Memorializing Mae

So I've been meaning to post this for a while now but as usual time has gotten the best of me. Brandy already shared with you the sadness of Mae passing and mentioned the eulogy I was asked to give. I was certainly honored to play a role in memorializing Mae. Some of the family members asked that I share a copy of it with them so I'm posting it here in hopes they'll find it.

The Mae I Knew…

As I sat down last night to write something that epitomized Mae, I realized that we all experienced Mae in our own unique ways and it would be nearly impossible to capture her essence in a few words. So, rather than try, I want to tell you about the Mae that I knew.

I didn’t ever know Mae as a mother or a grandmother. I didn’t know her as a role model as a young child. I didn’t know her as a neighbor or a fellow church goer. Or a community volunteer. I didn’t know Mae as a world traveler and I didn’t know her as a companion.

I knew Mae as a friend.

I met Mae a mere 7 years ago. And in those 7 years I have learned a lot. I have learned a lot about many of you…because she told me. Mae and I spent many afternoons talking about sports, politics, history and of course the family. She was the person who taught me the importance of intentional relationships.

So often I observed Mae making an effort to show someone how much she cared. It was never a big gesture but it was always an intentional one. I’ve seen her clasp a hand, or hold a cheek to help comfort. I’ve seen her make Coke floats in celebration. I’ve seen her labor over just the right gift. I’ve seen her share her knowledge about humming birds. And on more than one occasion I’ve seen her crack open a can of jellied cranberries which is how she showed me she cared.

The Mae I knew was loving and supportive. When Brandy and I told her we hoped we were making the right decision in moving to Colorado she was the first one to tell us how much she’d miss us but how much she hoped it was an incredible adventure for us and she knew we were making the right decision.

The Mae I knew had a smile that would light up a room and eyes that shown with pure joy in the company of others. She was the most happy in simple settings like when I’d catch her and Joe holding hands in the dark watching the news…Or when she was able to hold her great-grandchild for the very first time.

The Mae I knew was competitive. She would never turn down a good card game and would lull you into a false sense of safety by asking “remind of the rules to this” right before she’d put you out of the game.

The Mae I knew always had a zest for life. Whether it be road tripping to Louisiana, watching high school football from the back of a pick-up truck or eating ice cream at the Iowa State basketball game, you can bet her dance card was full!

The Mae I knew loved her family. She was the most proud when she talked about all of you. I can’t count the number of stories I heard about the Michigan crew, or what her trips to California had entailed. And she was always quick to update me on what each of the Burhans’ girls were up to. Seriously sometimes I thought I grew up with all of you!

The Mae I knew had a knack for making people feel like they belonged. She welcomed me with open arms and made absolutely sure I knew how much she "didn’t mind having me around."

I was lucky to have been friends with Mae and we are all better people for having known her. We’ll miss her but we’ll keep her memories close to our heart.