A Tribute to a Saint!

I have such a cloud over me ever since learning yesterday of my Aunt Elsie's tragic death.  So, I thought if I jotted a few thoughts here about her as a tribute, that it might help lift the cloud.

Aunt Elsie was the baby sister of my Grandmother Caroline Hutchison and my aunt Amanda Fisher.  The trio were servant leaders and pillars in the community.  Elsie just turned 91 on May 27.

The tragedy is that she died in an auto accident nearly at the same spot that her father was killed in an auto accident nearly 55 years ago almost this same time of the year!  It was three days after my father graduated from High School that Grandad Ebling was thrown from the vehicle and run over.  Now a week after my daughter, Caroline graduated from High School, Aunt Elsie was killed in her car when it was hit by another car.   Also in the car was my cousin Fran - Amanda's daughter who was in from the west coast for her 50th college reunion.  Fran is in Shock Trauma in Baltimore in serious condition with multiple injuries.

Aunt Elsie never married, in large part because she was committed to taking care of her mom.  And once her mom died, she felt she was too old to marry, though she had a boyfriend all those years!  So, as a single lady, she devoted hours of each day to caring for family and friends who could not do for themselves.  She was a constant visitor at Caroline Nursing home and was always on the go doing something to help someone else.  Even though she was 91 this past May, she was still very active in helping others and loved to travel.

She was most supportive of all her grand neices and nephews.  Just last October, she joined us at Community of Joy as we celebrated our 10 year anniversary as Pastors here.  She often came to visit us and was always wanting to know how things were -- she took an interest in what we were doing.  As she did with others too!  She was one of the most self-less persons I know.

I have so many fond memories of A. Elsie... she would go crabbing with us grandkids and Pop Hutchison, she loved to ride horses -even did so in a skirt on my pony, was the matriarch of the Turner Family, which gathers every year at Camp Mardela in May, 6 months after Sharon and I were married, she and Sharon's sister traveled with us to Annual Conference in Orlando Fla, she loved to sell Christmas Trees at Dad's tree farm, she introduced me to summer pointsettias... so many memories that I will cherish forever!

Thanks Aunt Elsie for all the ways you showed Christ's love to me and our family and to the world!  We love and miss you!