Personal – My Sweet Aunt
I lost my sweet Aunt Shirley at 5:18 this morning. I can’t help but feel that I’ve lost my Mom all over again. My Mom died in 1982 and ever since that time her two sisters have been like my Mother.
In the summer between my Junior and Senior year in High School (1985), I stayed with my Aunt Shirley a lot. I would go to the College where she worked as a lab assistant in the computer lab. She taught me the basics of the IBM PC and I spent all summer playing on and learning computers. If it were not for that summer, I may not have even been in the computer field.
Aunt Shirley was a devoted Christian woman who loved God, Uncle Lee and had a passion for teddy bears and all things cute. I remember how excited she was when I showed her the trailer to Happy Feet on her computer. She said “I have to see that!!!”.
I also remember when I was younger and was on her side of town, I would call her from the pay phone (before cell phones) at the convenience store right next to their house and ask her if she had any plans for the next couple of hours. If she would say “no, come on over”, I would tell her I would be there in a while. Of course she expected me to be coming from home (30 miles away). When I would knock on her door 2 minutes later she would say “GIRL!!!!”. I loved surprising her like that.
In recent years she looked forward to weekly visits with her friends from San Jacinto College, quarterly shopping days with Aunt Linda and each December 20th with myself, Aunt Linda, Christie (Linda’s Daughter) and Caitlin (Christie’s daughter). However, even with all of these things to look forward to, she would always look forward to getting back to Uncle Lee. I can tell you one thing, she loved that man like nothing else.
I will miss her very much. Before she left, I whispered in her ear “It’s Rhonda Aunt Shirley. I love you so much. You are my sweet Aunt Shirley, tell Mama I said I love her too — because I know you will see her.”
Shirley Terry | April 7, 1938 – November 25, 2007 | God Bless her and her family.
Picture gallery of my Sweet Aunt Shirley
Here is a video that Aunt Shirley just loved
Here is the handout from the funeral
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Posted on November 25, 2007, in Personal. Bookmark the permalink. 11 Comments.
Sorry for your loss.
Gina
Gina – Thanks for your sympathy.
My condolences.
Dear Rhonda,
Wow, tears are not enough right now. I miss her so much already. Your blog really helped me. I will see you very soon. I love you dear Rhonda! love, Christie
I have been blessed to know Shirley since coming to work in the Continuing Education Department at San Jac in 1997. She was one of the most caring people I ever met. Over the years, we’ve shared so much—my children have always loved to go by and see her beautiful yard. She and Lee were the model example of grandparents and of love. Being at the house yesterday, you could just feel the love and know that she and Curtis Brant, her former boss, were laughing and having a great reunion in Heaven. She loved with all of her heart. May each of us learn to be more like her.
Dear Rhonda,
Thanks again for your blog. It is bringing me much comfort as I return each day to read the comments. As her friends last comment says,”May each of us learn to be more like her.”
I do strive each day to be just like my Dear Aunt Shirley and her baby sister(my mommy) Linda. Wow!! what a pair those two were. I miss you Aunt Shirley!! As I look over my yard and see the sun shining, I know she is smiling down on everyone that she has touched. There are MANY!!!
Now a reflection…I have so many memories. One of my earliest memories is spending many nights over at Aunt Shirley’s and Uncle Lee’s. I would proudly wear one of Uncle Lee’s v-neck T-shirts “backwards” so it would cover all of me. And cover me it did. It drug the ground, but I didn’t care. I use to love waking up to the sound of their Grand Father clock.
One time I think I was 9 years old Aunt Shirley just hugged me and said, “Sweetheart I know you have had to grow up so fast.” “You do such a great job helping your mom and dad take care of your sisters.” “I hope you always know I am here for you if you need to talk.” “I am here to listen sweet Christie.” My mom and dad had just been in a near fatal motorcycle accident.
Aunt Shirley was the most generous person I have ever known. Always thinking of others first.
She took me in when I started college. Even though I was only there a short while, Aunt Shirley and Uncle helped me see the independent person I would be today. I have countless memories of past birthdays and Christmas’. My daughters first Christmas Aunt Shirley covered Caitlin with Christmas bows and had me take a picture. It is the most precious picture.
She adored all the children in her life. My daughter Caitlin was no exception. It is with many tears I remember their friendship. See, Aunt Shirley and Caitlin shared a special bond of the cuddly kind. Many times when we were all together Caitlin would have a special cuddly friend with her and Aunt Shirley would steal it and hide it from Caitlin. :0) No, don’t worry…Caitlin got a huge kick out of it. She would fianlly find her cuddly friend that Aunt shirley had hidden and just laugh. Then…..Caitlin would just smile real big and go hide something of the cuddling family from Aunt Shirley. This would go on sometimes all day while we were out shopping, having lunch or watching a movie together.
Speaking of movies, I have never enjoyed watching a movie more with Aunt Shirley then the time “We” Aunt Shirley, me and My sweet mommy went to see Happy Feet at the theater in Humble. And of course we had to go to Build a Bear and get Mummbles the main Character of the movie Happy Feet. He sat right there with us clutched in Aunt Shirley’s arms. Caitlin told me last night she would like to go to Build a Bear just for Aunt Shirley this year and get the Rudolph and Clariss friends.
Almost two years ago Aunt Shirley introduced me to one of my best friends “Stacie Brant”. Stacie was married to Curtis Brant before his much early death in 2001. Even though I did not know Curtis then, I feel like I know him very well because I share his memory with Stacie. I know I have told you this many times Aunt Shirley…Thank you for introducing me to Stacie.Yes, Aunt Shirley’s love touched those she worked with too. I bet when we all celebrate her going home to Heaven we won’t have enough room to seat much less stand in the room with us. For grieving there will be many!!
I hold no greater love than for my Heavenly Father and my family here on earth. I hope that someone reads this and sees once again the amazing way one woman can touch so many lives. In my family Aunt Shirley touched 3 generations! much love, Christie
Dear Rhonda,
Thank you so much for your blog on our Sweet Shirley. I love her with all my heart. These are my thoughts tonight.
Here I sit at 11:00 PM on November 25th, 2007. This is the day I lost my dear Sister Shirley. At 5:18 AM today she passed away from complications of a stroke that she suffered 3 days ago. My heart is so heavy with grief that I can hardly function, but I am constantly reminded of the love and concern she always had for me. Only a few short weeks ago she told me that we had no way of knowing who would pass first, and that is why she was so thankful we had so many wonderful memories to sustain us after we lost the other until the happy day we would reunite in the presence of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. So as I listen to her favorite music box CD I am still being comforted by her just as I was before she passed. In memory I am able to find solice. I know she is rejoicing in Heaven with the angels and all of our loved ones who have passed on before us. I can just see the sparkle in her sweet eyes as she gazes upon the Lord and all of our Family there with her. I can see she and Wanda and our Mother and Dad and our sweet sister Joy at the Family reunion most devine. My prayer is that some day when my time on earth is done, I will rejoice with she and all of the others. Oh Happy Day! So I want to say Bye for Now my Sweet Sister. Just until the day I can gaze upon your sweet face again.
Your Baby Sis…Linda
Hi Rhonda,
It’s the Twins here. We too loved Aunt Shirley very much and she will be so very much missed. We can remember staying weeks on end through the Summers with Aunt Shirley and Uncle Lee. She brought such joy to our hearts. She did her best to teach us the piano and she could bring tears to our eyes when she played the piano. As we grew to adults we moved away from our home town, but we never lost our connection with our dear Aunt Shirley. I too share the bear connection (Jen) and I Bridgette love to give to others and I got that from Aunt Shirley setting the example for me many times through the years. Aunt Shirley was a spiritual woman and she was such a wonderful example for us. She would take us to church with her and teach us the importance of making the Lord top priority in our lives which we still do to this day. Aunt Shirley we love you always and forever. Love Jennifer and Bridgette
Thank you to everyone for your memories. Love, Rhonda
I lost my Aunt and we buried her this morning. How sweet to see that others have had the same experiences with precious women who step in when our Mom’s are gone (mine died in 1984).
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