In Memorium

She's the one on the left in this group photo.

My apologies for being so absent lately. Some of you may recall that my baby sister, Holly, was diagnosed with stage four lung cancer in January 2014. She had been doing well at Christmas, but passed last week. So while it was not a complete surprise, it was sudden. While we were never that close, particularly the past few years, it by no means diminishes the loss, and the family is still in the process of making arrangements.

Rest in peace, Holly.

Wordless Wednesday 32: Joy of a Book Lover

I know it's supposed to be completely wordless, but I just need to say that these pics were not staged. My niece really was this excited to receive a new book!

More Wordless Wednesday

RIP Lucy

Lucy, December 2010

In Monday's post about my sister's cat Taboo, I mentioned that one of their other cats, Lucy, had been sick for a few weeks now, mostly having difficulty keeping food down. I had a feeling that she would not be with us much longer after Taboo passed, giving her two weeks at most. Many companion animals, particularly older ones in poor health, will often give up their own fight after their companion has gone.

We saw this with my half-sister Karlé’s cats. Buster had feline diabetes for many years. When he finally passed, his sister Martha—who, it turned out, had heart disease—died only a few weeks later. The last couple of days, Lucy had stopped eating altogether, and Saturday morning they made the difficult decision of putting her down, laying her to rest beside Taboo in their backyard. RIP Lucy.

RIP Taboo

I learned Sunday morning that my sister's cat of 16 years died Saturday afternoon. They had been worried about his companion, Lucy, who is the same age and has been losing weight and been sick a lot lately, but Taboo had appeared to be in good health, considering his advanced age. The above picture was taken just this past Christmas. He was a moody, handsome fellow who will be dearly missed by his family. RIP, Taboo.

Bleeding Hearts

Seemed rather appropriate to see these white Bleeding Hearts as I was coming in to work today. They reminded me of my dad, whom I have been thinking of all week. He passed in late September 2001. Today would have been his 80th birthday. Happy Birthday, Dad -- wherever you are!

Grandparents

While talking with an uncle and his wife at this weekend's memorial service, the subject came up as to how few photographs there are of Mom's side of the family. During this conversation I mentioned that I had never seen a picture of Grandpa Larson. "You don't have a photo of him?" My uncle asked. "Nope. Mom only remembered seeing two, one of Grandma and Grandpa together, and one of Grandpa in his Coast Guard uniform, but had no idea what became of them." "Just a minute," he said, and disappeared out the door. A few minutes later he returned and handed me the following photo. It seems my aunt was recently going through some things and happened upon this picture, which my uncle didn't remember having. He had it blown up to 8x10 and had multiple copies made to share with family. He believes it was taken on their wedding day. This is without a doubt one of the greatest gifts I have ever received.

Kenneth and Marie (Wagner) Larson, WWII

Memorial Collage 2

Another collage made for yesterday's service. Top: 1945, 1953. Middle: With oldest granddaughter in 1992, with Baby Sister in 1977. Bottom: With The Bug in 2006, Christmas 2007, With Dad, Younger Sis and BIL, Florida grandkids and their paternal grandparents. And yes, I know I am not in any of these--there wasn't one on my computer and the rest of my family pictures are packed away. (Click for larger view)

Memorial Collage 1

One of the photo collages I put together for today's memorial service for my mom. Top left and bottom middle are from 1952, top right 1953, bottom left 1945. Middle left is a group picture of Mom and her five siblings taken at Christmas in 1961. Right middle is Mom and Dad taken at Younger Sister's wedding in 1997 (Dad died in 2001). Bottom right is with The Bug, March 2006. (Click image for larger view)

H&A Anniversary

An anniversary card for my sister and BIL, who celebrated another year together on Christmas Eve.

Stamps: Upsy Daisy, Fancy Flexible Phrases, Watercolor Garden (bees) (All Stampin' Up)
Ink: Handsome Hunter (SU)
Paper: Handsome Hunter, Certainly Celery (SU)
Accessories: Grosgrain Ribbon, Word Window Punch

Thursday Thirteen #81: Family

October being Family History Month, here are thirteen things I know about my grandparents and great-grandparents.

1. One of my maternal great-grandfathers came to the US from Tromsø, Norway with his family when he was two years old, in the late 1800's. He worked in the mines at Darlington and Livingston, and worked for A.Y. McDonalds in Dubuque for 30 years and supposedly invented a pump for them.

2. My other maternal great-grandfather worked at a candy factory and is the sole reason my mom cannot stand black licorice, which she once loved as a little girl. Something about an accident after devouring a pound of it.

3. My maternal grandfather died before I was born. All I really know about him is that he served in the Coast Guard during WWII and was later a plumber. I have never seen a picture of him. My mother only remembers two photos of him, and both disappeared after my grandmother died--family vultures.

4. My maternal grandmother was born in Iowa. She was a housewife and waitress, and never learned to drive until the death of her husband, in her late 30's.

5. She loved to do needlepoint and taught me when I was about 8 years old. I never completed the project as I ran out of the color yarn needed to finish it. She died not long before my tenth birthday, in late December. The new year began with snow and a funeral that year. Though I never developed her love of needlepoint, she is no doubt where I get my skills with counted cross-stitch.

6. I have few pictures or anything else of my grandparents--only a locket and two needlepoints stitched by my maternal grandmother, and two old songbooks and a heavy cast-iron skillet from my paternal grandmother. I love that skillet.

7. My paternal grandfather came over from Walsall, England in 1914, aboard the Carmentia. He travelled with a friend, and later helped his father and sisters come over.

8. My paternal GF was a "jack of all trades." Among other occupations he was a bus driver, sold fish during the Great Depression, was a Fuller Brush Man, raised beagles, cleaned the inside of the Capitol Rotunda, and owned a resort with several cottages he and my father built together.

9. Paternal grandfather died the day before my 3rd birthday. His wife of more than 50 years died nine months later. My only memory of her is of one of my older half-sisters lifting me up to see her as she lie in her casket. Popcorn also somehow played into that day.

10. Not much is known about my paternal grandmother's family, other than that they came from Wales via Canada.

11. According to my dad, his mother was an accomplished organist and pianist, and loved to sing. She was also an expert canner.

12. My paternal grandmother is also said to have had "the gift." Although my sister P is believed to be the most receptive (as a teen she apparently had a vision of an accident our dad was in, hundreds of miles away, as it happened), but we all seem to possess her gift to some degree.

13. Both paternal grandparents are buried in Grant County, WI; my maternal grandparents in Dubuque, IA. My paternal great-grandfather is buried here, though I've not yet found his grave.



Paternal Grandparents (1971) and Maternal Great-grandparents (1957)


LINKS TO OTHER THURSDAY THIRTEENS:

Alice Laudan * Mel * Alice Audrey * Shelley Munro
Ms. Menozzi * Nina * Debbie Mumford * Jana
Stephanie Adkins * Paige Tyler * Jennifer McKenzie
Janice Seagraves * Tempest Knight * Dayle
Eaton Bennett

(leave your link in comments, I’ll add you here!)

The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!