The Day the Music Died: 6/9/08

Filomena, "Mamie," and "Nan" were all the same person, though many also knew her as a friend, mother, grandmother, Catholic, Italian, quilter, card-player, kind person, or some combination of these and other terms. On June 9th, 2008, those memories were made imperviable and stoic as there would be no new memories to solicit or obfuscate those we already carried; Nan passed away, quietly, at 4:40am, at 86 years old.

As the family, which had gathered by her solemn bedside and diligently fought off fatigue with undying devotion, retreated from the hospital room, we could not help but notice the brilliant sun which rose to conquer the dark and bring a new day. As Kim and I drove to her mom's house, it occurred to us what a fitting tribute this apparition was to Nan; one to start her day at about this time, it seemed ironic that she might end her last day at the time she'd normally begin anew. Similarly, this body, orb, solstitial star of empyrean, seemed an exact manifestation of Nan; just as she had been the center of our universe, so was the sun the center of everyone's, and in spite of its apparent right to dictate, dominate, and command, this sun (like Nan) was more noted for the way it complimented the world around us and brought out the best in everything. This was Nan's way...to appreciate the best in each of us and love us unconditionally for that reason.
It was a beautiful day and the beginning of moving past Nan's end and towards "Our" future. The family was together throughout it all: services, social events, meals, mournings, and the formation of new memories, now sadly devoid of the love we all knew as Filomena, "Mamie," "Nan,"...
Here's a link to her online memorial and some pics to remember her by: http://www.mem.com/Story.aspx?ID=2482244

Nan had her favorite flowers at her funeral.
Nan had visited her late husband, Rene, on Memorial Day weekend. Two weeks later, Nan was in the hospital and surrounded by her loved ones...who loved her right back.

At the end, it was time to remember and, then, "begin the world all over again."