Farewell, Auntie Betty

We said good-bye to my Auntie Betty today. I was fortunate to be given the opportunity to write something for her and share it with friends and family.

I’ll admit that it was hard for me to write something for my Auntie Betty. She was such a unique person, so different from anyone else I’ve ever known…how do you capture that sort of personality in words? I dug back through my memories and realized that knowing Betty was something of an educational experience. No, really. Bear with me here.

There are a few things I’ve learned from my Auntie, and I’d like to share them with you today:

1. Keep your friends for life. Auntie Betty was still in touch with her childhood friends right up until the end. I had the great pleasure of meeting one of those friends when we worked together at Red Cross, and enjoyed learning what a hell-raiser my aunt was when she was younger. Come to think of it…that never really changed, did it?! Which leads me to the second thing I learned from her:
2. Life is much more interesting when you’re raising hell. Who wants a boring life? Some people go through their entire lives not experiencing anything out of the ordinary, while others go through at about a million miles an hour, fishtailing all over the place and having a bunch of fun along the way. I’d rather do the latter.
3. Laughter doesn’t really count unless you have a good snort thrown in the middle. I will never, ever forget Betty’s loud, infectious laugh. There was never any doubt when she was tickled pink by something, and I’ll be damned if you couldn’t help but laugh right along with her. I remember Jen and I practicing Auntie Betty’s snort, and laughing our butts off, ourselves.
4. There ain’t nuthin’ a little retail therapy can’t solve. And, when in doubt, go blonde. Or more blonde. And get something pierced.
5. The best way to kill a squabble, or start one for that matter, is to throw a little dog water on the situation. I can’t remember who started that particular water fight, but right up to the day of my wedding she threatened to bring a water bazooka to the church. And I never really knew if she would… ;-)

The best way to talk about Betty is to say that words simply cannot describe her. She was truly one-of-a-kind, and she made an impact on every life she touched. Anyone who has met her will be hard pressed to forget her. For better or for worse, she was my Auntie, and she’s been a big part of my life for over 35 years…starting with her giving me my very first shampoo and style, since my own mama was a little freaked out by her newborn.

She’s been a little sister, a big sister, a daughter, a mother, a step-mother, a wife, an auntie and a friend. She was a pain in the ass and shitload of fun. She’s given her heart and her love, and we will always, always, love and remember her.