This was written after my husband's gravestone was installed. I is a double stone with my name already on it too.
An empty space on the lower right side is a sobering reminder that one day there will be a date there as well.
On the adjoining marker, another name, Larry R. Moore, birthdate,
Oct. 14, 1932, and that other space is filled--April 29, 1997. The words US Navy, Korean War, & Vietnam stand as a tribute from the government to acknowledge his military service. Twenty-one years out of 64. What of the other 43 years? Are they to be forgotton for lack of space? Who was he? What was he?
He was the first-born son of Frank & Azalee Moore, the big brother to Jim, Peggy, and Susie. He was the husband of Marlene for 38 years, the father of Karen, and substitute grandfather to Kevin & Dustin.
He was an electronics technician for the US Navy, but his true avocation & talent was working with wood. From houses to apartments, from picture frames to name signs, from deacon benches to day-bed and more. His talent found it's way into home, church & community.
While he could have charged much more for his work, he was never comfortable with putting a price on it, and often worked for widows for barely enough to cover the gas it took to get to their houses.
He was a Mason, Past Master of Cowpens, SC Lodge #210, and made many friends there who show their loyalty to him by being available for me when I need them.
He was loving, patient, kind & generous. His sense of humor was always just a twinkle of his beautiful blue eyes away. He wasn't very talkative, but when he said something, people remembered it.
He was a nature lover. The woods were special & precious, and a riverbank or lake was as close to heaven as he could get here on earth.
He was an encourager. He took a shy, naive teenage girl with zero self-confidence and helped her to become a capable competent woman, who adored him for 39 years.
He loved books & music, and though he didn't have much musical ability, was often humming or whistling. His bird whistles were so realistic that birds would answer him.
He enjoyed sports, especially baseball, and was good at most anything athletic. He enjoyed card games & word games and jig-saw puzzles.
He wasn't a romantic in the usual ways, but found many different ways to show his love. That love and the security that was a part of it has both helped me through this grieving, and also made it harder in some ways.
My mind is slowly comprehending the fact that he is gone physically, but because of who he was, I am the person that I am, and he will live on in my life and others that he touched. As long as there is one person alive who remembers him, his influence will be felt.
And what about that other marker? "Loving Wife & Mother". When the empty space on it is filled with a date, what memories will be left in others' lives?
When I'm gone, how will I be remembered?
As my grandparent's tiny granddaughter with all the long hair;
As my Mother's "right-hand", and second Mom to my younger brothers and sisters;
As an adoring wife and mother;
A trusted, dependable friend;
The church treasurer, Ladies Sunday School teacher, faithful church member?
Hopefully, all of these, but most of all I would like to be remembered as a Christian; not just in name only, but by my life. How I treated others every day, how I served the Lord in little ways, and how grateful I was for all His Goodness.
Words by Marlene
Read 1113 times
Written on 2006-08-17 at 04:05
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What Will We Leave Behind
What a shock to see your own name on a grave marker! My name, birth date, and the words, "Loving Wife and Mother."An empty space on the lower right side is a sobering reminder that one day there will be a date there as well.
On the adjoining marker, another name, Larry R. Moore, birthdate,
Oct. 14, 1932, and that other space is filled--April 29, 1997. The words US Navy, Korean War, & Vietnam stand as a tribute from the government to acknowledge his military service. Twenty-one years out of 64. What of the other 43 years? Are they to be forgotton for lack of space? Who was he? What was he?
He was the first-born son of Frank & Azalee Moore, the big brother to Jim, Peggy, and Susie. He was the husband of Marlene for 38 years, the father of Karen, and substitute grandfather to Kevin & Dustin.
He was an electronics technician for the US Navy, but his true avocation & talent was working with wood. From houses to apartments, from picture frames to name signs, from deacon benches to day-bed and more. His talent found it's way into home, church & community.
While he could have charged much more for his work, he was never comfortable with putting a price on it, and often worked for widows for barely enough to cover the gas it took to get to their houses.
He was a Mason, Past Master of Cowpens, SC Lodge #210, and made many friends there who show their loyalty to him by being available for me when I need them.
He was loving, patient, kind & generous. His sense of humor was always just a twinkle of his beautiful blue eyes away. He wasn't very talkative, but when he said something, people remembered it.
He was a nature lover. The woods were special & precious, and a riverbank or lake was as close to heaven as he could get here on earth.
He was an encourager. He took a shy, naive teenage girl with zero self-confidence and helped her to become a capable competent woman, who adored him for 39 years.
He loved books & music, and though he didn't have much musical ability, was often humming or whistling. His bird whistles were so realistic that birds would answer him.
He enjoyed sports, especially baseball, and was good at most anything athletic. He enjoyed card games & word games and jig-saw puzzles.
He wasn't a romantic in the usual ways, but found many different ways to show his love. That love and the security that was a part of it has both helped me through this grieving, and also made it harder in some ways.
My mind is slowly comprehending the fact that he is gone physically, but because of who he was, I am the person that I am, and he will live on in my life and others that he touched. As long as there is one person alive who remembers him, his influence will be felt.
And what about that other marker? "Loving Wife & Mother". When the empty space on it is filled with a date, what memories will be left in others' lives?
When I'm gone, how will I be remembered?
As my grandparent's tiny granddaughter with all the long hair;
As my Mother's "right-hand", and second Mom to my younger brothers and sisters;
As an adoring wife and mother;
A trusted, dependable friend;
The church treasurer, Ladies Sunday School teacher, faithful church member?
Hopefully, all of these, but most of all I would like to be remembered as a Christian; not just in name only, but by my life. How I treated others every day, how I served the Lord in little ways, and how grateful I was for all His Goodness.
Words by Marlene
Read 1113 times
Written on 2006-08-17 at 04:05
Tags Remembered
Save as a bookmark (requires login) Write a comment (requires login) Send as email (requires login) Print text|
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