David Cunningham
Well we were granted a beautiful day in which to put Mom to rest. That made it a little bit easier and I am so grateful for it. I am also grateful for all the sweet comments of all those who posted on this tribute wall. Thanks to all of you from the bottom of my heart. It reaffirmed for me how much my Mom was loved.
And thanks also to all who attended the Funeral Service today. Wayne McAllister also did a fine job with the Service… many thanks to you Wayne. Wayne knew my Mom most of his life had plenty to recall to speak about her life but he asks me to write down some memories of mine to give him more to talk about. I did my best but when Wayne read it he said that he thought I should present it myself. I think I was set up! But I agreed to try to read it out loud to everyone. It was received well and I got through it with only a few emotional rough spots.
For those who could not attend, below is what I wrote as a tribute to my Mom.
It does not begin to do justice to her life’s story and is not meant to do that.
She was Jean.
Miss Jean to many, Aunt Jean to some, but Mom to me and my Brother
Mom was the kindest hearted person I have ever known. She would give you anything she had if you ask her for it and often when you didn’t. Mom had a strong love for everyone, but strongest for children “especially her own”.
But she still had enough love left over for every living thing…enough to adopt any animal that came to her door. In her later years this caused some minor problems when she would adopt the neighbor’s animals without their knowledge or consent. They were all very understanding however when we returned them because they knew she couldn’t help it. They loved her too. To the neighbors she was “Miss Jean”.
In my childhood years her love for other children sometimes caused jealousy in me. Like the time she came home from the store with gifts for all us kids…as she always did, but this time she brought home a nice doll for my cousin Marie but only a small bag of marbles for me. That just didn’t seem right to me. If Marie got a nice doll the least I should have got was a pocket knife or a cap gun. So in my jealousy I sneaked off with Marie’s doll and threw it down the outside toilet hole. This is where the next visitor saw it, irretrievable as it was, and reported it to Marie and the rest of the family. I denied everything of course, but everyone knew what had happened. Marie and I have shared that story with great pleasure for our whole lives ever since. It’s funny how some things stick with you for your whole life and bring you either pleasure or pain.
Mom’s passing will cause just such a memory for me. And although it is painful now, in time I hope that it will become less painful and then I can realize that she has gone on to a better place. Just minutes after her passing, Mom already had such a look of peace on her face. It was a look that I have not seen on her face for a long time. It was blissful and peaceful with just a hint of a smile. I spoke to her then just like I did with my father when he passed. I leaned close and whispered in her ear, “Mom you go on to Heaven now and when you get there you find my Dad. He will be waiting there for you and he will be so happy to see you”.
Mom was a fine lady and lived a long happy life. May she rest in Peace!
Her loving Son,
David Cunningham
