Thursday, January 29, 2009

Goodbye, Uncle Bonnie

Yesterday, my Mom's older sister, Bonnie passed away. She was "80-something". When I was little, I somehow mistakenly called her my "Uncle Bonnie" instead of my Aunt. As sometimes happens, the title stuck.
We moved from California when I was 4 years old, and I didn't see much of Uncle Bonnie after that. About 8 years ago, she was visiting family in Texas and Oklahoma, and came and stayed a night or two at my house.
She was so funny- the kids loved her. She told them about her adventures in skydiving and white water rafting. (Which her DD later told us were totally fabricated... but still, they were great stories!). One TRUE story she told us was about getting on the wrong airplane and ending up someplace she didn't intend.
Yesterday was Uncle Bonnie's birthday... so she passed away on the anniversary of her birth.
Her mind had wandered far from her in the last few years, she wasn't even recognising her close kin.
May her adventures continue in a better place, with her youth renewed.

2 comments:

Truth said...

Sounds like Uncle Bonnie had zest for life. It's funny how those titles and such get started and stick.

My little neice couldn't remember my son Christopher's name, so she called him "Mrs. Dale." We laughed and laughed and hoped it didn't stick.

Anonymous said...

Really sweet and you summed it up right. I keep remembering some of the MANY thing she did that made my life so much the better. She got my school clothes, including spankypants so I didn't have to wear "floursack drawers" made the arrangements for my eye surgery so I didn't go blind, never forgot a birthday, and kept in touch faithfully as long as she had her mind....just so many things I can't name them. I will miss her so much. I just regret I didn't take the time to tell her more often while she still knew who I was. By the way let me say how very much I love you !!! Mom