A Tribute to Aunt May's Life

I'm writing this on Sunday night for Monday's post. One week ago today, Aunt May went home to be with the members of her family that predeceased her. I would like to tell you a bit about this amazing woman who has inspired me throughout my entire life.

As a young girl, Aunt May worked on the farm, both in the fields and the house. She had five siblings, the oldest of these being my mother. There were 3 girls and three boys. Aunt May filled in wherever she was needed, as did Mom.

As the story goes, Aunt May, her older brother Walter and my mother decided one day to take a ride down a steep hill in a wooden wagon. Mom being oldest, was put in the front in charge of steering. Walter sat in the back and Little May, as she was called in her youth, was in the middle.

After the wagon began its descent, Mom found the tongue was not a great steering wheel. She lost control and they went down the hill and through a barbed wire fence. Walter and May had cuts and bruises and Mom's legs were slashed by the barbed wire. Can you imagine the horror that Grandma felt when she heard the screams of her children and hurried into the yard. There the three of them came, up the lane, bawling at the top of their lungs and blood dripping from their cuts. Though the incident wasn't funny the day it happened, it was reminisced and laughed about for years. It is one story that will be handed down through our family.

While attending school, Aunt May was a member of the 4H Homemaking Club. She finished every one of the courses and then became leader, where she taught for approximately five years. As a teenager, she joined Junior Farmers and also lead in that capacity after a few years. She was also a member of the Women's Institute and served as both President and Treasurer.

Whatever Aunt May joined, she gave it her all and she lead in many capacities. She was a member of the Foresters and her church. She often spent hours helping prepare meals for the needy or for a funeral. I'd like to thank the Ladies of Aunt May's church for putting on a wonderful luncheon after her funeral. They did a great job and accomplished a feat that Aunt May had participated in many times during her life.

Aunt May was an avid sewer. She sewed for her son and daughter when they were young and in later years for her granddaughters. She taught her daughter to sew as well as the granddaughters. Her entire family grew gardens of vegetables that were preserved for the coming winter. She did this year after year and though her health was always frail, she could still be seen out in the garden or in the kitchen making fruit or vegetable preserves.

Reta, Aunt May's youngest granddaughter spoke at the funeral and told how Grandma taught her and her sister, Rachel, to sew. When they were very young they took an interest in sewing and wanted to buy some fabric. So Aunt May took them to get the fabric, helped them cut out the patterns and guided the material through the sewing machine while they stepped on the foot pedal to make it go.

Throughout her life, Aunt May had frail health but she never allowed it to stop her from doing what she wanted to do. She lived life to the fullest and always kept her sense of humor. She loved her family and her God.

Aunt May went into pallative care on November 13th. She had stopped eating and drinking. The very next day, she and her nurse had a lot of fun. What a wonderful thing for her nurse to kabitz and have fun with her. She knew that Aunt May would never leave the hospital and that she was in a lot of pain.

Over the next few days, Aunt May did open her eyes when we spoke to her. Then, she was heavily sedated to keep her comfortable. Aunt May passed on November 23rd. Each member of her family as well as her friends were greatly inspired by this little woman who was sometimes affectionately called, Mighty May.

I hope you enjoyed learning a bit about Aunt May. She has been my mentor, my role model and an inspiration to me since I was a child. I will miss her, but would not wish her back to suffer. I am happy to know that she has no more pain, suffering or tears.

Have a great week and remember to do a random act of kindness. This is the holiday season and many people are in great need. ~Blessings, Mary~