My Aunt Leone (my father’s sister-in-law) and my Uncle Ted (my father’s brother-in-law) both pass away this week.

Uncle Ted was the husband of my father’s younger sister Larella. They had lived most of their married lives in Las Cruces, New Mexico after starting their family in Preston, Idaho. While Uncle Ted and Aunt Larella lived in Preston, I had a lot of association with them and their children, my cousins. Unfortunately, after they moved to Las Cruces, we only saw them occasionally with many years in between each occasion. Nina and I were able to visit them once in Las Cruces and when my Uncle Delon died, I was able to visit them a second time when I drove mother and dad down for the funeral. I’ve gone through my pictures on my computer, and I don’t have any pictures of Uncle Ted! So, I’ve “borrowed” one from Facebook posted by my cousin Mary Ellen.

Uncle Ted was quite an athlete, playing golf and tennis well into his 90’s. He was always incredible energetic and a lot of fun to be around. He treated his nephews and nieces well and we all felt he thought each of us were kind of special. Of all his children, I know his oldest son best. I knew him as “Barry” growing up … and he knew me as “Kay”. When we became adults both of us took on our first names to the rest of the world (he as “Ted” and me as “Roland”), but to each other we’re still Barry and Kay. Barry posted the information about Uncle Ted’s passing on Facebook on June 30th at 3:08pm:

This afternoon shortly after 2:00 pm my father passed away in Las Cruces, NM. His funeral will be in Preston, ID in the very near future. Not quite sure when yet.

Since then the funeral services have been arranged for July 8th in Preston, Idaho. While we won’t be able to be there, we send our love and condolences to the family and will be thinking of them on that day. Aunt Larella is still alive in an assisted living center.

Aunt Leone was the wife of my dad’s younger brother Ross. I do have several pictures of Aunt Leone, others are posted below (there are many, much better pictures from her family on Facebook). She was one of the sweetest, most compassionate people in the world. And she could throw a party!! All of their children are much younger than me, so I didn’t have much real association with them while I was growing up. But all of them, from oldest to youngest, are wonderful people and a real tribute to their mom and dad. Uncle Ross and Aunt Leone took care of my grandfather Smith, who was the epitome of the word “stubborn” (a trait that passed down to my dad, who quite proudly carried the nickname “Stub”). There were times when that caregiving had to have been almost overwhelming, which (in my humble opinion) certainly earned Aunt Leone the title of “saint”. Well and truly deserved.

Aunt Leone passed away last evening at the hospital in Preston from pancreatic cancer. I first saw the information on a Facebook post by her daughter Stephanie (one side of a set of twins):

My beloved mom passed away late last night after months of fighting and suffering through pancreatic cancer. I will miss her every day. So much of what is good in my life is from her, and I am eternally blessed to be her daughter.

Her suffering, pain, and trials are over and she’s certainly been warmly welcomed by family and friends who were waiting. I don’t know the arrangements, yet, but will post something when they are known. Again, Nina and I send all of our love and condolences to the family, none of whom, I’m sure, were ready for this event, as if we could every truly be “ready”.