The Sunday of Aunt Barb's funeral was rainy, windy, grey and cold in Waterloo. Although our mapquest directions were wrong, we could tell where we were supposed to be: cars up and down the street as we found Mull's Funeral Home.
Inside, the rooms of the older home, now funeral home, were packed with people. Aunt Barb's casket was beautiful, with displays of flowers carefully laid on top of it. A Nora Roberts book was there, to be put in with her, and four stained glass angels (her girls) also would be placed inside, so that her girls would be with her forever.
Aunt Barb herself looked very much like the Aunt Barb that I remembered from years ago.
The Hawkes, the Lochners, the Kinsellas, the Maneys, and other cousins and friends and neighbors were there in force.
The service was short, with the minister leading us all in prayers and reading the 23rd Psalm and a passage from John 14. The minister then reminded us all of favorite stories from Barb's life. She encouraged us to share our memories of Aunt Barb; it is this that keeps her alive.
Jim Kinsella spoke about how Aunt Barb was like a mother to him. Yes, she yelled at him (like a mother), but she also gave him a small item to take with him to college so that he would always remember her. He ended by giving back the whale and placing it in her coffin so that he could know where to find her when the time was right. By the time Jim sat down, all eyes were misty, if not running over.
After the service, we all drove to the Sportsman Club where a fantastic dinner appeared out of nowhere. It was great to get a chance to eat and talk with so many of our cousins, and of course, wonderful to see Uncle Harold, Kathy, Annie, Mary and Judy.
THANK YOU, Chuck Lochner for these pictures. If anyone has more, please email them to me.
Do click on the word 'comments' at the end of this post to be taken to a separate page where you can write down what you remember about Aunt Barb, or more of what Sunday was like for you. When the comments page comes up, write your comment with your name and then, probably the easiest is to click on 'anonymous' and then, click on 'post'.
3 comments:
Thanks for the pictures. They mean a lot to those of us who could not make the trip back for Aunt Barb's funeral. She was always so beautiful and so unique. She'll be missed.
We had a wonderful family gathering on this sad occasion. Aunt Barb would have been pleased by the way we sent her off.
I drove from Rochester with Jim & Jill and with Mom and Dad. It was terribly sloppy weather. Great big rain drops falling as we drove to Waterloo.
Walking through the grieving line at the funeral home was difficult -- what could I say to Uncle Harold and my cousins about this loss? I just hugged Uncle Harold, tissue in hand, and told the others that I loved them as we hugged away.
Then I walked into the next room and began to chat with Mickey and Steve Hawkes, then Mike Maney. Then my brother Tim arrived with his family, then Cindy and Charlie Hawkes, Mary Hawkes, Chris Kinsella, Uncle Bob Kinsella, Bob Taylor's ex-wife Karen, even Bernie Hauff. Everyone chatted with everyone. By the time Pat and Glenn and family waded in, the placed was packed. You could move, but you had to squeeze. David Lochner and Chucky. Ricky with Lori and Sara. Johnny Maney with his wife Jill, Richard Maney and his wife. And more whom I don't remember now.
It was very, very sweet. Sad but sweet to be there with so much family.
More IDs for the pictures. Wish I could have seen all of you, but wish Aunt Barb could have been there gabbing with us all, too.
Picture 1 – Collage of pictures
Picture 2 – Collage of pictures – I love that one of Aunt Barb as a young girl in the middle – so beautiful!
Picture 3 – Wedding Picture – Mom helped me identify everyone: Charlie Wixsom (best man), Uncle Harold, Aunt Barb, Phyllis (Barb’s sister and maid of honor), Jack Kinsella, Cliff (Barb’s brother)
Picture 4 - Tim Kinsella, Annie Taylor Catherman, Rosemary Kinsella (Tim’s wife), Jill Kinsella (Jim’s wife)
Picture 5 – David Lochner, Chris Kinsella, Joe Gabrys (Cindy’s husband), Cindy Hawkes Gabrys, Jack Kinsella
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