Cleo Souders

Cleo's funeral was today. She died last Saturday and was 82. Aleene worked at the funeral lunch and I went as an congregant. There was a nice crowd...bigger than you might expect, smaller than a lot of Fennville funerals. They were not related to the world...but it was nice. Mel, Faye and their two kids were there as were Kevin, Barb and their three. Bob and Anne Parker were there as were Bob Gardner, Ralph, Mary Ann, Jim Johnson and D'off. It was good to talk to all of them. Kirk Barnes came with his parents and he told me he had five more weeks on probation then he was done with the state of Michigan's requirements. He was heading for San Diego area again. Wow, I hope that is best for him.

Ray Sundell did an adequate job. Funerals are hard things to pull off. It is always best if the preacher knows the person well, then you not only get stories, you get feelings. Ray had visited Cleo often, so he knew her as an invalid...and to know Cleo was to know her at school and at church. But he did a nice job.

Aleene had a day of it...at the church early then this afternoon she and Marilyn had coffee with the Anna Michen first grade teachers. The new school is coming along nicely and there seems to be an uptick of kids, especially in the lower el. I am sure parents are eying the new facilities for the future as they make living and school choices. There is lots of development going on in the area.

Walking through the cemetary was a trip back in history. Joyce Bruder reminded me that when George died there were very few people burried in the "new" section (the west side) and now it is about full. There were two names I did not recognize...the rest I knew the family or the person directly. I guess thirty years is long enough to accumulate lots of dead people. I was thinking what a good living Bill Scovill must be making today.

We are sorting out lots of stuff...and sending it packing, as in Salvation Army, the junk heap, or to Jeff. This move is becoming serious.

For those who asked about our schedule...look at the next post for details.