|
|
|
I have posted everything needed for this at my Sky Drive location http://cid-745b6dcfe8f053f4.skydrive.live.com/browse.aspx/.Public where you can print out the scans of the service record / program, and even download & listen to the audio of the entire service. Thelma chose her own songs for this event years ago, including to have the first verse sung in Norwegian, for "What A Friend We Have in Jesus". The service is about 41 minutes long, and the NORSK part starts at 27 minutes into it, if you want to advance the slider to that point. Just find and open the folder for it.
For anyone who wanted to be there but couldn't and this was read for me by the minister, since I would probably loose control in the middle. So it would not appear in the service program or on Everson's web page. If you want to read it or maybe save it & print out is all fine & OK. But I felt I had to say something about my time here and share it with all of you so far away. * * * Eulogy
for Mom - Thelma Schultz.
(Written
by Milton Allen Schultz, the youngest of three sons) It
is difficult to summarize into a few words all the joy and wonderment she
brought to us. When
I think back on all the crafts and things we did, it is obvious now she was
helping teach us about the world around us and how things are made. Things like
home made Play Dough, or using glue and sprinkling glitter on a card to make it
extra special and more professional. These are the kind of things parents do to
help their children find their profession, vocation, or hobbies in a world
filled with such a wide variety of career choices. That even without a lot of
money we could live a full and interesting life, when it comes from within us. During
the years the kids were at home she made her own clothing and dresses, using the
current fashion trends found with professional pattern makers such as Butterick,
Simplicity, McCall’s and even Vogue patterns for crafts such as Christmas
stocking in the shape of Kermit The Frog. As a professional seamstress she had a
few stories to tell; such as modifying the trousers for people like Phil Jackson
and other local athletes so they could look good, because back then we did not
yet have the Big & Tall men’s stores. Or the time when the Marching Band
uniforms arrived just hours before Band Day - but
something was wrong with the uniforms; so she and some other ladies went in
around 4 AM and got them all tailored and modified in time for the parade. Caring
for both Martin & Thelma the past ten years or more was difficult to witness
sometimes. Both of them worked mostly with their hands, so when their vision was
fading it became frustrating for each of them to adapt to a way of life that did
not involve seeing the bird that made the sounds, or the shape of the car that
went by, or even recognizing the food in front of them. But their spirits were
kept as high as could be, and they were both fortunate to keep their minds sharp
and active until the end; a luxury fewer and fewer people enjoy these days. Then
recently Thelma found an interest in listening to audio stories such as Books On
Tape. It was a time when she could listen to stories like the “Little House On
The Prairie” series, to reminisce and relive her own life during similar
times. Being
such a family oriented person, she was extremely lonely at Christmas time. And
she missed her husband Martin so deeply; it was a void that my presence here
with her could never fill. We who remain here will say Go In Peace; and I want
to tell all of you, Yes She Did. As
I sat with her in these final moments, I found it was not that difficult to find
things to say. Although she could not talk anymore, I simply used methods called
patient focused care or customer focused care; which is to put yourself in that
persons shoes – what would the conversation be if she could talk. Although the
look of finality and acceptance was on her face, I did see the glimmer in her
last couple of smiles. * I mentioned
how she didn’t have her dentures in, and how much she and her dear brother
Palmer looked so similar when neither of them had their teeth in. J
And since I needed to carry on both sides of the conversation, I said how
much we all loved her, and then added “And You Loved All Of Us A Lot Too,
Didn’t You.” And she gave the biggest smile possible – silently saying Yes
I Sure Did. J
Then as her breathing became more shallow, I began singing and humming along
with the radio, even though I did not know the words, and softly filled the room
with music, and fill the room with the sound of family. One
of the songs we sang here today, Come To The Church In The Wildwood; Uncle
Palmer used to sing a fun bass part , right before the rest of the family joined
in, as Palmer & Thelma, Margaret and Larry and I sang around the piano. Now
as we look here at Thelma, and then look out at all of you, it is obvious that
God truly did bless us all. * * * |