Sun 8 Oct 2006
A week ago Christopher, (his three sisters) Colissa, Becca, Ashley, (their Mom) Mary, and myself returned home to Tucson. We were gone for three days to LaVerkin, Utah, Mary’s hometown, for her Father’s funeral.
I never did meet Lloyd Howard, but I’d heard stories of him over time. Nothing I’d heard compared to the Eulogy given about him by his son Richard. When their Mother Helen had passed 12 years earlier, Richard took it upon himself to go through all of her journal entries. It being less than a week after Lloyd passed, Richard had already taken up the same task with his Father’s journals. The combination of his parents’ written past made a touching tribute, along with one of the last conversations he ever had with his Father, in which he confessed many a lesson learned in his time and the things he left unsaid to some.
The impression I had been given by a few in Christopher’s family, was that Lloyd was a strictly religious man, often judgemental and very stubborn. This was all told to me prior to his passing. Sitting in the church, hearing Richard’s Eulogy, everything I’d learned of Lloyd before passed right out of me. He had told Richard that he felt Helen’s passing was due to her reaching perfection in this life, and that in her passing he realized how much more he could’ve appreciated her while on this Earth. Lloyd felt that it was for that reason he had outlived his beloved wife, who’d helped him to find “heaven on Earth”. For that I cried.
Christopher never got to say goodbye, or more importantly to him he didn’t get tell of our upcoming child. But he says that he knows this is all for a reason, and he is simply happy that his Grandpa Howard is finally with his “sweetheart” again. To live without someone you love so deeply is a heavy task to handle; we both know that, although not first-hand, but in our hearts.
No matter the reality of it, due to that little thing called love, I feel that I have a personal connection with these two people I’ve never met. An experience to remember: another’s memories to cherish and live a richer life from.
October 8th, 2006 at 6:19 am
I love you so much pumpkin dearie.
April 2nd, 2009 at 7:31 pm
I have been doing reserrch of my family ansestory for quite a few years and came across this blog. I lost my father in an accident 9 years ago and had no idea i had so many relatives as he had never told me or I didnt listen. My fathers name was Ron Richardson and he was the nephew of Helen and Lloyd Howard. Helen was the sister of my Grandmother whom I never met, Thelda Richardson. She died of cancer when he was 16. I have always felt she was close, and always wanted to know more about her. . Unfortunnalty my Dad never really pushed me to get to my ansestery or told me how many relitives I have. I found out in the last few yesrs that I have 50 second cousins from Helen and Lloyd that I have never met. I wanted to talk to Lloyd before he died to ask about any information that he could remember about my grandmother , but never got down to La Verkin and I now greatly regret that. The 1 time I remember them, I remember them to be such wonderful people that were very interested in my life and made me feel like one of the family. If anyone reads this, blog bavk and I will respond.
Lori Richardson