Tuesday morning members of Amy Pettit's extended family gathered at Old Runnels Cemetery, just North of Ballinger, Texas. A breeze broke the heat as it tried to advance. Reverend Ben Hubert read a Bible passage on love, one normally heard at weddings. Amy lived many facets of love. I saw the words as our test. True love would not have her suffer for our need to have her close.
Amy's nephew Buddy spoke of her passing in his sweet honesty, "It was a blessing. It's human to hold people close in our heart, focusing on our loss instead of Amy's going to where she needed to be."
Family and friends were invited to say goodbye to Amy. One by one the brokenhearted stood before Amy Pettit. Knees turned weak and tears fell. It took some time for family to leave Old Runnels. I attribute it to Amy's knack for pulling people together.
Amy was honored in a Memorial Service at San Angelo's First Christian Church later that morning. Ben's gift from God is honoring the storied and complex lives of those who've passed. This became his gift to Amy and her family. His rich remembrance cannot be summarized in a blog post. Should I get a copy of his eulogy, I'll post it.
The church ministered to the family with a meal Amy would've loved. I could see her starting with dessert and savoring a cup of black coffee. After her first sip, I hear her pronounce it "just right." Family members told Amy stories. They caught up on their lives since the last Lee funeral, promising to gather in a deathless time.
Vayden, Kristin and Alan prepared a slideshow honoring Amy. It was unable to seen at First Christian due to technological difficulties. The pictures begin and end with black and white pictures of the children she raised.
Between 1915 and 2011 Amy Pettit raised so many spirits, so many lives. May your life be enriched by elements of her story, her poetry and Amy's endless drive to personally improve the human condition, one soul at a time. She lives in our hearts. Is there any place she'd rather be?
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