It's with mix emotions that I write this blog post. I come to you with a heavy heart; yet my heart is rejoicing as well. Friday, October 12, 2012, my great aunt Ann, went to be with her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ at 6:30 am. Ann was my grandmother's sister. Ann had been sick for about 7 1/2 years battling off and on the cancer of lymphoma. The family was told on September 21st that we were at the end, there was nothing more that could be done. Hospice came that evening and it has been 3 weeks. The funeral was today. It was a beautiful service and everything was done just the way my aunt wanted; I know she is very pleased. It has been a hard three weeks and a very hard weekend. However, my aunt was a Christian and so we the family, despite our pain now, have hope, peace, and comfort in knowing that Ann is with God in heaven. She is no longer suffering and is at peace.
Ann was married to Bobby Scott for 58 years. She had three sons: Chris (married to Karen; children: Drew and Drake), Stan, Mark (married to Beth; children: Taylor (married to Casey) and Brooke. She was an RN nurse at St. Francis Hospital and retired from there. She was my grandmother's younger sister, 7 years younger. A funny thing about these two special ladies: My grandmother was 81 years old when she died seven years ago and was married to my grandpa for 58 years. Now, Ann who is 81 years old, died seven years later, being married the same amount of time.
I was just as close to Ann as I was my grandmother. Ann always treated me as one of her own grandchildren. We have always gathered at Ann and Bobby's home for the holidays: Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter. Ann was the kind of person who would do anything for any body. She never wanted the spotlight to be on herself. She was humble, generous, kind, caring, a strong Christian, and a classy lady. Over her 81 years of life, she has touch so many lives and so many of our lives would have been very different if she had not played a part in them. After my grandmother died, I really held on tight to Ann and since Kevin and I got married, I would constantly send her cards to encourage her with her cancer and I called her about once a week to talk. Ann loved life and was truly blessed in her life; and yet never asked for more; she was satisfied with what she had. Bobby and Ann had a place at Myrtle Beach for over 40 years and Ann wouldn't think twice about getting in her car and driving down there. She enjoyed the beach and enjoyed having a fun place for her family and friends to go. She did so much for me over the years and continued doing things for me and Kevin, and Madalyn. She was so excited when I told her the news that I was pregnant and she loved to hear about what Madalyn was up to. She took me on several vacations to the beach when if not for her, I wouldn't have been able to have a vacation that summer. Bobby and Ann brought me to Columbia to meet Kevin the first weekend that I came down to stay with Kevin and his family. She was always buying something or sending me something and continued to do the same with Madalyn. She was a friend, someone that I could talk with about anything. She never spoke an unkind word about anyone; she was always positive. She always told you how special you were, that she was proud of you, and how much she loved you. These words were not just said but she demonstrated them every day of her life. You knew, I know, that I was loved by Ann very much and I loved her very much.
One of my favorite childhood memories of Ann was going over to her house at Thanksgiving or Christmas. After we would eat, then my cousins and I would all go to Ann and Bobby's room. They had a king size bed so to us that were all under the age of 10, it was huge. We would all crawl up on the bed and watch TV, while the adults talked in the den. Another favorite childhood memory was that as a family we would all play spoons. Let me tell you, we would be out for blood, including Ann. When you walked in her house, you were always offered something to eat and she always had her cookie jar filled with Butter Cookies. She is ever famous for her macaroni and cheese, green beans, and deviled eggs. She was a wonderful cook and made anyone feel welcome in her home. It was very hard for me on Friday going to her house for the first time. The house was full of family and friends, yet there was someone who was missing.
I spoke with Ann last Saturday and that was the last time I talked with her. It was just for a few minutes and despite all that was going on, she told me that in a few minutes she thought about getting up and dancing a jig. We laughed about that imagine. The last time I saw her was the first of August, my dad, Madalyn, and I went over to visit. She was laughing at Madalyn; which I'm glad to have that memory of her instead of her suffering. Even though I heard about her suffering and could hear it in her voice. I'm so thankful that Ann is at peace and isn't suffering any more. The last year, last 6 months, last month was really bad on her. It was really hard for the family to watch her go through this. "Even though the pain may last through the night, JOY comes with the morning light".
Ann has left a beautiful legacy behind and I only hope that when it's my time to be called "home" to heaven that people will say the same of me. Even in her death, I am encouraged by her. Her faith kept her strong during her life and her illness. She never once complained or said "why me". Now, her faith is being rewarded. She is in heaven rejoicing with her Lord. And I can just imagine all the catching up she is doing with my Nanny. Ann was a Proverbs 31 woman and she ran the race of faith and she finished strong. I could go on and on about Ann, there's so much to say about her. She will be missed by her family and friends, but will be remembered for the rest of our years to come and the memories we have will be treasured. I will end this post with the words to the chorus of the song that played as we left the church today....
"Because He Lives"
Because He lives, I can face tomorrow
Because He lives, All fear is gone
Because I know He holds the future
And life is worth the living just because He lives.
A few current pictures of Ann over the past 4 1/2 years.
Bobby and Ann at our wedding
Bobby and Ann came to see us at our house after we got married.
Ann and Madalyn (Ann came down to see Madalyn when she was 2 weeks old.)
