Quick trip to Missouri

Got word last week that my great-aunt Dorothy passed away in Missouri.  So, after getting permission to make the trip, I headed for Eureka, IL on December 2 after my birthday brunch with friends.  When Mom got out of school, she and I headed for Jacksonville, IL where we spent the night.  Next morning, we met Dad in Pittsfield, where he had been deer hunting.  From there, the three of us traveled to Bland, Missouri.  After driving around the town for awhile trying to figure out where the funeral might be, we made a phone call and discovered that the service was actually being held in Belle, a little town about five miles down the road.  It was a lovely service.  Aunt Dorothy's granddaughter, Angela Price, read a beautiful eulogy that she had written for her grandma.  Rob Eberhardt prayed and spoke, and the congregation sang two hymns.  "Tell Me the Story of Jesus" was sung at the graveside, and Jon Platte had a few words, closing in prayer.  Before heading to the luncheon in Rolla, we made a stop at the old farm where Uncle Louis and Aunt Dorothy used to live when Dad was a teenager.  He has many fond memories of spending time there in the summer.  Of course, it looks quite different now, but here are a few shots of the property.

The old barn

It was wonderful to have a little time with family and friends that we don't see very often.  Thankful to think of a life well lived.  Glad for my memories of Aunt Dorothy.