My sister Maggie

It has taken some time to be able to post this.

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First a little about my family. My mom had 11 kids. I never met the first 2 as they died as infants. The next four I really don't remember them when I was growing up. I remember them as people coming to visit from time to time, my brothers in uniform, Navy and Army. They left home for the war or to work before I have any recall of them. The other I do remember as sisters and I watched them grow and leave home. But Maggie and Grace I grew up with. The truth be known they are the ones from which I learned "social life skills". You know, don't be dumb in front of girls, how to hold a cigarette, a little about drinks.

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I believe that is why I took Maggie's passing as hard as I did. Maggie was a free spirit. She did things her way and lived life as she saw wanted. She loved to dance and enjoyed her work. Many people loved her, some did not. That comes with her life style. She was kind and loving , she would share with you and not expect anything in return except for you to accepted her as she was.

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When I was a young boy Maggie married a soldier and move out of my life for a season. As I think back in my memory of Christmas's past one story comes to mind. Being the last born in my mom's family I had great Christmas's. Lots of present that the family had not been able to afford when they were growing up. I guess they made up for that by giving me a lot. Anyway, this one Christmas was special to me. And it was because of Maggie.

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Maggie had married and move out. Her husband was a lower ranked GI and in those day people in the military didn't get paid as they are now. So here it was Christmas day. Present were handed out and I got a small warped box. It was from my sister Maggie. There I was, lots of present that I have no memory of what they were but this box I remember. I unwrapped it and there was a pencil box, red. The sliding top was a ruler and on top of the ruler was a pencil sharpener.

I looked at that box and somehow I knew how much she had to give up to buy that and wrap and sent to her "little brother". I think of that often. I learned about giving that year.

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I am glad I told her about that gift. But it took years before I told her. In fact, it was about 5 years ago. She had won a football poll where she worked and she came to San Antonio and treated her sisters and brother to a Christmas dinner at a local Mexican restaurant. As we sat around the table we talked and enjoyed our evening. It was then that I asked for every ones attention. I told my sisters, spouses , and Maggie the story of my pencil box. I am glad I told her.

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When I finished my service in the Navy I went to live with her in Madison, WI. Her husband was overseas in Turkey. I remember my nights on her "hide a bed". I had a great time, maybe the best years of my young single adult life. She would let me use her car just about anytime I wanted. I dated her next door neighbor. It was a good time to be 21 years old.

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Those times soon passed and life goes one. Her husband returned, they moved, I moved, I married, started a new life and settled down to become what I am today. But Maggie remained a free spirit.

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After the graveside service we retired to her house. There her son informed us that my sister had left funds for us to have a last party in her honor. She wanted a special song played in her memory. It was "Que me lieven canciones" by the group Mazz. It is in Spanish and it translate as"let them bring me songs". It told us to come with songs, to sing and after her body is in the ground to have a drink for her, have mariachs sing, maybe the sound will awaken her body". It was hard to sing with tears in our eyes. She also had gotten a bottle of tequila and everyone was to have a shot with glasses raised. (being LDS) I was allowed to raise a can of pop.

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Yes, Maggie was a free spirit and everyone there was sad to see her leave. After all that her son reminded us that her birthday was in a couple of days so with tears in our eyes again, everyone sang "happy birthday, Maggie".

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It was good to see so many grandkids there, we may return to where we came but our posterity lives on. This is the world that we leave for them. We may not have done a great job but we love them and did the best we could do. And they carry the seed or eggs of another Maggie.

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RIP Maggie