Monday, December 1

A Tribute to Aunt May's Life

I'm writing this on Sunday night for Monday's post. One week ago today, Aunt May went home to be with the members of her family that predeceased her. I would like to tell you a bit about this amazing woman who has inspired me throughout my entire life.

As a young girl, Aunt May worked on the farm, both in the fields and the house. She had five siblings, the oldest of these being my mother. There were 3 girls and three boys. Aunt May filled in wherever she was needed, as did Mom.

As the story goes, Aunt May, her older brother Walter and my mother decided one day to take a ride down a steep hill in a wooden wagon. Mom being oldest, was put in the front in charge of steering. Walter sat in the back and Little May, as she was called in her youth, was in the middle.

After the wagon began its descent, Mom found the tongue was not a great steering wheel. She lost control and they went down the hill and through a barbed wire fence. Walter and May had cuts and bruises and Mom's legs were slashed by the barbed wire. Can you imagine the horror that Grandma felt when she heard the screams of her children and hurried into the yard. There the three of them came, up the lane, bawling at the top of their lungs and blood dripping from their cuts. Though the incident wasn't funny the day it happened, it was reminisced and laughed about for years. It is one story that will be handed down through our family.

While attending school, Aunt May was a member of the 4H Homemaking Club. She finished every one of the courses and then became leader, where she taught for approximately five years. As a teenager, she joined Junior Farmers and also lead in that capacity after a few years. She was also a member of the Women's Institute and served as both President and Treasurer.

Whatever Aunt May joined, she gave it her all and she lead in many capacities. She was a member of the Foresters and her church. She often spent hours helping prepare meals for the needy or for a funeral. I'd like to thank the Ladies of Aunt May's church for putting on a wonderful luncheon after her funeral. They did a great job and accomplished a feat that Aunt May had participated in many times during her life.

Aunt May was an avid sewer. She sewed for her son and daughter when they were young and in later years for her granddaughters. She taught her daughter to sew as well as the granddaughters. Her entire family grew gardens of vegetables that were preserved for the coming winter. She did this year after year and though her health was always frail, she could still be seen out in the garden or in the kitchen making fruit or vegetable preserves.

Reta, Aunt May's youngest granddaughter spoke at the funeral and told how Grandma taught her and her sister, Rachel, to sew. When they were very young they took an interest in sewing and wanted to buy some fabric. So Aunt May took them to get the fabric, helped them cut out the patterns and guided the material through the sewing machine while they stepped on the foot pedal to make it go.

Throughout her life, Aunt May had frail health but she never allowed it to stop her from doing what she wanted to do. She lived life to the fullest and always kept her sense of humor. She loved her family and her God.

Aunt May went into pallative care on November 13th. She had stopped eating and drinking. The very next day, she and her nurse had a lot of fun. What a wonderful thing for her nurse to kabitz and have fun with her. She knew that Aunt May would never leave the hospital and that she was in a lot of pain.

Over the next few days, Aunt May did open her eyes when we spoke to her. Then, she was heavily sedated to keep her comfortable. Aunt May passed on November 23rd. Each member of her family as well as her friends were greatly inspired by this little woman who was sometimes affectionately called, Mighty May.

I hope you enjoyed learning a bit about Aunt May. She has been my mentor, my role model and an inspiration to me since I was a child. I will miss her, but would not wish her back to suffer. I am happy to know that she has no more pain, suffering or tears.

Have a great week and remember to do a random act of kindness. This is the holiday season and many people are in great need. ~Blessings, Mary~

28 comments:

  1. It's obvious that your Aunt May was a wonderful lady. I'm sure you'll miss her but I agree that she's in a better place now.

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  2. wow what a lovely tribute to Aunt May this is, she sounds like a gem!

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  3. I wish I could have met her in her prime I just know I would have loved to have her as a friend.I know you miss her but she is Home with our Lord,and you will see her again when it is your turn to go home.Until than treasure the time with her that you had.

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  4. It sure sound like your Aunt May had a full life.
    Thanks for sharing this with us.

    Coffee is on.

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  5. You have honoured her well in your blog and in many other ways, I'm sure.

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  6. What a lovely tribute to your aunt. I knew she had to be a special lady to have inspired such love in you. I feel I know her better after reading this post.

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  7. A wonderful Tribute, Mary. I appreciate you sharing your Aunt May with us. I know how much she meant to you.

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  8. We have spoken many times about your Aunt May but I so enjoyed reading your tribute to her...... Strong woman with much love and a tender heart......that is a generation that we are loosing......She reminds me of my Grandmother.......cooking and sewing and growing gardens and canning.......... Oh how I miss those simple days with those powerful women......... She is well and one day I will get to meet her..Maybe she has met my grandmother......... Ida........ I hope so..........

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  9. It is good to know more about Aunt May. She sounds like a wonderful person.

    Love the huge maple leaf! And the bargains sound wonderful. I MUST get started on shopping - I finally got one tree up. I'm having a hard time getting going this year! And it's later than normal, since I don't get started till after Thanksgiving.

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  10. Mary, you painted such a wonderful image of her that I almost feel like I know her...I can tell that she was blessing not only to you, but to so many family and friends, and I know she will be so missed!
    Hugs,
    ~Tammy

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  11. Beautiful tribute, Mary. So many of the things your Aunt May accomplished despite not always being in the best of health, reminds me very much of two of my Dad's sisters but especially the older sister of the two -my Aunt Lizzie. She had polio as a young child which left her with one leg somewhat shorter than the other and that, plus being very, very short in stature to begin with (4 ft 9 inches) she was just a little bit of a thing. But boy, she could be a dynamo, doing all kinds of things in and around the house when she put her mind to it! Amazing the strengths those in that generation seemed to have -much more than many of us today I think.

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  12. Mary,

    A lovely tribute to your Aunt May. I too would have liked to have met her, I gather that she was a lot of fun. I know that you will miss her - but remember, one day you will see her again.

    Pop knew that I always had a problem in this area, and right before he died, we talked a lot. He told me to not grieve, that he would be with Grandmother and be happy, and that one day we would meet again.

    His death is the only one that didn't affect me in a bad way - I guess because it was expected and we had a chance to talk and be together. I miss him terribly and I do have my bad moments, but I change my thoughts and I think about all the good times we had. Somehow, that makes it easier.

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  13. Such a precious tribute to your dear aunt May.

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  14. Mary,

    What a sweet and lovely tribute to your Aunt May. Her memory will live on in the hearts of her loved ones. May she rest in peace.

    Hugs and blessings,

    Renie

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  15. This was actually a bit of a thrill to finally read a lot about her life as a little sister up to the point where she helped her grandchildren. What a willful woman. Strong, vibrant, and filled with life as life was handed to her. She never stopped. She lived it to the fullest.

    I really appreciated this addition to your blog today Mary. It gave me a closer sense of who Aunt May was.

    Have a great Monday dear friend. [I have a little bit about you and your pay it forward today on my blog]

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  16. A lovely tribute to a special lady. She will live on in her children and grandchildren and others who knew her. How nice that you wrote this piece of history.

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  17. Mary
    I could feel the LOVE in this tribute. Peace

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  18. Thanks for stopping by Mary, You know the funny thing is that I never fell or had an accident to cause my back to do this..HM!! I know that I have lost 1 1/4" over these few years. I guess I should ask my surgeon if he can make me tall again!! Smile...
    Have a wonderful Monday!!
    I so enjoyed this tribute to your aunt!! She was a very special lady!! Thanks for letting us hear about her life..Sandy

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  19. Your Aunt May is truly an inspiration to live life to its fullest. Thank you for that story.

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  20. Dearest Mary,

    I think you have a lot of your Aunt May in you...such a wonderful legacy that she has given to you!! I so enjoyed reading these stories about your aunt and it's no doubt that they all bring a smile to those who hear them. Heaven has just become an even better place because she's now there:-) xoxo

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  21. Mary,
    I haven't read blogs for the last several days and was not aware that Aunt May had passed away. I had her name written on my prayer list and had been praying for her and your family....

    She sounded like a wonderful person and role model...she will live on in your memories as you take them out and relive them....God Bless...Betty

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  22. What a special lady your Aunt May was and what a lovely tribute you've shared here. I'm sure she'll be missed ... until you meet again.
    Hugs and blessings,

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  23. I really enjoyed reading that Mary.
    What a great life she had...I love those old stories. What lives they lead...pretty amazing.
    Reminds me of the stories that my grandparents used to tell me.

    Your Aunt was a really neat woman...I see why you will miss her so.

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  24. What a lovely, lovely tribute to your dear Aunt May!!! She was a remarkable lady! Thank you for sharing some of the stories about her life so that we could know her better.

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  25. The love you have for Aunt May just pours out in your lovely tribute. She sounds like such a dear, sweet woman. I am so glad her new journey has begun and that she was surrounded by such love and peace in the end. Take care Mary.

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  26. lovely tribute to an amazing woman

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  27. What a lovely tribute to a remarkable woman.

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