Aunt Florence

I attended a memorial service for my Aunt Florence this afternoon.  She died early Friday morning.
The phrase I heard over and over about her today.......larger than life.  She was that.
I was fascinated by her as a child.  She was the most flamboyant woman I knew.......she loved flashy jewelry, bright colors, and red lipstick.  She was tall, and loud and as her grandson said today.......you always knew what she was thinking.  There was no filter, she thought it, she said it.

Since my mom died seven years ago, I had called Aunt Florence, sent her cards and visited her.
I only wish I had visited more often.  She always told me how much she loved me, how much my parents had loved me.  She loved Rick, and she read his Sunday columns faithfully.

The chapel was full of friends and family today......and laughter rang out across the room several times as her grandson talked about her.  I sat there and thought, this is how it should be.......memories, laughter and love, mixed with tears.  She was 87 with the spirit of a much younger woman.

At Christmas, she had sent me a card with the sweetest letter.......it is one of my treasures.  I hope that somewhere tonight,  she and my uncle and my mom and dad are laughing, sharing a moment in eternity.

After her husband died ( he was my mom's brother) and my dad died, she and my mom became travel buddies.  Every few months, they were on an Adventure Travel bus headed for good times.  I have my mom's photos of them, they were always smiling.

With Aunt Florence's death, our extended family has shrunk to only two......two aunts.  Now it's only
cousins and sadly, several of them died young.  I am grateful for my large family, I am grateful for the ties that bind........I am grateful for my larger than life, Aunt Florence.