Aunt Thelma

Aunt Thelma, 97, passed away Friday (9/23).
I just heard about it this morning through a phone call from Aunt Dona.
I'll be meeting Aunt Dona and other family members at the Methodist Church for the service, in the morning and then, school for me.
I didn't know Aunt Thelma too well, she'd only been a member of the family for a dozen or so years.
I met her for the first time, 2 years ago at Uncle Jim's 90th birthday party. She was so nice, and OH! those eyes! You could happily, spend the day there, held captive by those eyes of hers. There was kindness and pleasantness flowing off of her in waves. That's what you felt in her presence. That was the vibe I got from her anyways.
Small wonder that my handsome Uncle Jim fell in love with her. These 2 really caused a stir at the Senior Center!
Most folks thought Jim had something going with Freda, as they lunched together often. Both Jim and Freda had lived and worked in this small community all their lives. By the time Jim got a gleam in his eye for Thelma, he had already logged a relationship history spanning 80 years together with Freda... as brother and sister! Hehehee.
Freda couldn't understand, at first, why folks were asking how she felt about "Jim & Thelma", but more specifically, about "Thelma" - then she figured out that people weren't aware that Jim was her younger brother. She had a great time telling everyone how "fine" she was with this Thelma woman.
Well, when word did get out that Freda was actually Jim's sister, people started asking her for the juicy details of the romance. Uncle Jim, being just as discreet as he is dashing, didn't give Freda, whose none too chatty herself, much detail to dish out!
We know they got together, him and Thelma, because they both like to dance...
and we know the 5 year age difference didn't matter to them either; it wasn't long before they gave the family something to talk about right along with the seniors at the center.
Jim and Thelma took a little road trip in the Spring of 1992 and married in Las Vegas, NV on April 15th.
We couldn't have been happier for either one of them!
What a deal!
Both, blessed twice, with great loves, and matrimony.
Imagine?
Thelma's first husband preceeded her in death in 1988, they'd been married 60 years.
Then she and Uncle Jim, dance...
(I think the running off for a Vegas wedding at the ages of 80 & 85, was near perfect, don't you?)
How long do you think they thought it would last?
I'm thinking they just didn't think about it, they just went for it, and they had another 13 years - together.
I love Jim and Thelma's story.
It'll be an honor to bid her adieu, and wish her sweet, sweet spirit well for now, come mornin' time.