Anonymous
This is especially for my cousin, Judy Hyatt LeMoine.
Oh, do you remember the days at your Grandma and Grandpa's summer cabin at Sunrise Beach? Their first cabin, to the right of the pier at which the excursion boat, Elsie, docked after its trip from Point Defiance? Of course the permanent home to the south of the pier was to come later. Those are such favorite memories of mine from the 1940's.
And, of course, your Mom and Dad figure prominently in those memories, too, not only at the beach but Christmas at Elmer and Thelma's house on Park Avenue. Each year Aunt Thelma's Christamas tree was so wonderful. We always came over for a few hours on Christmas night to bring Grandpa and Grandma Swift back home after they had spent the afternoon with the "Hyatt side" of the family. (You may remember that they were with us on Christmas morning.) Such memories!
Another was later -- of your mother calling in on a KMO radio show that I was on, talking about public education. She had good questions about what her grandchildren should expect as they began their school careers -- her voice serious, yet so warm and gracious, as always. I knew instantly that it was my cousin, Dottie.
Losing our parents is so hard, but the memories soften the blow. For years after Mom and Dad died memories would pop into my head at the most surprising time. And they lifted my spirit -- always. So my wish for you is that those good memories will bring warmth and joy into your life -- when you least expect it.
Larry##imported-begin##Larry and Earlyse Swift##imported-end##