Winter has wrapped up and we now have time to add some blogs recapping some of the best memories. We’ll be releasing new posts over the next few weeks to catch up.
But first, we wanted to write about two people who exemplified what it means to live a full life who passed away this Spring.
The first is Minnie Spencer. Minnie is our dear friend Ann’s mom and Tim’s grandmother’s best friend. Minnie passed away in early March and we miss her very much.
It’s hard to describe Minnie without sounding a bit bubbly because that is how she made others feel around her. Though she was only about 5’3”, she filled the room with her sparkle. Minnie was a true Southern lady. I will never forget her melodic southern drawl, “Hey Suga….”
Minnie lived next to Tim’s Grandma, Nene, for years and we never missed an opportunity to visit her when we were in Ringgold. Usually our visits were on the holidays which meant dinners always included Minnie’s famous lemon chess pies. No matter your diet, those lemon chess pies were too tempting to pass up. After the big holiday meal, we would walk from Nene’s house next door to Minnie’s for stories and maybe a sip of wine.
Whether it was tales from her volunteering at the hospital, catching up on the Ringgold news, or asking about our lives, Minnie always made you feel special. She was a gracious and generous friend. Minnie’s obituary.
In late February, just a week before we heard the news about Minnie, Mom emailed us. My Uncle Bob had passed away. While I had known that his health had been deteriorating, it was hard to believe. One of my best memories of Uncle Bob is when we are together last, as he gracefully danced with Aunt Gail at our wedding while they celebrated being the longest married of all our guests.
Uncle Bob was one of the most understated heros I’ve known. While I knew he’d been a helicopter and airplane pilot in the Coast Guard, I’d never known the extent of his adventures until reading his obituary, including being a recipient of the Distinguished Flying Cross for a harrowing sea rescue in 1967.
The Uncle Bob I knew always had a twinkle in his eye, a joke to tell, or an interesting story to share. He was dedicated to preserving the history of the aircraft of the Coast Guard with his writings and incredible models.
Our last vacation spent with him was a big family get-together on Lake Gaston. Uncle Bob took us all on a tour of the lake on his pontoon boat. He was as good a sailor as he was a pilot. We will dearly miss him.
Ann
May 5, 2019 at 11:06 am
What a beautiful post Mary Lynn. Thank you for remembering Minnie in such a wonderful tribute to her life. Sorry I didn’t know your uncle – what a terrific life he lived too. Aspirations to us all!