Day 233

I didn't take this picture, David did. This was after 10 hours of driving to Connecticut, sitting through the 2 hour funeral of my Mother, spending another 2 hours in a reception, going back to my Mom's house for a bit and then driving home to Massachusetts again. We are all exhausted.



I read a poem by Billy Collins, a poem by Lindy Whiton and the following at the funeral. Everybody who read and spoke did a great job. It was beautiful .


I’ve had a really hard time putting this together. That’s not usually the case with me, I’m pretty good expressing my feelings, but for some reason I couldn’t focus what I had to say. I’ve got tons of stories. Mom and I shared a lot and traveled and talked and laughed, but I haven’t been able to draw the stories together, so I’ve asked a lot of people to say something, many who couldn’t be here today and I’ve created one reading from everyone else’s sentences. So

Liz Barnum Jr. –She was often the only "adult" in my young life who took the time to listen, understand and be an advocate for sanity, fairness and compassion. Her remarkable and stunning blue eyes always perceived with clarity.

Annie Quest - Jean gave me shelter and accepted me into the family! I always felt loved and accepted in her presence. She held me in her heart and she will forever live in mine...
Jason Whiton – No voice went unheard, no interest was too small to be celebrated like a savory, fascinating discovery.
Sarah Lawson If there was one person in my life that I aspired to be like, it was her, because of her ability to love us all completely, despite our faults and our eccentricities. Because she loved what our souls said, and not always what came out of our mouths.
Jay Davis - Jean was a woman who exuded a feeling of adequacy no matter what her life was presenting, dispatched BS with good-natured skepticism, and would serve you lunch with pressed napkins, even if you just dropped by. And raised six amazing children who've become adults of some gravitas. And always kept the Beckstein polished and in tune.
Dianna Noyes - She was a gracious, elegant, kind, accepting, talented, creative, loving woman with a considerable sparkle in her eyes.
Ember Tilton I was looking for clothes to wear for tomorrow and found a nice pair of dress pants. I tried them on and they fit, then I realized the zipper was broken. It reminded me of when I was young and my mom for whatever reason would bring pants or whatever broken zippers to Gramma Jean to have them fixed or replaced. I wondered if my mom was really incapable of mending zippers or if it was just an excuse for her to see her mom?

Moriah Tilton - I feel like she personified Music. To be in her presence was like being in a sweet flowing song. Her voice, grace, class, charm, beauty were perfectly soothing, entrancing, inspiring.

Grace Tilton Van Steenburg Wow, one sentence? Everything that she said and did was Truth in the purest human form.
Kora Skeele - Sweet dreams, sweet Jean. Know that love will be wherever you are.
Kay Johnson – Jean was the definition of the salt of the earth.
Anna Berry - I did not "know" your mom, but met her on a number of occasions. What stood out to me every time I was in her presence was her way of being with you. You, me, whomever she was speaking with, listening to, watching. The word seemed to stop and shrink to the moment that was being shared together. It was a gift to have those moments.

So there is a quick compilation of peoples’ thoughts and memories. Others were said, “Your parents always encouraged us to ask questions.”
“I Remember you mother’s laugh.”
The patterns are there. MUSIC, laughter, acceptance…… and an amazing eye for beauty.
She will be missed!!!!!.