Thursday, March 7, 2013

23 Years Ago Today

Freddie,
I think of you often but
 every year on your birthday and on
the seventh of March,
 the anniversary of your death,
I think of you a lot.
 
I revisit the events of the evening.
The line of traffic ...
the moment ... the hurt ...
the aftermath.

I remember who you were.
 Handsome.
Looking more like your Uncle Ray than either of his children!
Intense.
Lover of family.
Fiercely protective.
Faithful friend.
 
I imagine what you would have become.
 
What would life have had in store for you ...
A career? A wife & children?
 
Family get togethers still include you.
Stories told and retold of you and
(dare I say it ;) your shananigans.
 
Laughter through tears.
 
 
The Ellis Grandchildren -December 1987
Jack, Ker-Rae, Gregory, Kimmy (rear)
RayRay, Shanny, Freddie (sitting)
Philip, Joshua -the great grands (front)
 
Our family has grown since you've been gone.
Between the six of us,
your brothers & four cousins,
there are 14 great-grandchildren.
 
You have four nephews.
Oh how you would have loved them.
You would have been an awesome uncle.
Their biggest fan.
No. Doubt. About. It.
 
Great-great grandchildren have been added to the mix
and this number will grow by leaps & bounds in the years to come!
My four favorite people call me Nana.
My heart now knows why they loved us so much.
 
Mamaw & Papaw Ellis
The best grandparents in the world!
 
Grandchildren rock.
So did they.
But you already knew that!
 
The Ellis Farmhouse

Oh the fun we had in that farmhouse, in that yard, laughing and playing for hours on end.
 
Today I honor your memory.
A life too short.
 
You've been gone longer than you were here.
You have been missed.
 
 
You are missed.
Still today.
Twenty-three years later.

Rest in peace Cousin.
Your memory lives on.
You are loved.

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


1 comment:

  1. What a heartfelt memorial to someone who obviously was a very special person. It appears that his life was cut short tragically, but I'm happy that you have the special memories of times spent together.

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