A sad goodbye

From 1978 through 1990 we lived on a very family friendly street.
Lots of families and kids all about the same ages. Mostly boys.
Lots of great memories

One of these families, below in 1981
Patty (the mom in the above picture) passed from this life last Wednesday while on a business trip with PG&E. The cause is still pending but last I heard they think it was a heart attack. She was 54.

Just before becoming pregnant with her 3rd child, Patty asked me one day,
"Do you think all the boys born in this neighborhood could have something to do with all the airplanes going over our houses?"

Our street was right in the air flight path, and we did hear airplanes going over every single day.

I remember responding with something like, "Uh... no... I don't think the airplanes have anything to do with it." But then she did get me to wonder. After all, I still remember this conversation 25 years later.

She gave birth to her 3rd son less than a year later.

She really wanted a girl. She wanted to name her Sally. But it was obvious she adored her baby Daniel, as she did her older 2 sons, Mark and Scotty.

And then one day she said to me, "You know what Jill? I have this all figured out. Our sons are all going to grow up and want sons, but they will have daughters. Just you wait, you and I will have lots of granddaughters!"

Turns out she was right. I learned at her funeral service yesterday that all of her grandchildren are girls. She had 5 granddaughters.

Taylor, Brianna, Hayden, Katelyn, and Emily (who is due to be born in 3 weeks)

1984
Logan, Scotty, Mark, Mikey, Brock
Baby McKay with the neighborhood Cabbage Patch dolls
The preacher ended the eulogy today with a clip from the Wizard of Oz. He said it was Patty's very favorite movie. I even remember her showing it to Brock and Logan when they were little. I was surprised to learn it was still her favorite after all these years.



5 comments:

Eileen said...

Jill, this was such a beautiful tribute.
You've said so much about Patty with just these few sentences in a way that makes me feel an instant kinship with a woman I never knew.

I will keep her family in my prayers.
Love and Prayers,
Eileen

Dad and Susan said...

You are an excellent chronicler Jill. Thanks for this interesting insight that I would not know without your experience.

I was 53 when I had my first heart attack. In women, they just don't suspect it and so don't look for it.

Her family will be in our prayers. Love, Dad and Susan

grandmapeg said...

This is a nice tribute to your friend. I wished I was a journal keeper like you! I'm so 'hit and miss' with mine but you are one of the best there is.

Karen Mortensen said...

Sorry about your friend. She seemed like a nice lady. We used to live in a neighborhood like that. It was fun.

Susan Anderson said...

That's a lovely tribute to your friend, who seems like she was a pretty neat lady.

Look what happened last night

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