Lest We Forget

 

Mom and Pop Goetz

So many I have loved, gone now but never forgotten.  I have lost all but one Aunt, my Mom, several cousins, my ex-husband — the father of my children.  I’m posting the photos of the ones who are in my library, but they are only a few.  Soon I’ll have photos of more of them here and the list grows daily.

Memorial Day was created to remember our loved ones who died in a war but in our infinite need to remember everyone who left before we have, we now go to the graves and decorate them all.  A day set aside to remember.  And I remember each of them in special ways.  Aunt Trudy, an army nurse, stationed in the Pacific theater during WWII, my dad’s youngest sister, an Aunt who visited but never stayed long when I knew her.  Gone now but not forgotten.  My three Uncles who also served in WWII, Vird, John R., and Leo.  They all came home from the war, each with his own version of hell written on their faces from the things they had seen, each obstacle overcome during their civilian lifetimes, all gone but not forgotten.  My lovely cousin, Carol, petite, blond and such a sweet loving person.  Gone now, always remembered.  My grandson, Logan, he of the sparkling eyes and mischievous grin, a light that went out too soon.  Gone but never forgotten, because how can you forget what the light looks like?  My Mom — I still dial her number when I have a question, forgetting that she won’t be answering again in this lifetime, always loved, never forgotten, never mine.  Grandmother and Papa, the grandparents I knew best, just a pasture between us when I was growing up, hard working salt of the earth people.  Papa left us first, Grandmother later, but as it happens always, gone now but forever in our hearts.  Mom and Pop, my paternal grandparents, I learned so much from Mom as well as from Grandmother.  Pop went first, when I was still so young, Mom years later after passing on her love of making quilts and cobblers!  Her love for us all remembered by everyone.  Gone, always loved, never forgotten.

And to all the rest, those I have no photo available for, you are loved by us all, and we will never forget you — the lessons you taught us, the love you gave so freely, the old days when we shared our love, food, wisdom, understanding — the Good Old Days, never forgotten, always loved.

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