a GREAT lady!

One of the most influential women in Jeff's life passed away on Saturday morning...his grandma, Dodney Jones or Mertie, as they called her. She was 96 years old. We know for sure that she lived so long because she loved her family and they kept her active and young and laughing all the way until the end. From what we understand her last few moments were peaceful and beautiful and also a witness to those present that our life after this life is very REAL. We know that she is happy and in a wonderful place and still loving us all very much.

Jeff took the chance in June to make a trip to Buffalo, New York to visit Mertie. Of course now he is so glad he made the effort to see her. Mertie didn't know that Jeff was coming. When she got up in the morning and made her way to her chair as normal there sat Jeff in her chair. She was so surprised!

She was so happy to see him!

No matter how old Mertie got she still was quite a feminine lady wanting to always look her best...wanting to have her make-up on, her hair fixed, always looking snappier than anybody else in the group. She almost always had her fingernails painted and she loved pretty smelling lotions. It appears that this morning was no exception.

Mertie always had a joke to share. When she told a joke she not only cracked us all up but she cracked herself up too. Mertie made sure that there was always some laughs. Here she is sharing jokes with Jeff in June...cracking each other up. Jeff talked to Mertie this past Wednesday evening before she died and the last thing they did on the phone together was tell a corny "knock-knock" joke. Jeff will cherish that last memory of a joke with her forever.

In the years that I have known Mertie (and Jeff can also admit) we have never heard Mertie say a negative word or mean word about someone else. What a great example that is! The proof of her goodness is in the family she has left behind...great, happy, close-knit and loving family. The only sadness we have is that we didn't get to see her as often as we would have liked. Maryn does have memories of playing cards with her. Mertie loved playing cards and at 95 she still could beat almost everyone. Our challenge now is to follow in her footsteps, in the 96 year legacy she has left behind to be more like her in living a wonderful life; to be more positive and kind...and by golly if we live that good, we'll be just as healthy and we just might to live to be that old too.