My Aunt Lena
Woman in the Middle | April 8, 2013My mother had five sisters. She loved them all but one of the sisters she was closest with was my Aunt Lena. They grew up near a small east Arkansas town and while my mother moved all the way out to California to live Aunt Lena moved just 50 or so miles away where she and my Uncle Carl bought a house in a little town called Bartlett, which is a suburb of Memphis, Tennessee. We visited her house many times over the years and I have so many fond memories of her and her home.
It was at Aunt Lena’s house that I was introduced to such exotic (to me) southern foods as redeye gravy which was served with fried ham for breakfast. It would come to the table with homemade biscuits and homemade preserves. My favorite preserves came from little wild plums she or one of my other aunts picked themselves. The plums were so small Aunt Lena didn’t even take out the pits when she made the preserves. From an early age I found the preserves with the “beads” in it so so yummy and exciting.
Aunt Lena had a pecan tree in the back yard. That massive tree was one of her pride and joys. Imagine how impressed I was with the idea of having a tree in the back yard that produced nuts of all things! I didn’t explore her back yard much because for most of my childhood we would visit Tennessee in the summer. Believe me, this girl from California did not want to go out side too much in a Tennessee summer. I stayed inside near the air conditioner, thank you! If I did go outside I usually picked up something not so fun but equally exotic (to me) like chiggers, a little bug that bit you and made you itch. Aunt Lena was ready with the appropriate things for just such an occasion, like calamine lotion.
My mother did not come from a huggy family. She admitted that herself. But somehow I still basked in the love of my southern family when I was there. And no one made me feel more loved than Aunt Lena. That was just her way. My cousin Linda pointed out to me recently that Aunt Lena wasn’t a TV watcher. I would call her a “bustler” instead. She bustled around taking care of whoever was in her house. Since she just had her husband and her son she had lots of bustle left to shower upon family visiting from California.
Aunt Lena was the last of my mother’s eight siblings. At eighty-eight she had recently had to suffer the loss of her only son. That and a move to an assisted living facility was enough to convince her that she had lived long enough. She had often wondered why she had lived so long. Well, in the end Aunt Lena took the bull by the horns in her freckled, capable, loving southern hands and left this world quietly, in bed, asleep, because she was ready to be done. Most everyone she wanted to be with was already waiting for her. I am guessing she passed into a really good family reunion with lots of good food and laughter. I can just see her face now, lit up with the joy of seeing everyone again.
Bye, Aunt Lena, and next time I see you can I have some of the preserves with the beads in it ?
That was beautiful. Losing her really hurts, but I know she’s ok now. I love you.
Beautiful tribute!
A beautifully written tribute to your aunt I have a number of aunts but do not have a favourite in fact I have never had a favourite aunt but I did have a favourite uncle……….
Your Aunt Lena’s remarkable life reminds me of the Little House stories (making preserves from wild fruits, taking the bull by the horns). She also reminds me of my grandma just before she passed away. My grandma was ready to see family and friends in Heaven and left in her sleep too. I’m sure Aunt Lena is enjoying the next phase of life as we speak!