Memorial Day... in loving memory

In memory of one special man...





... and, as the edge of our back patio shows, a family that existed once upon a time on Earth forever exists in the heart.

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Shelby, John and I went to the cemetery on Sunday to decorate for Memorial Day. As we worked, we talked about how the people bearing names on the headstones surrounding Andy have become almost like "neighbors."

On Andy's right hand side is a gentleman who died in 1978 who shares a double headstone with his wife. On our past visits there was no death date for the wife, so we assumed she was still living. It turns out that we were correct, because this time there is a fairly new date plate on the stone stating that she died last month, along with an abundance of flowers with a ribbon that reads "Mom and Dad." We felt bad knowing this year is especially sad for the family.

Right next to them are two graves with decorations that read "Grandma and Grandpa. The kids and I wonder: are they the parents of the couple next to them?

Next door to "Grandma and Grandpa" is a new grave with a shiny new headstone, but interestingly the man's date of birth is given as sometime in the 1800's and he died in 1960. His name is new to us, but will become familiar as the years pass. But, what is his story? Was he really just moved here 49 years after his passing? And why? Was he a MIA veteran? Was he simply moved to be closer to family?

The headstone directly above Andy is a somber one to us. The young man died on the exact same day as Andy. He was buried in the morning the day Andy was buried in the afternoon. His obituary is on the same page of the paper so I even feel like I somewhat know his family. He also left young children behind, and often there are clay figures, paper machete handprints and other childhood art that is obviously created in love by his kids. As many years as we have visited the cemetery on almost every holiday, we have yet to meet any member of his family. I wonder, do they feel a bond with us, too?

To Andy's left is a lady that I knew personally, although not well. The lady had married a widower that later died himself, and she is buried next to him and his first wife. The graves of the man and his first wife are always very well decorated, but sadly there is nary a flower for the second wife. Usually we place a little something on her grave, so this year we used a flower and a little flag from our supply.

It's always a good thing to be nice to one's neighbors.

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