Lasting Legacy

 

from left to right and front to back:
my husband's Aunt Kathy (his mom's sis), his mom, Betty
Dave (my husband), his brother Peter, his dad Warren
November 2004

The Red Sox.  Little did I know when I became best friends with my now husband of almost 34 years (June 30th!!), that I would learn all things pilgrim, Mayflower, Plymouth, Plimoth Plantation, Boston, Boston Red Sox, Quincy, Bridgewater/W.Bridgewater, Buzzards Bay, Cape Cod, deep sea fishing, bluefish grilling, lobster racing, Thanksgiving traditions, kayaking, camping. 

These are the things in a lasting legacy of my husband's clan. 

The patriarch of the family: Warren. He passed away in his sleep at the age of 90 a couple of weeks ago after a long decline physically over the last few years. I've never known another human who's had a sheep, pig, and cow valve put into their hearts. But he did! 

I really never knew much about baseball before I met this clan other than almost every New Yorker loves the Yankees except me. I had never even been to a real baseball stadium until I met my husband! I had never been to Plymouth or Cape Cod until we camped there our first year of marriage. I certainly didn't know much about the Mayflower or pilgrims other than the knowledge I  acquired in elementary and junior high social studies/history classes. I never knew a direct descendant of the Mayflower until I met Dave. Yes...the John Turner listed on the Mayflower is an ancestor of my husband's. There's always been some speculation as to whether he was a great x 8 grandfather or a great x 8 great uncle. Either way the legacy of hard working and persevering has been passed down from generation to generation. 

My father in law may have been vastly different from my own father, but he was a marvel and meant a lot to me.  He  was a terrific grandfather who taught my girls many things, along with his other 5 grandchildren. He had a total of 2 grandsons and 5 granddaughters. The one thing my dad and father in law had in common? their love for their children, their wives, and their grandchildren, along with having a strong work ethic and good moral character. 

My dad was saved/a Christian and I know he's in heaven. I can't say the same for my father in law as I just don't know what happened in the very end. I figure I will find out someday if he accepted Christ or not. For now? It's between him and God. Or at least it was. 

We cherish the memories......how excited he was that he could finally see the Red Sox win the World Series!! 2004.  and then again in 2007. and 2013. and 2018. I'm so happy he got to see his beloved team finally win in his lifetime. In fact, after the first win in 80 years, my husband and his older brother, took their parents and their aunt to their maternal grandmother's burying place in NH to put a Red Sox pennant on her grave as my mother - in -law's whole family were also Red Sox fans.  Of course now I and our two daughters are fans as well. And yes we went with the 3 million other fans to Boston in October 2004 to see the Red Sox in the big parade after they won the world series. And yes I almost swooned when I saw Papi holding up the trophy! 

I loved when he taught us all about the Pilgrims and the founding fathers of Massachusetts and Boston and his village, West Bridgewater. He definitely left a mark for the importance of family history. 

But more than all these fun memories, I have memories of time. Time spent just being with us. Time spent talking, having clambakes, discussing who was doing which dish for Thanksgiving.  Time spent teaching us family lore. Time playing with the  grandchildren and attending their various dance shows, musicals, horse riding lessons, high school grad parties and college graduations. Warren had a real love of family.  It was evident in his marital relationship and evident in his offspring and in turn, their families. 

Time......so precious. Time well spent. A lasting legacy.