Bob Bancroft
Well-known Member
- Location
- Aurora NY
Went to a 94 year old neighbor/farmer/distant relatives funeral yesterday.(Those of us who can trace our roots back several generations in one place all end up related eventually!)
He had asked not to be eulogized. So his younger brother, the last of five siblings, spoke about the family. He started by saying this was a lot harder than he anticipated. But he choked it out. Their mother died at age 36, in 1933. He emphasized a couple of points, several times- how HARD life was. Everyone was poor. Electricity didn't come through until 1939, etc., and, how GRATEFUL he was, for extended family, community, this country, etc.
The family stayed together on the farm. Four of the five went on to earn four year college degrees.
He closed with a rhetorical question- where else in the world could this have happened?
He didn't say it,(and being the gentleman I know, wouldn't) but there was a message there loud and clear to me- many don't have a clue how well off they are.
He had asked not to be eulogized. So his younger brother, the last of five siblings, spoke about the family. He started by saying this was a lot harder than he anticipated. But he choked it out. Their mother died at age 36, in 1933. He emphasized a couple of points, several times- how HARD life was. Everyone was poor. Electricity didn't come through until 1939, etc., and, how GRATEFUL he was, for extended family, community, this country, etc.
The family stayed together on the farm. Four of the five went on to earn four year college degrees.
He closed with a rhetorical question- where else in the world could this have happened?
He didn't say it,(and being the gentleman I know, wouldn't) but there was a message there loud and clear to me- many don't have a clue how well off they are.
