A wonderful celebration of life

 

My husband's brother-in-law was laid to rest a few weeks ago.  It was a lovely celebration of a life well lived.  B passed at 80 years old of Dementia complications.

M's sister and her departed husband have a successfully blended family who have kept in close contact over the years.  M's sister has 2 adult children while her husband had 2 children.  At the service, the sister's daughter made a touching speech.  She said 'When my mom married B, it included me and my brother.  He guided us professionally and personally through our lives. ( Their dad was also a part of their lives). I teared up at how much the daughter loved B her stepfather, it was evident. Indeed, in his final  days in palliative care, the daughter was there with her mom every single day of the 5 days.  The other kids who lived in the country also visited every day. 

 

I noticed during the service B's son sat in the front row with his arm over M's sister's shoulder in comfort, with his wife on his other side. His 3 children listened carefully to their dad's speech that day. When B's son got up to make his speech, his wife scooted over to put her arm on M's sister's shoulder.  I was struck by the closeness of this blended family.

 

B's son started off with a memory of when he was 10 years old and he set the school alarm off.  Of how he suffered all weekend and fessed up on the Monday morning.  After the parent meeting at school B's stern but calm expression 'have you learned anything' has stayed with him through life.  

There were also memories of B dedicatedly driving him to 11pm hockey lessons, of fun trips to Tim Horton's after the game until he finally got a car (thanks to B's friend at the bank) and could drive himself.  He recounted memories of how he tested the limits in the ice and snow and being caught speeding 140 in an 80 km zone.  The ticket was downgraded slightly and he learned yet another lesson from his father's stern expression.

He thanked M's sister for looking after his dad so well in these last few years.

M's sister always hosts her extended family at Christmas, Easter, Thanksgiving, all these years.  The family has built a closeness and all were in attendance.  It must be the secret to keeping family together, you always make an effort to stay in touch.