Showing posts with label Aurelia's funeral. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Aurelia's funeral. Show all posts

Sunday, December 27, 2020

Food To Go

         On Wednesday one of our most beloved ward members returned home after fighting a battle with cancer.  I dont know if she had cancer before she and her family had moved out of the ward.  I first learned about it at the Christmas party last year.  She had lost a lot of weight and told her that she looked good.  That is when she sprung the news on me in confidence.  She said she had told only a few selected people those who were her closest friends which I learned yesterday was just about everybody.  That seemed to be her purpose in life making each person feel as though he or she was her best friend.  

        I have referred to her as Aurelia in my blog and so will continue with it.  She was the 2nd counselor in the Relief Society when my family moved to Oregon in 2015. I think she lived further southeast than anybody as it would take her 45 minutes to just over an hour to get to church depending on the weather.  But she was diligent in making that drive and visiting those she loved.  She would come to the ward once a month to set up for lunch and games.  She loved the ward members.  She loved to laugh.  She loved playing games.  She was so much fun to be around.

        Even after she had moved out of the ward and no longer had a key to the building, she would still come around for those once-a-month Wednesdays until the weather turned.  It made for a longer drive.  Sadly, she didnt feel connected to the ward she had moved into.  Boy, did they miss out!  Aurelia is one of the most Christ like people that I can think of.  She didnt gossip or speak unkindly of anyone.  If she did let an unkind word slip (which was rare) she would immediate get on her own case and say that she would have to repent.  Everybody knew and loved Aurelia. And had it not been for this strange year of masks and social distancing the church would have been packed yesterday with those who wished to celebrate her life.

        It has been a tradition within many wards to prepare and serve food to those family members who have traveled for the funeral.  As with many other traditions 2020 has managed to cancel or provide opportunity for those to make adjustments, we did not do the traditional luncheon.  We were told that there would be 20 family members.  Before the services started, we were there to prepare 20 sack lunches for the family to take with them as they drove away.  No social distancing in the kitchen.  Only two people could be in the kitchen in order to accomplish that.  I believe there were five of us. 

        There was no casket, no viewing of the body.  I dont know if Aurelia had been buried already, where, or surrounding events.  Her family had wanted to hold services where she had been comfortable and had served diligently.  It was a nice service but we sat spaced out and were excused right after the service.  At least three in the back rows (who were excused to leave first) went to our cars and left the parking lot.  I wasnt there to see how quickly the rest had filed out.

        Various ward members gave brief talks before the family members were invited to share their memories.  Her youngest daughter shared a memory of being sick as a child shed been down with the flu or a cold and Aurelia had gone toward her room to check on her when there was some kind of crash that had encountered her leg.  The child got out of bed to come to her mothers aid but became disoriented and fainted.  Each was concerned about meeting the needs of the other.

        When it was discovered that Aurelia needed care, she was taken to the hospital but still concerned more about her youngest daughter than of herself.  Aurelia left the hospital with 58 stitches in her leg.  The speaker had checked out with no concerns.  Thats just the kind of person Aurelia was always thinking of others more than herself.  It didnt matter if we were even blood related. 

        She had told me that she saw the cancer as a blessing.  I understand she was bed ridden toward the end.  Oh, how I have missed her.  How blessed Heaven is to have her back.