on tomorrow and live yesterday,
or you can be happy for tomorrow because of yesterday.
You can remember her only that she is gone,
or you can cherish her memory and let it live on.
You can cry and close your mind, be empty and turn your back.
Or you can do what she'd want:smile, open your eyes, love and go on.