Photos: Roselawn Cemetery

We drove through an older part of town to get to the cemetery; I like some of the old houses on this street.

My nephew David Walker was killed at age 33 when a drunk driver rammed into their beautiful home in the middle of the night.

Larry's parents, Lyle and Norma Jackson

A friend who died of cancer at age 19

Craig died at age 26 in a construction accident.  Dorothy has since married my great-nephew Daniel Walker, and they have added a little girl and a little boy to their family.

Our son-in-law Andrew's grandparents.  Percy is still alive and doing well, for just having had his 97th birthday.

Jeanne, a year and a half older than me, was born with Down's Syndrome.  Her parents and mine were best of friends, and we saw each other often as we grew up.  I will never forget how hard she laughed when I, at about age 16, tried riding her adult tricycle.  I attempted a corner, instinctively tried to lean -- but tricycles don't lean.  I wound up going in a circle the wrong direction.  Jeanne laughed so hard, she sat right down in the grass.  I scowled, "It wasn't that funny," and set her off all over again.

Jeanne's parents, best of friends with my parents.

Good friends of my parents, and great-grandparents of son-in-law Jeremy and daughter-in-law Maria.

Our little grandson, born too early.  Older brother of little Eva.

This etching was done from a picture of tiny Baby Liam in Caleb's hand.

Our son-in-law Jeremy's mother Malinda died in childbirth when he was 14.  The baby, Daniel, survived, and is now 21.

Son-in-law Jeremy and daughter-in-law Maria's grandparents.  Helen taught me to read when I was not quite 4, and gave me piano lessons when I was 6.

Larry's uncle and aunt.

Larry's cousin

Annette was Larry's brother's wife.

Son-in-law Jeremy's brother, who drowned.  Richard was also our son Caleb's best friend.

Marlene was a beloved teacher at our church school.  She was sons-in-law Bobby's and Kurt's aunt and great-aunt, respectively.

Son-in-law Kurt's great-grandparents

Friend

Frankie was son-in-law Kurt's great-uncle

A friend

Son-in-law Kurt's great-grandmother

Son-in-law Kurt's great-grandparents

Best friends of my parents, and grandparents and great-grandparents of sons-in-law Bobby and Kurt, respectively.

My brother Loren's wife Janice

My parents, Rev. and Mrs. George and Hester Swiney.  Daddy was in the Navy in WWII.

The song, now hard to read, is 'Sweet By and By':  

There's a land [that is] fairer than day,

And by faith I can see it afar;

And my Father waits over the way,

To prepare me a dwelling place there!

Cousins of several of our sons-in-law and daughters-in-law

Dennis and Marlene's baby

Chuck and Leanne's baby

Rocky and Theda's baby

Rocky's father, a good friend of my father's

A little boy who died by accident when I was 6.  I well remember how distraught his parents were.

Gay was my Sunday School teacher when I was about 10.  She took us on many fun excursions to her sister's cabin by the river.

Mary was son-in-law Kurt's grandmother, and one of my very good friends.  She often played the organ for our church while I played the piano.

Ruth died before I was born.  Kurt's mother Ruth was named for this great aunt.

Anna died at age 36, leaving behind 9 children, when a train struck her car.  I was 4, and Anna's was the first funeral I remember attending.  

I also recall that when a little friend of mine, who would've only been two at the time, skipped along the sidewalk that day, I informed her in a quite pompous 'I'm older than you' attitude, "We mustn't skip.  Funerals are sad."  I can still see her standing there looking at me, eyes wide.

(Amazingly, we are still friends.)

A friend

My mother-in-law Norma and Lawrence married after both their spouses died of cancer.  Lawrence was the only grandfather our three youngest children ever knew.

My sister-in-law Janice's parents

Sunset at the cemetery