If you’d like to read my tribute, please see this entry.
This is my Uncle’s eulogy, given 8.28.10 at the graveside service. It’s perfect and just what I would have said. I’ve transcribed it from his handwritten notes [Scan behind cut. -A]:
“Thanks for being here today. We are following Mom’s wishes with this service. [Please see the scan of her request behind the cut. -A] Gladys was a mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, aunt and friend to us gathered here this afternoon.
Mom was a member of the WWII generation – more correctly called the “Greatest Generation”. The people of this generation experienced difficulties and hardships we only read about in history books and Mom was no exception to this; but as with all members of the Greatest Generation, she was proud of her service and sacrifice for our country.”
“Although we are gathered here for a funeral and interment of the body – I would say to you, “I lost my mother a long time ago.” She suffered two tragedies in her life. One being when my father was killed in WWII, which left her with two small children and dependent on my father’s aunt and uncle for support. She survived this by her determination to be independent.
The other tragedy was the death of my step-dad Jesse Gage in 1979. After a while, mom went into a downhill spiral and withdrew into herself. The woman of the last 12-15 years was not the same woman who nurtured me, guided me and encouraged me as I grew into adulthood. As her mind and body failed, she became much more withdrawn and confused to the point she could not take care of herself.
Today, I ask you to do as I am going to do: remember Gladys/Mom in a positive light. I choose to remember her as an active, hardworking involved mother. I ask you to remember her in a positive role as a mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, aunt and friend.
Thank you and God bless you on this day the Lord has made!” – Jackie Allen Harvey, son
I think this is the best eulogy I’ve ever heard. I thank my uncle, Jack Harvey, for allowing me to publish his words and make them permanent.
What follows are the scans of the “NOTICE” from my grandmother about how her funeral was to be handled and his original notes. If there is ONE thing to encapsulate my Granny, it’s that short, to the point note. It makes me smile every time I see it. That’s her, all right! I think I get my sassy from her along with my ringed blue eyes (sorry, Dad, but these are Littleton blue, not Pratt blue). I think of my Granny a lot and I hope we’ll cross paths again one day. :)
