My Aunt Hazel passed away today. She was 91. She fell the day before Easter and ended up in the hospital unconscious with what I believe was some internal bleeding. Things sort of deteriorated from there and today she passed away. A nicer woman you may never meet. She was old school in that she was always polite and courteous and never wanted anyone to feel put out by having to take care of her or do anything for her. She was independent up until the end, still living in the house I lived across from and next to as I was growing up.
Aunt Hazel was actually something like a great Aunt. She lived beside my grandmother as I was growing up and when I was very young, I lived on the farm across the street from her. And no matter how old I ever got, she never let me forget that when I was wee lad I had trouble actually pronouncing her name correctly and would end up calling her Un Ayzal. I remember she had a man made rock pond with koi in it beside the porch behind her house. And I can still remember being fascinated and watching those fish for hours. And when I first started going to elementary school, she was actually the driver of my school bus, and I was her first stop. Later in life I ended up living in my grandmother's house next door to her during my high school years.
And yet after all that time and being such a big part of my life, once I graduated from college and moved away, I didn't see her that much. I would see her occasionally when I would go back for visits and for major holidays. But over the years my visits grew more and more infrequent, and eventually once I had kids of my own and they got older, I stopped going back for holidays as well. It's been a couple of years since I last saw her. It coincides exactly with when I stopped traveling across the state for holidays. I don't even have any recent pictures of her that I had taken, and had to get the one above from some photos that my Mom took last year. But even though it's been several years since I last saw her, that won't change the fact that I'm still going to miss her now that she's gone. Goodbye Un Ayzal.
6 comments:
sorry to read about your loss james.
James, sorry to hear about your loss. She looks like a really nice lady.
I'm so sorry for your loss. I hope you can find comfort in all the wonderful memories you have.
Sorry for your loss. The post is a nice tribute.
It is funny what you remember when someone dies. I suspect that you had as big an impact on her life as she did on yours.
I have caught myself writing strange things down that I remember about loved ones...just so the thoughts don't slip away permanently.
I have lost a great aunt and great uncle in the past 5 years or so. They were more like grandparents (extras!) to me and my brother. I know that when life gets busy it's hard to keep in touch. I feel the same way about losing them, they may have been a ways away but never far from my heart. my sincere condolences on your loss.
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