My great aunt , Eloise

OKAY okay - one more story about death: The crux of my family, I've always said, is that two brothers married two sisters. Lenny and EvaMae and Raeford and Eloise. They celebrated their anniversary on the Fourth of July. Raeford and Eloise were favorites of mine and when the only thing you know about them is there names, you can understand why. They deserved those cool names because they were off the chart in cool. Raeford was gruff and hard and Eloise was smart, sassy and with the looks to back it up. They loved each other tremendously and raised 5 kids. After a fight with cancer, Raeford died first. Eloise lived on. She traveled to my graduation with my Grandmother, EvaMae. They were best friends. After years with Cancer, EvaMae died. Eloise lived by herself. And on the Fourth of July, her family gathered at a neighbors for the traditional party. She felt tired and wanted to rest. She would be along to join the party after awhile. She lay down on the couch and read a book. When her son came to bring her to the party, the book was peacefully resting on her chest and she was gone.

Perhaps she drifted off like our poet describes. I know she was a simple country lady. And I hope she wasn't afraid and felt the connection with her family and simply got up from the couch and joined them at the party.

I'll try to find a good picture of her and post it soon.