Tribute to Aunt Jean

Yesterday we celebrated the life of my Aunt Jean.  This is a picture I took about a year ago at a family gathering.  I don't have many pictures of her so I decided to use this one.  She was a wonderful woman.  She and Uncle Clarence lived across the road from our family on the farm in Coleman.  She was the aunt that we spent the most time with while growing up.  We used to spend many evenings over across the road.  They had a TV and we didn't so we would go over as often as possible and watch Saturday cartoons or evening shows.  Kay (her daughter and the playmate of Eva and me) would come over and rescue Eva and me from just having to play with each other.  We had many adventures in the woods, along the creeks, in the barns and in various trees.  It was a wonderful life with family all around you.  Aunt Jean was an important part of that life.  We will miss her. 

 Eva, Della and Kay the trio that spent many days together in the summer, trying to stay out of trouble and away from our parents so that they wouldn't know exactly what we were doing.  The outdoors was our playground and we spent many a days just wandering around our 2 farms, creeks, barns and trees. 

 Eva, Della and Greta.  She lived about a mile away and was just a few months younger than me.  I would often walk over to her house on Sunday and spend the afternoon until it was time to go home so she would walk me half way back.  Her mother, Aunt Ruth is Dad's sister. 

 Aunt Jean was known in the community for her chocolate pies.  If you were lucky, one of these pies would show up at a potluck and you managed to get a piece before it disappeared.  If you were even luckier, one or two of them showed up when you were visiting Coleman, especially if Glen was in visiting.  She would make a couple and then call Glen or Leo to go over and get them.  They were delicious.  Kay and her children made all these pies Friday afternoon.  Again, everyone that wanted one made sure that they took one right away. 

Finally, the 4 of us all together.  We are sometimes a force to be reckoned with but we always have fun together. 

When you celebrate the life of someone as good as Aunt Jean, it includes a lot of laughter and wonderful memories.  The Lewis family is kind of known for their laughter fill ed celebrations.  I am thankful for such a wonderful family, the good memories of growing up in Coleman and most of all the laughter.