Aunt Elaine

 

In Memory of my Dear Auntie

Elaine

She always had a twinkle in her eye and a smile on her face. She loved God and her family and she was my mom's oldest sister. She was a wonderful cook and I loved looking through all of the recipes that she had collected for many years.

She was always so much fun and she had so many funny stories. When I was learning to drive, I was not looking forward to taking the driving test. She convinced me that it wouldn't be any problem at all. She started telling me all the little details about her experience getting her license. The one thing I couldn't figure out is how she got to the DMV (or whatever it was called back then). So I asked her how she got there to take the test. She said very matter of factly, "Oh, I knew how to drive, I drove myself!" I laughed and laughed. She was so funny!

When I was 19 or 20 years old, we were talking one day about funerals. Go figure! I had never been to one and told her I was afraid of what when on during funerals and what might happen. She told me that she afraid when she was younger too and she began to explain to me everything that went on during funerals. Then she told me that I really needed to go to a funeral soon because a day would come when I would really need to go to a funeral of a family member. She convinced me that I needed to go to one and said that it would be better to go to the funeral of someone that I didn't know very well and that she would take me. 

Before too long, she suggested that we go to the funeral of an elderly lady that I knew of, but didn't know her well. Just the thought of going gave me the worst stomach ache, I will never forget it! As we got close to the chapel, with that twinkle in her eye, she put her arm through mine and never let go. We sat on the very last row and she walked me through the whole thing, like we were co-conspirators on a covert mission. When it was over, it was such a relief and I was so glad that she had helped me through that whole experience. It took away the fear of the unknown and for that I will always be grateful to her. Not too long after that, my grandfather passed away and I thanked her many times after that for helping face that fear.

Today she will be laid to rest, but my memories of her will live on. I loved her very much and I will miss her.