Aunt A, Aunt E, Mom, Uncle B
She married at the age of 17 by eloping with her high-school sweetheart. They were still married at her passing but haven't lived together for many years. Aunt E had a stroke a few years after my my mom's and was eventually moved to a nursing home in her hometown.
She and her husband W adopted a son about 40 years ago. About 20 years later, they took in their grandson and were raising him when Aunt E became ill. W took the child and moved nearer to their son, though I understand W has been back in their hometown for a few years.
In the early '70's they won a significant prize in the Irish Sweepstakes and used the money to purchase his family's farm and build a house on the property. I recall it the entire interior was painted yellow and she had a sunken living room with deep purple shag rug. It still looked the same the last time I was there a dozen years ago.
It was in this house where she had her first stroke. Instead of calling an ambulance W dragged Aunt E down the exterior stairs, basically a ladder as the home's exterior was never entirely finished, and drove her to the hospital. Later when he took her back home, she was limited to the bedroom, hallway and kitchen as she was in a wheelchair. He did, at least, build a ramp so he could bring her in and out of the house.
However, her health declined because she wasn't getting the care she needed at home and she had another stroke. After a brief recovery she moved to an assisted living apartment and soon after to the nursing home. I believe Aunt E lived in the nursing home for at least 7-8 years as she was a patient when Dad was moved there in 2006.
For years she ran the canteen at the nursing home. Everyday after lunch, she would pull herself along the railing with her good arm from her room to the little store near the front door of the home. I'm not sure she made many sales. Most of the patients were either non-ambulatory or unable to recall how to get there and her often grouchy demeanor was a bit off-putting for most people.
My mom, actually our entire family, didn't particularly like W and it only got worse as the years went on. As a result, we didn't see Aunt E often, usually only on Christmas Eve. She and mom kept in touch by telephone and when mom passed I think she felt very much alone. By this point she and W were married in name only, her son was "away working", and she had no access to her grandson.
But she managed to thrive at the home, because she got the care she needed, as well as the social interaction with others. A friend of mine, told me on Facebook, "I liked her, we got along really well. She always wanted a beer and a cigarette after her bath, and wanted me to join her too! LOL"
I like to think that she and her siblings are now together, Aunt E and Aunt A are having a beer, mom and Uncle B are drinking coffee, all four are puffing away on their cigarettes, and they're talking up a storm.
Rest in peace, Aunt E Fly free, like your butterfly tattoo and give my mom a hug and kiss for me.
