You Look Just Like Your Aunt Phebe

My father's older sister is my Aunt Phebe.  My whole life people told me I looked like her.  She passed away this last month after a battle with pancreatic cancer.  We went to her memorial service this last Sunday.  All my siblings and my parents gathered at my house and then we drove up to Bovill, Idaho (30 minutes past Moscow, Idaho) to her church for the service.  Aunt Phebe and Uncle Don lived in Hawaii when I was a child and in Northern Idaho with a brief stint in Davis, California.  So, we did not see them as often as we might have, but I knew my Aunt and I loved her.  She had a funny kind of chuckle of a laugh.  She was a talented photographer.  She did a lot of handiwork.  She was a devout Presbyterian.   She made me feel comfortable and smile.  When I was 26 I formed a special bond with my Aunt.  My Grandma Brown was dying of lung cancer and I was able to care for her while she was ill.  Phebe came a number of times down to California from Idaho, and then finally stayed until the end.  We shared those last days of Grandma's life together.  It was the most spiritual experience of my life.  It is a bond that I can't really describe even to myself.  We went to see her at her house when she was sick.  She was tired, and I hoped she would be able to go home soon.  When I heard that she had passed I thought of my Grandmother, and my Aunt Not (Phebe's younger sister who died at 44) welcoming her home.  I can see them laughing together. 
This was a family photo taken in 1966 (the year before I was born).  Top row l-r = my mother, my father, Uncle Don, Aunt Phebe. Middle Row l-r = Uncle Marvin (my dad's youngest brother), Grandma Brown, Grandpa Brown, Aunt Not (my dad's younger sister-real name Dorothy Jean).  Bottom row l-r =  my bother Craig, my cousin Derick, my sister Laurie, my cousin Kirk, my brother Kevin

We had a great weekend gathering in her honor.  It was wonderful to be with my siblings and my parents.  It was good to see my Larson cousins that I don't see too often, but feel totally comfortable being around.  It was good to be with family.  It really made me think how incredibly blessed I am.