Elouise Matthias August 25th

Happy Birthday momma! 95 years! To celebrate your birthday in the stars, I wanted to give you a few updates on things while you have been gone. We hosted a celebration of life at Crestwood, and it was everything you would have loved. It was a sunny day filled with family and friends. Your Crestwood family will be treasured forever, they showed us so much love, compassion and wisdom. Chris took care of celebration activities including picture boards, decor, food, all of it. (I was just trying to breathe). All of us made your most favorite desserts but most of us failed. No one could make them the way you could. But it was still perfect. Your ashes were spread at the river, I bought the largest spray of wild flowers and each of us tossed a flower into the water with you. I can hear you saying “Only wildflowers Julie”. They were beautiful. As you wanted all of the women in the family were gifted your jewelry. Juanita has your mother’s ring that she had made for you (for us) 40 years ago. I carry some of your ashes with me, thinking I’ll leave some in all of the places we loved but I can’t. You’re still riding “shotgun” with me. (Just like dad did for months, it brings me comfort). When I went to our PNC bank and told them what had happened, they all cried. They gave me a card on my next visit that I can still not read. I will never leave that bank, they loved you so. Bev still sends pictures of the moon and will forever call you “captain”. Gert is my tried-and-true confidant, my place of peace, my sweet, generous, gentle soul. I love her so. You were beautiful, I swear you were aging backwards, your hair was perfect almost like a halo. You left in your own time, quietly and of course with no fuss. I wouldn’t have missed it for the world. A person dies twice: once when they stop breathing and the other when their name is said for the last time. I will say aloud everyday until my last breath “Warren, Elouise, Wayne, Ward and Wayde Matthias.” I love you Elouise.