Aunt Helen

We lost another member of the family yesterday. I always wished that I had the opportunity to get to know my Aunt Helen better. She was my Grandma Throckmorton's sister. She always, always lived in New Jersey so I only saw her a few times in my life.


She was a woman to make a lasting impression! I think my first memory of Aunt Helen was a visit to Idaho when I was quite young. I remember that she was loud. What I realize now is that it was her Jersey accent that made her seem loud to my little NW ears.


I remember hearing stories about Aunt Helen and how she loved my Grandpa, her sisters husband...scandalous!


I remember that she was full of energy and she had a spark about her like she was always ready for excitement.


I remember that her Mother, my Great-Grandmother, who immigrated to America from Czechoslovakia, lived with her and that Aunt Helen took care of her in her final years.



I remember visiting her and Uncle Butch in New Jersey when my Mom took me on a trip as a graduation present after college. We went to a play and ate foreign food and I learned deep dark secrets about my Mother as a child....


But my most recent memory is when she visited a few years back and my boys had the chance to meet her. She made a vivid impression...She filled the whole room even though she was a small person. She always had much love to share. I found her fascinating and loved to listen to her talk.



It was always a little strange to be related to her. She seemed so different from us...So foreign..



One of her greatest passions in life were her beloved Yankees. She loved to talk about her Yankees. The details that woman knew about the team was impressive! In all honesty, I don't think some of the Yankees themselves knew as much as she did. As I understand it, she never missed a game...


I enjoyed watching her and my brother discuss the fine art of Czech cooking and challenging each other to a cook off...


But what I remember most of all is that I really didn't get a chance to know her.



It is sad to see a generation pass away...it is a reminder of how precious family is


Heaven will be a far better place than this...