Tender Tears

Happy New Year to all of you! 

It now seems ironic that my first post of 2016 is somewhat melancholy. At work today we received an email from our corporate office letting us know that the mother/grandmother of some of the producers in that office had passed away on January 1st.

The obituary was so warm, and loving, and personal, that I was practically weeping at my desk. I didn't even KNOW this person, nor do I know her son or grandson, who both work for our company. I don't know if it's the Irish references, Betty's personality jumping off the page, the fact that I had words with a family member last night that may have left me in an emotional state, or a combination of all of these, but I was both tickled and saddened to read about Betty. Here is a little piece of the email:

A devout Catholic, Betty personified what it meant to be a member of the Greatest Generation; ever devoted to her family, faith, and country. Betty was a graduate of Holy Angels Academy and Marquette University where she was a member of Kappa Beta Gamma. While attending Marquette, Betty met John Kuhnmuench, and she agreed to be his wife right before he went off to serve in the Army Air Corp in WWII. Although Betty left her maiden name Kelley at the altar, she forever remained Irish through and through. She had an amazing Irish wit and one would certainly be remiss if they tried to pull one over on her although her boys never seemed to give up trying. Despite the obvious struggles that came with raising five boys, Betty never lost her balance but rather she firmly held her ground in doling out order. She also had enough wisdom to know that there is not a bad situation that cannot be resolved with prayer and a bit of Irish blarney accompanied with the warmth of twinkling Irish eyes and the charm of an Irish smile.

In the early 70’s Betty, along with three dear friends, began the Settlers Estate Sales partnership which was the first estate sale business in Southeastern Wisconsin to sell directly from a clients home, while also extending their service to leaving the house not only empty but also clean for the new arriving occupants. After Betty retired from the Settler’s she had more time to do what she enjoyed most, spending quality time with family and friends. During the summer, Betty cherished her time at the family cottage in Elkhart Lake, WI, where she and John attended many a summer party in the company of life-long friends. In addition, Betty loved traveling with John to Ireland, Europe, Russia, and the Panama Canal. In her later years, she enjoyed a nightly cocktail with John in their home on Spooner while watching Wheel of Fortune. A voracious reader, she enjoyed good books, history, and politics. Betty’s passion for Bridge was well known and she played at a championship caliber level for most of her 94 years. Until her last days with us, she always had a genuine concern for the well-being of others. Betty truly loved life and the companionship that came with loving others.
God Speed Mom;
Dad, and Bob have faithfully been waiting for you.

Doesn't it make you wish you had known Betty? That you could have been lucky enough to count her among your friends? It certainly makes me want to live my life more like she did. I hope my friends and family remember me with a smile, much as Betty's loved ones remember her.