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We Say Goodbye

Les had for the last few years taken care of Lucy in their home in Cottonwood. Her health had grown worse until she required alot of personal care. He neglected his own health or did not tell anyone that he was as ill as he really was. He was so worried about Lucy. So it was a great surprise when he suddenly got very ill. He had lung cancer that had spread to the point of no cure. Frank Willis and Aunt Lucille rushed him up to Flagstaff for his first and last cobalt treatment. It was at this time that Aunt Gerry wrote this poem while waiting to hear from Lucille & Frank in Flagstaff.

We Say Goodbye

I sit near the phone tonight,

listening for its bell to ring.

To ring the news far and wide,

That dad was gone, from whence he came.

Some eighty years ago, when telephones,

were in the infant stage, as was he.

The horse and buggy took his tiny squalling self to

Church so long ago.

As parents proudly had him blessed,

with a name he carried through youth and years.

Some sixty, of married life, to just one wife,

Six children, and many grandchildren,

A posterity to raise up and bless his name.

To enlarge upon the lives he gave,

His family lines to save.

How close to mother, his thoughts,

No one really ever knew,

He loved her in his own way.

The mountains tall and valleys green of Arizona,

Knew him well.

First roads to lay, then fields to hay,

Mines of old, never gold.

The trucks, the cars, the horses too,

Speak well the gifts he had and knew.

Along with daughters and a son the years passed,

And now at the close of day, sets to, a life so rare

Indeed as it began, for mother and her care.

His love of mountains, the hills so green.

The Gospel too, he loved unseen, stood tall to defend it.

And in later years, accepted Covenants, promises took.

Then told his stories for his memory book.

The lives we live reflect his name.

His life, his family, none to blame.

He loved us all, his only way.

The lives of men retreat from sight,

Reflected in God's Holy Light.

To builders, maintainers, sutainers, return home again

To build, maintain, sustain.

The phone has rung...... Gerry

We never can say goodbye to someone special for they are always in our hearts and in our thoughts. The memories we have the ones we loved and cherished will forever be with us and to keep reminding us of how special we all are.

This poem is an excerpt from a book written by Dona Lucille Cooper


This page belongs to Jerry Linton.