My aunt Mindy was a kind young woman. She was more then just an aunt to me. She felt more like a sister or a really good friend who you have known your whole life. Mindy would welcome anyone who entered her house with a warm smile and good company. She would make you feel like you were home.
Mindy was short but not too short, had a lot of drive in her. She was a farm girl; she had lived on a farm her whole life. Her voice was soft she could be but stern when she needed to be. She had very brown curly hair. She always had a smile on her face even if everything was going wrong or when she was going through chemo-therapy.
My aunt Mindy was diagnosed with colon cancer. As she went through treatments my family was always there to give a lending hand. There was several times when we would go grocery shopping; we would secretly pay for all the food and other items that her children needed. At times this annoyed Mindy and Uncle Raymond, but it meant so much to us to be there for her and her family. As it got closer to her death the cancer had spread from the colon to surround one of the main arteries of the heart.
We heard she passed away right after Thanksgiving. We had gotten the call Sunday morning that she had passed away the night before. After the call we all cried but me. I was sad but wanted to be strong for my mom. My sister Tara and I went to church just a couple hours after getting the call. That Sunday seemed to go by so slow and dragged on into the night.
The next day I went to school to get my work that I would miss. Since that night we were flying to Rexburg, Idaho to go to the funeral. We would be gone for well over a week.
Before the other family members arrived we drove out to Raymond and the kids when we got to Rexburg. Many of them wouldn’t be getting here until later that night. It was strange being in the house without my aunt Mindy to welcome us into the door and smell her cooking in the kitchen. The house always smelled of freshly baked cookies and comforting aromas. This time the air smelled empty and sadness. My family and I walked into the living room where my aunt usually sat in here recliner. I didn’t know what to do or say. I wanted to cry but since I cried all day at school I didn’t have any more tears left in me.
It all happened so fast. One moment we were at home the next we were at the hotel were mom’s brothers and sisters would also be staying. Each family got there one by one as we gathered and had a mini get together in the foyer of the hotel; To discuss what would be going on the next few days. A couple times while we were talking my parents and my moms siblings got into arguments. I didn’t know which side to be on since they are all family. They finally agreed that they wouldn’t stand in the line and let Raymond and the kids be the only ones up there.
There was one viewing the night before she would be laid to rest at a beautiful old building that kind of looked like a church. There was a video going of what each of the kids where thankful for Thanksgiving. Then we sat down and waited until are row was allowed to go through in to the next room where the casket was.
It was hard to look at the body that lay in the casket. It didn’t feel like it was my aunt. She looked like a statue of clay placed there and seemed too tiny and frail.
.........................................................................................................................................................................
The day of the funeral was a cold one; it had just snowed the night before. We went to the church were there was a second viewing. We waited in the room for what seemed like an eternity. When it came time to close the casket those who were not family were politely asked to leave and take their seats in the chapel. We then said a prayer and got into the line behind the casket. We each filed in one by one. The room was quiet but the atmosphere wasn’t sad but upbeat that everything would be okay. My aunts’ husband spoke and so did two of her older sisters. My aunt Gayle read a poem that my cousin had written. It was so beautiful; even though people cried they were happy tears knowing some day beyond the grave we will see her again. Just as we came in we each followed the casket out the doors to the hearse.
Everyone got into their cars and followed the procession. It was kind of weird being in a car line like that. As we got onto the major roads traffic stopped as we passed. When we got to the grave sight there was already a canopy set up with chairs underneath. Since my dad was one of the Pallbearers he had to put his boutonniere on top of the casket. After she was laid to rest, family and close friends went back to the church to have lunch.
Instead of going back home after the funeral, my parents decided that we were going to go down to Park City, Utah for a few days. It was nice not having to return to normal life right away after losing my first relative. We were able to spend time together and enjoy the snow.
No comments:
Post a Comment