In Memory

My Aunt Lezlie passed away early yesterday morning. She is 60 years old and my Dad's oldest sibling. She spent the last ten years battling breast cancer. She was a wonderful lady. She had six children, and (I think) 11 grand children, and a few great grand children. Her Mom, my Grandma Neville, was an amazing example to all of the family. She taught that family was family, despite blood. I always thought it was so incredible that Grandma gave me an heirloom ring from her side of the family when she is actually my step Dad's step Mom. It never mattered. I was just her Granddaughter. My Dad and Aunt Lezlie both had a step child, and they passed on what they learned from their Mom to their children. Jason, Lezlie's oldest (step) son married a woman with children from a previous marriage and has been a wonderful step Father to them. I know Lezlie thought of Jason as her own and raised him as such. She also had Jared, Lanie, Brett and little Carly. Carly is, we believe, the reason she hung on for so many years. Carly was a surprise to my Aunt and Uncle when my Aunt was 45 years old. She is 15 years old now and such a spunky young woman. I know it will be hard on her, but she is so tenacious, she will make it no problem.

My Aunt had another son as well. Her little boy almost drowned and suffered severe brain damage. He died a couple of years later due to complications from nearly drowning. I know it was such a different experience than my own, but I felt a connection with her knowing we had both lost a child.

My Aunt will be sorely missed. She was a big part of trying to hold this family together since my Grandma passed on three and a half years ago. It is really falling on the cousins to do it now.

Anyway, I am even more blessed to be part of such a wonderful family. My cousin is using her frequent flier miles to fly me to SLC and then we will drive to Reno, NV for the funeral. I am so sad that it is taking a funeral to get us back together, but I am so excited to see my family. I am also going to get a day to see Scott's Brother and family and hopefully Scott's Grandma's. I am also going without children. I am looking forward to the break, but worried because I have never been away from them for so long. I fly out Thursday night and I will be back Monday afternoon. So, if you don't see me around you'll know why.