I would like to tell you about my Aunt Sara, the last survivor of 5 sisters and 2 brothers. She was a remarkable woman.
Aunt Sara had had cancer
and recovered, and Carol found a Board and Care near us where a woman
older then her ran it. They became good friends. When the County closed
her down, for no real good reason, Sara stayed there because she was on
Medicare, not welfare. She loved it there, and after Anne died, she rented
the little house from Anne's daughter.
Sara looked like a little old
lady who had nothing and never had anything.
Far from the truth! She lost a husband much older than her after a year of marriage when she was 21. She worked and learned the trade of salad making and ended up at a teahouse in Westwood for years.
She dated men who gave her jewelry and loved her. Then she met Doc
Burrows. He was a dentist and a coach for the Olympic Women's
VolleyBall team. She went all over the world with him, dined at the
finest restaurants. She gave me a beautiful backless black dress, cut down
pretty far- I wore it once to the Music Center, but not without a light
coat.
After my Mother died, fourteen years ago, Aunt Sara and I became close friends and I took her out, (or she took me out) every week for years.
After my husband died, we did dinners. Doc had long since died. As she
got older, all she wanted to do was be with her sisters. She had a wit
that you can't believe.
When the cancer returned with a vengeance, she
was dying. My son visited his Aunt Sara and stayed with her for 2 days.
Saturday he said "Aunt Sara, let's you and I go roller skating." She said
very politely in a very calm voice, but a little angry, "I want to die,
THANK you!" He will never forget that. It was so typical of her. She was
96.
She had paid for her funeral arrangements, but he didn't want them to
scatter ashes just anywhere and took them home, and put them in the
closet. We all were getting upset with him, but he said she wouldn't
have minded. He was probably right.
A few months ago he and his wife
went out in their boat to a place about 12 miles from shore near the
Channel Islands with the ashes. They looked for the right place, and all
of a sudden there it was. There was a flat circle like a mirror in the
water, surrounded by little ripples, as if God said ‘She belongs
here.’
That is the story of my wonderful, funny Aunt Sara. I am sure she
is with her family now. I would like to think so.
