We said good-bye to an extraordinary woman today. Over 200 people at the funeral attested to this. Each person had a personal relationship with her, working, sharing, receiving, interacting with a woman whose loss will be felt by many.
Her life was well-lived and at 83 she more than deserves the reward we know she is enjoying in Heaven at this moment. She chose to be positive in all things for all the years we knew her. No matter the situation, she smiled and dealt with it with charity, helpfulness and action.
People knew her as mother, wife, daughter, sister, friend and child. She lived most of her life in one town. There was enough time between her college graduation and her marriage for her to experience the work world, but when she began to have children, she became a housewife and mother to 3 children, all now adults and contributing in society in several ways.
She took her place in society as a woman of the fifties, deferring all praise and accomplishments to her husband in public, raising well-behaved, active children, contributing time and talents to her church, where she remained a faithful member all her life. As an economist, entertaining was her forte. Lucky the friends and family who were invited to her table, because it was elegant, appropriate and delicious!
When her time was close, she contacted friends to announce her illness. She was unafraid, uncomplaining, not avoiding the finality of the outcome of her illness. In her heart and soul she knew she was going to be with God and while it may have been sad to her to leave her children and grandchildren behind, she knew she would see loved ones she had not seen in some time. Her cheerfulness, calm acceptance and deep faith enabled her to remain in the same giving, cheerful state she had displayed throughout her life. Rest in peace, Betty.
