Nana

On January 7th, just a few months after her 81st birthday, my nana passed away in Vancouver, Washington with my Papa by her side. Born in West Virgina on October 16, 1937, Opal Sue was a spit fire. She was a shy girl. Kind and fun. She met Papa at school. I believe it was love at first sight, for him. They married young and had my dad and, later, my Aunt Yvonne.

She loved babies more than anyone I have ever met and I'm surprised she didn't have more children. Her health was always a concern. She was tough as nails but she was frail. She spent a large part of my youth trying to figure out why she was so tired and why her back hurt. When it was just me and Andrea (before my youngest sister, Karli, and brother, Bryce, were born) we spent many weekends with Nana. She took us to VBS a few summers. We would jazzercise and take long walks, work in her garden and bake healthy cookies. She was extremely health conscious. She was basically vegan by the time she and Papa retired to the tiny town of Ocean Park, WA in the late nineties. 

My sister said something so profound. She said that Nana had the ability to make everyone feel like her favorite. That's what I see in that first photo.

She loved us all so well. 

Her funeral was a beautiful, humble affair. We went out to the church she and Papa attended and the service was beautiful and sweet, straight to the point. My favorite part was the video of beautiful West Virginia. Although they never lived there again after my dad was a baby, they went back often and loved it so much. They are West Virginia, deep in their bones. That love for the woods and mountains runs deep in our family. 

During her funeral, I couldn't speak. I choked on my tears and didnt know what to say that hadn't already been said. We miss her. We just really, really miss her. 

Until we meet again, Opal Sue. Love you, Nana.