On the Road Again - An Icon Passes
George Zimmerman calls and asks - how about meeting me in Florida for a week of fishing - that should work, I say, Donna and I were thinking about going to Florida too to visit relatives in the Tampa area. So George finds a great SP to camp and fish at (more on that later), and off we head to Florida.
We take the trusty and a bit banged up Accord, that at the end of the trip will be pushing 213,000 miles, and head down I-70 to Concordia, a much frequented trip over the years - to check in on Donna's 103 (almost 104 year old) aunt. Our kids grew up visiting, usually on an annual basis, Ruth in Emma, Missouri, a small town about 60 miles east of Kansas City. Ruth was an amazing person, who grew up the daughter of a Lutheran pastor, and who would remain a life long Missouri Synod Lutheran. Her brother by contrast, who at 102 still lives on his own in Evanston Illinois, chose to leave Lutheranism and become a Unitarian (the intellectual but beloved black sheep of the family). Ruth was the first female chemistry graduate of Northwestern University, but couldn't get a job as a chemist because (and this is true) she was a woman. She was hired as a librarian instead. Kirsten intends to donate some money for the proposed National Women's Museum in Washington DC in her honor. After marrying Norman, a professor of Greek and Latin, she lived the last 60+ years of her life in Concordia and Emma Missouri.
We knew when we got there that Ruth was not the same, and as we came to find out they had started hospice. I'm not sure she knew it was Donna there, she never opened her eyes the whole time we were there. She was obviously in a great deal of pain when she was awake, although she was being given morphine at that point. We said good bye, knowing we would never see her again - a very long life, lived with a very grateful attitude, in spite of never having any "financial success". Two days later as we arrived in Florida, she died. We felt grateful that we were fortunate to have seen her one last time, and it made her passing a bit easier for us.
We also visited Vernon, her old next door neighbor from Emma. Vernon lived his entire life in Emma and Concordia Missouri, except for his service in WWII. That war left such a lasting impression on that generation. Vernon served in the army in the South Pacific seeing significant combat. Bill, who eats at Vernon's table at the nursing home, also was in the army in WWII, landing in the first wave on D-Day. Visiting with these guys the last few times we have come to Concordia has been a highlight for me.
So, an era has passed - I-70 just won't be the same.
Here are a few last pictures of Ruth.
We take the trusty and a bit banged up Accord, that at the end of the trip will be pushing 213,000 miles, and head down I-70 to Concordia, a much frequented trip over the years - to check in on Donna's 103 (almost 104 year old) aunt. Our kids grew up visiting, usually on an annual basis, Ruth in Emma, Missouri, a small town about 60 miles east of Kansas City. Ruth was an amazing person, who grew up the daughter of a Lutheran pastor, and who would remain a life long Missouri Synod Lutheran. Her brother by contrast, who at 102 still lives on his own in Evanston Illinois, chose to leave Lutheranism and become a Unitarian (the intellectual but beloved black sheep of the family). Ruth was the first female chemistry graduate of Northwestern University, but couldn't get a job as a chemist because (and this is true) she was a woman. She was hired as a librarian instead. Kirsten intends to donate some money for the proposed National Women's Museum in Washington DC in her honor. After marrying Norman, a professor of Greek and Latin, she lived the last 60+ years of her life in Concordia and Emma Missouri.
We knew when we got there that Ruth was not the same, and as we came to find out they had started hospice. I'm not sure she knew it was Donna there, she never opened her eyes the whole time we were there. She was obviously in a great deal of pain when she was awake, although she was being given morphine at that point. We said good bye, knowing we would never see her again - a very long life, lived with a very grateful attitude, in spite of never having any "financial success". Two days later as we arrived in Florida, she died. We felt grateful that we were fortunate to have seen her one last time, and it made her passing a bit easier for us.
We also visited Vernon, her old next door neighbor from Emma. Vernon lived his entire life in Emma and Concordia Missouri, except for his service in WWII. That war left such a lasting impression on that generation. Vernon served in the army in the South Pacific seeing significant combat. Bill, who eats at Vernon's table at the nursing home, also was in the army in WWII, landing in the first wave on D-Day. Visiting with these guys the last few times we have come to Concordia has been a highlight for me.
So, an era has passed - I-70 just won't be the same.
Here are a few last pictures of Ruth.
Donna and Ruth
Vernon, Bill #2, Bill #1 (D-Day Bill)
Vernon's decorations from WWII
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