The kids and I attended an awesome memorial service yesterday...it was for one of our favorite Snowbirds. We had the pleasure of getting to know Marie over the past 2 "seasons." She was classy and sweet, and loved by her family and friends.
Marie used to join us at chapel services on the base, and she attended LDS services out in town, too. She was so tickled that there was an LDS chaplain serving at NAF El Centro...we were tickled that someone else besides us did both services each Sunday. She was involved with both communities, too.
Marie had a stroke in front of her trailer on a Sunday morning last year. She didn't live very much longer, but when we went to visit her in the ICU, she did wake up and respond to us, even though she couldn't speak. We know she is much happier in heaven!
Her family waited until this "season" to come down and have a memorial for her. They had it in the same place out in Anza Borrego that they had her husband's service. They LOVED the desert. Her daughter, Kitty, asked me to read her "life sketch". It was an honor, and I enjoyed getting to know her even better.
The thing that I liked most about this memorial, is that it celebrated the things Marie loved about life...they were things that I love, too.
Marie loved hats...I always remember seeing her wearing one...so everyone was encouraged to wear a hat.
Marie LOVED chocolate. She believed in eating dessert first...
as I was reading this part, her daughter handed out chocolate bars to everyone, with this wrapper around them.
Marie LOVED the 4th of July...particularly fireworks. Kitty brought us all some small fireworks to enjoy, so Marie could have a front row seat from heaven!
(The cat jumped up on the coffee table as I took this. She thought it was obvious I wanted a picture of her!)
At one point, we listened to her favorite music while we wrote messages to Marie to attach to balloons.
We held our balloons till the end of the service...
and then we lauched them into the air with our messages of love to her...
hopefully she gets them all!
Marie LOVED carousels. As a gift one year, her son bought her a brass, "lifetime pass" to the carousel at Seaport Village. What an awesome gift! After the service, we went over to the mall to ride the carousel.
I think that Marie's family was onto something...this was a very special way to remember her. Yes, there were tears...but there was also laughter at all the good memories.
It was a very special day!
It was a very special day!
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