I grew up in a small town. Living in a place like that there are certain people who punctuate your life, the doctor and preacher are there at birth, death, and some events in between. There's others too that aren't so obvious though, like the florist. The florist was there for all your celebrations and sorrows, behind the scenes, helping. Birth, sickness, homecoming, prom, wedding, childbirth (again), and death. She eased your way with color and texture and sweet smells of pretty flowers that are there for and instant and then gone, or pressed in a book maybe.
My great aunt helped raise me and she was the town florist. I remember being little and sitting on the tall stools in her shop helping make picks from the crinkly and brightly colored cellophane. She was a business woman, strong, proper, concerned, loving and she had a great laugh. She was my grandmother's twin sister and they were the youngest of eleven siblings.
Yesterday she passed away, the last of the siblings living. With her goes the feeling I always had that I could go back to a place that was frozen in an earlier time. I will miss that.
Her oldest son survives her, she goes on to be with her husband, her youngest son, and all ten of her older siblings. I will miss her greatly but I wish her a wonderful reunion with them and all the others that await her too. Love you Aunt Niecey.
Janiece Hendrixson Springer 11/12/1921 - 11/7/2009
what a lovely post. wishing you well for the week ahead
ReplyDeleteJamie, my deepest sympathy. What a beautiful story for the beautiful person. I am sure she will be in thoughts of many.....
ReplyDeleteJamie, I was searching this morning for something to comfort me as I remember my great-aunt Janiece as well. I am sure that we met over the years but with families ad big as the Hendrix's and Springer's ... Lewis was my grandmother's brother.
ReplyDeleteI too remember the trips to the flower shop, and when I got married and the flower shop was closed, Janiece and I went to Patty's to make the arrangements together. She had always told me that she would and she held herself to that.
I wish you and your family strength and wonderful memeories.
Sandy
jamie,
ReplyDeletereading your blog on your recently passed on aunt, my thoughts are with you. How blessed you are to have such lovely person in your life, that she left such lovely memories of times. She is around you, sometimes just the whisper of a name calls them. She may not be here in body but believe me she is in Spirit. She may even come to you in dreams or at night, as our bodies tend to be more relaxed and minds more capable of communicating during sleep. blessings,