Archives #4 - Goodbye my Sweet Aunt Dorothy

Monday, December 11, 2006

Goodbye my Sweet Aunt Dorothy

This weekend I traveled unexpectedly to my Great Aunt Dorothy's funeral. It was a wonderful celebration of her life and a good time to be with family. She was a beauty queen, Methodist Sunday school teacher, cattle farmer, mother of 2, Grandmother of 4, artist, flower arranger, and gardener.
I learned a lot about her this weekend. She was a perfectionist who always believed in doing your best and looking your best. She gardened in pearls and high heels. She painted beautiful paintings that she would never give to us or give and take back because she didn't like one part of it. A few years ago I fought her for a pastel drawing she did of me when I was young. It was very well done but she didn't like the nose so she refused to give it to me. I eventually told her that she had no choice and that it was going home with me. I think I got some of my strong will from her as well.
Aunt Dorothy was the first woman in her town to buy blue jeans but only because she needed them for working with her cattle. She despised jeans and to this day I'm not sure that she's seen me wear them more than once. She was very focused on looks and weight and keeping slim. One must "neva let yourself go." In order to leave the house it was a few hours ordeal because you couldn't possibly leave the house without a full face of makeup on, pearls and high heels. Like I said, the woman GARDENED, as in WORKED IN HER YARD in heels and pearls. What a woman.
This weekend I became painfully aware of where I received my perfectionism from. At this time I want to thank my Great-Grandmother Ada for raising her two daughters, my Grandmother and Great-Aunt, to believe that you have to be perfect. I don't even know where I'd be if I didn't have such a high standard to live up to. Wait, I see it, it's me in blue jeans at the grocery store with NO lipstick on. AHHHHHH!!!!!!! Actually, I'd do really good to be at the grocery with blue jeans AND lipstick on. People might think I'm going to a party.
I am confident that Aunt Dorothy is up in heaven giving the other angels a run for their money. I'm sure for her new body she picked out the one she had when she was a beauty queen. She was gorgeous and she HATED being old. She's probably eating bags of potato chips because she can and there's no way you can get fat in heaven. She's probably painting beautiful paintings with the nose just right and enjoying time with her husband, Uncle Brister.
Rest in Peace, Sweet Aunt Dorothy. We love you and miss you.