Goodbye Vida

Our family had a memorial service for Aunt Vida today. She had passed away away last January at an advanced age so her passing wasn't really unexpected.

Leigh held the service at his new house so it was nice to have our get-together there, tour the house and meet up with relatives, some of whom I hadn't seen in many years. Some I didn't recognize because I hadn't seen them in 20 years or more. I'm sure they thought I'd become an old hag in those 20 years, too, but I try not to dwell on that thought. Most of us like to think we don't change all that much from when we were young but, believe me, most of us change drastically.

A group of us toured the house when we first arrived and it is really gorgeous. It sits on a large piece of land and the lake is right at the end of the back yard. Cousin David said that the setting was like having a family reunion in a nice park. The inside of the house is huge...4 bedrooms and 4 bathrooms. It's pretty big for 2 people to live in but it's what they want and that's all that matters. I just hope Enid decides to take it a bit easier by hiring some help with the housework.

There were hugs and hello's all over the place, happiness at seeing family I seldom see and happiness at seeing family I'm lucky enough to see more often. This family I married into is a special one and I've always been thankful I'm part of it. Cindy brought her new boyfriend, Don, and he got a good idea of how close our family is. It was the first time we'd met and I liked him immediately. He was friendly and seemed at ease with meeting so many of Cindy's relatives at the same time.

Wayne finally corralled everyone out to the end of the yard where Vida's urn was placed and he spoke a bit about how much she'd been a big part of our lives, mostly in earlier years. He encouraged people to speak about some of their experiences with her and what she'd meant to them. Of course, there were a few tears but mainly it was made known what a kind and accepting woman she had been. Many of us older ones had lived in Vida's house back in the 1950's, welcomed as renters or visitors, staying for months or years before moving to homes of our own. Some of the older blood relatives told funny stories from their childhood in which Vida played a big part.

Vida's 3 sons and daughter were there (Wendell passed away a few years ago) and I hope they took comfort in hearing how much their mother was loved by the rest of us. No-one made mention of what a quiet and unassuming lady she'd been but that was my strongest memory of her. I'd seen in her a very complicated and deep person who was capable of handling whatever life threw her way. When I'd lived in her house, there were many hours we'd had the chance to sit in her kitchen and talk. I was very young (17) and not wise enough then to help her with any of her personal problems but I'll always remember her attitude. She'd do what it took to get by. And it's that strength I'll always associate with Vida.

Soon it was time for the family to say our goodbyes and go our separate ways. Those of us who knew Vida will never forget her and I hope that somehow, somewhere, she smiled down on us today and knew that she'd left behind a lot of people who loved and appreciated her.