My Aunt Babe

My Aunt Babe passed away on July 17, 2008. She was born in Brownsville, Texas on December 24, 1909. Her real name was Laverne, but her parents called her "Baby", finally naming her after a year. Anyway the "Babe" part stuck. Obviously you should name your children a little sooner than a year after their birth! Oh well - different times.

She was my mother's older sister and she married my father's older brother, George in 1933 and they adopted a son, Alan in 1945. They lived most of their married life in Odem, Texas - Uncle George farmed cotton,wheat and one year I remember sunflowers. Alan was killed in a carwreck in 1967 and Uncle George died in 1977, so she and my mother (a widow too) moved to West Texas in 1980. Far, far away. She lived in Junction until she was 95 with only a little help, and in 2005, she moved to Tyler.

So those are the facts about Aunt Babe, but there's more. She loved my Uncle George - he was funny, handsome, and charming. In her last days she would say in her sleep "George, my George" and smile. One day I tried to get her to talk about her wedding, but she wouldn't - just clammed up. A mystery.

When I was a kid, she was always happy to see our family when we visited, and made sure we had horses to ride, or the lake to visit, croquet to play. Did I mention she was a good cook?

She was a real outdoorswoman. She loved to hunt and was a great shot. She kept a loaded 410 shotgun behind the dining room curtain, and a pistol by her bed. She was disappointed that she couldn't bring her guns to Tyler, and was sonly slightly comforted by giving them to my brother-in-law, Bob. When I packed her things after she died, I found 2 hunting knives carefully tucked away. Guess she felt like she needed protection!

She loved to play cards and was in a Bridge group until she turned 96. I remember playing canasta with her at Thanksgiving when she was 95, and it was serious business - she played to win.

She never gave up really. She lived through wars, hurricanes, The Depression, the death of everyone in her family (except for me and my sister). Who knows what else? Ninety-eight years is a long time. Three weeks before she died she was going to exercise class and enjoyed going to the dining room to be with people.

Her last days were difficult but she didn't really complain. She did ask, "Why can't I get well?" Hard one to answer. Always had a sense of humor. The night before she died I held her hand and told her she was my favorite aunt. With her eyes closed she smiled and said "I'm your only aunt!" She is the last grownup who knew me as a little girl, so I guess that means I'm all grown up now. Sigh.

A couple of nights ago I dreamed that she came and sat on our couch to keep us company.