Remembering Cousin Carol

 

Yesterday, my first cousin Carol passed away. She is seen above with just some of her many grandchildren. I literally knew her all my life, and I looked up to her, since I had no older sister or brother. Below, Carol is seen at the left, with my parents and me in Crystal Rock.

Carol was a hard worker, and had a dynamic personality. She used to babysit my children and she brought us over treats quite often. Sometimes she would take my grandson and adult daughter on "joy rides" to get ice cream or hamburgers on a hot summer night.

My favorite memory of Carol is when our dear neighbor had a stroke, and she could not do the things she used to do. Carol and I would go over and clean her house. Now I cannot tolerate spoiled food, and Carol did not like to clean toilets...so Carol cleaned the frig, while I cleaned the bathroom. We all three had many laughs, in spite of it being a challenging situation.

In Bay Bridge, Carol and her hubby were my neighbors for over thirty years. She shared with me many family stories and photos. One July 4th, my husband took the kids and grandkids to see fireworks, but I did not go. Carol called me over, and we looked through an old box of photos until they got back from the Independence Day fireworks!

I like to think of the joyous reunion in Heaven when Carol gets there, and sees her son John, and all our parents and grandparents who have gone before us.