My heart is very tender today, Aunt Beth

When I got home this afternoon I saw on caller ID that there was a call from my Aunt Beth's house. They had not left a message, but I knew it was probably sad news. Aunt Beth fell a few weeks ago and had been in a rehab center. I visited her there last week and she was not doing well. The family brought her home a couple of days ago because they knew the end was near and she wanted to be at home.

The last time I saw Aunt Beth at her home was about 6 weeks ago when I stopped by the house in Springville. As she walked me to the door she teared up and said how much she missed my mom. Mom was one of five sisters who were about as close as sisters can be. They talked on the phone daily. At one of our reunions we made family flags, and my family made a flag that included a phone on it with yarn connecting it to a phone on one of her sister's flag. Aunt Beth was the last sister left, and I can only image the talk going on among those 5 sisters right now. There was actually another baby, Fern, who died as an infant, so that would make it an even livelier conversation.

Gary and I went over this evening to visit the family who was gathered at her house. The house itself is full of memories. It was the home where my grandma and grandpa lived and my mom grew up there. I only knew my Grandma, and by the time I was born she had moved into a smaller home down the street and Aunt Beth and Uncle Arnold had moved into the family homestead. I spent many many days and nights in that home playing with my cousin who is just 3 months younger than I. We had most Thanksgiving dinners and Christmas parties there when I was growing up. There is a lot of history in that old house. If the walls could speak . . .

It's hard to see an entire generation gone. Fortunately there remains an amazing closeness with the "Hall Cousins." We've had reunions every three years for as long as I can remember, and this summer we had a reunion up on the Oregon Coast for all the first cousins. I'm so glad Aunt Beth and Aunt Ruth (who died in September) were able to be there.

Here is a picture of Aunt Beth last summer
as she was getting ready to go whale watching.

I will miss Aunt Beth.

We share the same Birthday,
and I've always felt a special bond with her.
She never wanted to draw attention to herself,
but always showed such interest in
the family and wanted to know
"how everyone was doing."
And I will miss her laugh.
She had the most amazing "giggle" that always
brought a smile to my face.