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Last week we said goodbye to Anita's Aunt Sammie. She was always the life of the party. If there wasn't a party she made one. This beautiful, strong, confident woman was caring and proactive and generous. She was lovingly called "the Little General" by the family. She always knew what to do and what was needed. She was always headed toward the goal. These traits made this former school teacher a successful Real Estate agent too. They called her Selling Sammie.
She was like the Proverbs 31 Realtor ...Proverbs 31:16 "She considers a property and (sells) it; out of her earnings she plants a vineyard." I want to suggest the vineyard she invested in was her family and friends. Her three wonderful kids are bearing fruit of their own now because of her investment. They are blessed and blessing others. Her legacy of strength, confidence and generosity continues. Sammie now has sons-in-law and grand-kids, step children and grand-children, nieces and nephews, cousins, sisters and brothers, and she has invested in them all. Each of them have been mothered, and nurtured, and blessed by Sweet Sammie in many ways. She claims many as her own and they consider her a second Mom.
I heard it said, if you want to be a blessing to someone, you must make the sacrifice. Sammie was always sacrificing to help someone else. She would do without so those she loved could have more.
The whole family, like Sammie, enjoys a good party. Which is why her funeral was a CELEBRATION! As my son says, Aunt Sammie knew how to put the FUN in FUNeral. At the funeral home and church there were picture books filled with memories, lots of friends, decorations, lots of family and food...even a butterfly release on the beach in her memory. Her kids and husband remembered her well.
She fought valiantly for six years against a horrendous cancer. She fought to watch her grand kids grow up. She fought against cancer personally and along side her family for Susan G. Komen. She offered herself and her energy like never before (even though those things are much more precious when fighting cancer). Her husband Tom was the picture of the phrases, "in sickness and in health" and "til death do us part." He was strong for her and with her on the days she struggled to go on. She has won the battle, she is now cancer free because of Jesus.
We are saddened by her loss, but inspired by her life. She is enjoying her Savior and her Mom, Dad, Sister Kay, niece Mickey and others who have gone before. Those of us left behind for a while will live differently, hopefully better, more generously having known her.
