The Reading of the Obits, yet again

Before I jump right into this past week's obituaries, I have to tell you the funniest story.  I was reading the local news online, since I only take the Sunday paper (for the obits) and there was an article about weird and interesting funerals.  So you know I clicked on THAT one first thing!  Anyhoo, in this article the owner of one of the large funeral homes was quoted several times.  This made me think he must be a big-wig in the local funeral parlor game.  Never in a million years would you ever guess this dude's name.  Never!  I kept going over and over the article because there is no way I thought this was real.

Picture this, me and Mr. Big Ed are bereaved and for some reason (knocking on all kinds of wood) are at the funeral home and having to make arrangements.  We are sad, we are overcome with grief, yet still having to make mundane decisions.  Then the director comes in and introduces himself.   "Hello, so very sorry for your loss.  My name is Dick Tipps and I will be here to serve you".

Yeppers.  Dick. Tipps.  They call me Mr. Tipps!

Did his parents wake up and say to themselves "Selves, we must toughen up this tiny little 6' 7" baby boy. I know!  Let's name him Dick!  Then he can get the crap beaten out of him every single day of his school career!!"  Not to mention he won't have a girlfriend to cramp his focus on his academics.

Mr. Big Ed and I were so bad, we giggled about this for quite some time and could not picture ourselves doing this and keeping straight faces.  I had to call my friend Patty Cakes and tell her all about it too.  I sure hope we aren't going to hell for our interest in obituaries and wanting to correct all the grammar in them.

On to the obits!!

Under the category of bad names, like the afore-mentioned Mr. Tipps:

We find Harold Rocco DeBona.  Was he known as Harry?  Harry DeBona?  His two sons were Rocco and Bruce.  Rocco Jr. was married to Sugar.  Sugar and Rocco DeBona.  You can totally picture this cast on the Sopranos, can't you?

Then we have Mae Gee who lived to the age of 95. (Yea Mae!!) She was born to Woo Gee and Shee Gee.  And yet her only 2 surviving brothers were named Paul and William.

New and interesting ways to say "died":

Linda Rose got her angel wings and was reunited with our Lord in her new mansion on Friday, Feb. 11.

Our dear sweet mother, Mary Louise, went to her heavenly home on Feb. 3 after a lenghy battle with dementia.

Jack Paul Leon died peacefully of pancreatic cancer at home on Wednesday, in the arms of his loving family.
**I have been with too many people in my family dying of cancer and I find it almost impossible to believe that was truly peaceful.  I sincerely hope that it was.

This next one also gets an award for longest run-on sentence. "Jenny Fleming, who was born in China and came of age in Shanghai during WWII and who married John T. Fleming Jr. in 1949, lost her valiant struggle with the complications of pneumonia and passed away peacefully on Feb. 7.
**I am sorry for poor Jenny Fleming, but seriously?  Who is born, came of age, got married, fights pneumonia and passes peacefully all in one sentence?  Give Jenny some dignity and use a period or two.

This one almost got the award for longest sentence, but they actually used two sentences for this. "Frances Marie "CISCA" Maestes, "Keka"; devoted daughter, inspiring sister, loving partner, loyal and generous friend, age 43, passed away quietly Saturday, Feb 5, at her home, surrounded by her family, into the waiting arms of her Heavenly Father. After a long and valiant battle with cancer; her spirit was just too big and too beautiful for her broken body to contain".
**The pain just leaps off the page in that particular one, doesn't it?  So sad to see these really young people who are truly in the prime of their lives dying of that no good bitch cancer.




Wonderful old names that we don't see anymore:

Eva Edna.  Love it!

Under the category of really interesting info:

"Curtis Wayne Lamb Hayes was born Sept. 13, 1937 in Long Beach, CA. Curt died from cardio/pulmonary failure. He also suffered from Alzheimer's disease. Curt was the only son of George Samuel Lamb and Almeda Marie Hill Lamb. In 1941, George was killed aboard the U.S.S. Arizona during the attack on Pearl Harbor."  Curt's mom remarried and he went on to live a great life and did loads of fun things.  It was a really nice, and interesting obituary.  A life well lived!

Then we come to Tara Nancy, who was way too young to die at 42.  Here is what they said about Tara. "Tara had an exciting career as a helicopter pilot, private and commercial, for 15 years and was a member of Whirly-Girls, International Women Helicopter Pilots."

"James Lee Oaks, age 70 went to be with the Lord on Feb 8. His death was unexpected. James was born in Coldwater Miss. August 3, 1940. He was from a family of 10 children and he lost his father in a fire when he was only 10 years old. He helped raise his siblings before he joined the Air Force."
**I can only imagine that losing his dad in such a horrible way was a defining moment in his life. Especially if he was only 10 years old.  I was curious as to where Mr. James Lee was in the birth order of those 10 kids.  My first thought was that he was the oldest, but that would mean there were 10 kids in as many years and can you imagine what his poor mama went through?  She would have been completely worn out with 10 kids under 10 and losing her husband.  So let's hope that James Lee was in the bottom of the pack and there were some teen-aged kids to help her out after this ordeal.


And one of the obits had a great little bit of info about the deceased that sounded a lot like me.  I read it to Patty Cakes and she said we should save it to work into my own obit.  "Mary was a life long homemaker, devoted wife and mother and an excellent seamstress, who could also crochet up a storm. She loved to work in the yard, watch the birds, do crossword puzzles and do for others. She also enjoyed many wonderful travels with Morris and friends over the years. But what she loved most was spending time with her family."

Now other than "an excellent seamstress", that sounds a whole lot like me.  And I would be traveling with Mr. Big Ed, not Morris.

Over all, it was some good reading this week.  Sadly, there were too many young people, and the worst of all was a little 15 month old named Madelynn.  The sweetest little picture of her accompanied her obituary.  So sad, just heart-breaking for this to happen.

I wasn't going to tell you this, but I will.  One of the obituaries was of someone I knew.  He was a very close friend of one of my friends.  I went to his funeral yesterday and it was so sad.  I barely knew this man and I cried like a baby when he got his military honors.  When they do the playing taps while also doing the whole folding of the flag and presenting it to the mama, you just can't keep it together.  No one should ever have to receive a flag for their child.  I am crying again just thinking about it.  We get lots of military funerals here since our Ft. Sam Houston National Cemetary is second largest behind Arlington.  And they keep those old veterans busy out there most every day doing the 21 gun salute and playing taps.  The ritual of the service must be hard for them to do day in and day out.  But that ritual is what is so meaningful to the mourners.  It was a beautiful service and I hope it was some comfort to his family.

And now, to completely change gears!!

Queen B!  would you prefer black, green or white tea?