My Auntie Emma Taylor passed away last week. She was the last remaining person of her generation on both sides of my family. She just lost her daughter Carol a few months ago. Here she is (blue blouse) with her daughter, Carol,
(yellow blouse), granddaughter, Amy, and great granddaughter, Maycie. Carol had just started chemo, and they dyed her hair red as a joke before it fell out.
Tomorrow my aunts's memorial service in Aiken, SC. I will be speaking at the service which feels like an honor to me. Here is what I wrote. It is very personal, but it is where I am tonight.
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Good
Evening Everyone,
Thank you
for coming. I am Corinne Mustafa. It is an absolute privilege to speak at this
memorial for my Auntie Emma Taylor. It is due to the wonder of modern
communication that I can address you and attend my aunt’s funeral from 3000
miles away.
My father,
Milt Hambly and Auntie Emma were brother and sister. Although she was not a
parent I look more like her than like my own mother. I have two pictures of us that
show the resemblance. One was taken in Rhode Island in the eighties when I
visited Tiverton. It was one of those line up family pictures that also
included Roger, Carol, their children and mine. We are on opposite sides of the
group and I looked like her daughter. The other picture was taken at Amy’s
wedding looking like mother and daughter. That wedding was actually the last
time I saw her in person.
In the
last few years we built a very strong relationship that we both enjoyed
immensely. It was mostly by telephone since I live in California and she lived
in Aiken. We would talk for almost an hour with no silent moments. Auntie Emma
was the last remaining person on either side of my family of that generation,
and I felt the value of having her in my life. She told me about family stories
when we talked. She told me stories about my grandmother who passed away when I
was four. I remember my Grammie from only two occasions, and my aunt added her memories
of her mother to the ones I have. Some living history goes away when a person
of advanced age is no longer with us.
One thing
that I wanted to share about my Auntie Emma is that she was a person who
laughed easily and often. She had a great sense of humor and she exercised it
often. Pictures of my aunt always showed a kind of impish smile and twinkling
eyes. One picture that comes to mind when I share that about her wittyness is a
picture of her taken a few years ago at Halloween. She was going to a Halloween
party and she borrowed a costume from Amy. It was a flapper dress…fringe, dance
shoes, and all. She had a long cigarette holder complete with a cigarette in
her hand. On her head was a band that went across her forehead with feathers. On
her face was that devilish grin that we saw from time to time. You can see that
picture on the photo board, and you will see what I mean. As for me I now am regretting that I did not make it a priority to see Auntie Emma more frequently. I am often guilty of thinking that there is plenty of time. When one is in their 90’s, time is moving too fast. I just hope that our relationship and conversations were as special to her as they were to me.
I am
boldly going to share what I believe to be the case with my Auntie Emma.
Knowing that she grew up in church and that she attended church in Aiken tells
me she enjoyed and held certain beliefs about God and life after death. Based
on these convictions I have chosen a scripture quote from the Book of Job
19:25-27.
“But as for me, I know that my Redeemer lives,
and that he will stand upon the earth at last. And I know that after this body has decayed,
this body shall see God! Then he will be on my side! Yes, I shall see him, not as a stranger,
but as a friend! What a glorious hope!”
Probably
most of you hold this glorious hope in your hearts as well…that there is an
eternal life where you will be living in Paradise with God.
Heavenly
Father, I thank you for the love that you had for my Auntie Emma and that you
love all of your people. I love to think of Auntie Emma in heaven with people
she loved particularly true love, her husband Norman. I thank you for her life
and the memories that we hold of her. I believe that she is with You in heaven
already enjoying the reward that You have prepared for her.
Lord, I
also ask Your favor on Roger and his family for all the care he gave to my Aunt
and Uncle over the years. May he be blessed for all he did in spite of the
challenges that were involved. Bless Amy and Maycie for the humor and joy that
they brought as they came alongside her with their love.
I praise
You, Lord, for Your hand in all the affairs of men. You are the One who brings
all good things to us. God, You also take things that are not pleasant and that
are meant for ill and turn them into good. You bless us in everything. May
everyone attending this memorial feel Your goodness tonight
Amen
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