A FUN funeral??

I spent yesterday with my family at my great-aunt's funeral. You can read her obituary here. She was my mom's mother's sister. My grandma's family consisted of six sisters. The first one passed away in 1986. One sister lives in Michigan and Florida (a snowbird). My grandma lives in Gettysburg, and the remaining 3 lived in Huron. They grew up in the Bonilla area, and have all remained very close. While my mom and her sibling were growing up, they spent a lot of time on the Tollefson farm (my great-grandparents). The aunts along with their husbands and cousins and their families still try to get together a few times a year and catch-up. The problem is that everyone is so busy. We have cousins in every state and a few other countries. Not everyone is able to get back for many of these "get-togethers".

As you probably know, a lot of families only get together for weddings and funerals. We have such a large family that we don't even all come to everyone's weddings. BUT when our beloved Aunt Theone passes away suddenly last week, there was an immediate halt in our "normal" busy lives.

This was the first funeral I've ever been at that I didn't feel sad. I felt sympathy for her daughter, and her husband that she left behind. But I did not feel sad. Theone was a wonderful, spiritual lady. She lived a wonderful 82 years, and died a peaceful, quick death.

Our family gathered from all over to celebrate her life. We had an "excuse" to come together again, and spend time with those who are most important to us. As I said early, sometimes not everyone gets to our regular get-togethers and we have a large extended family. I "met" cousins yesterday, that I don't ever remember meeting before.

All and all even though we were together for a funeral, it was a really fun day!