My sister-in-law, Nan, came into my life when she started dating my brother when I was 6 years old. She became the sister I never had. She loved me and I loved her. I always knew when I lost my Mother she would be there to help me and my brother get through it. God had a different idea.
She was a wonderful and loving wife, daughter, mother, sister, friend, sister in law, and Nana!!
My favorite was friend and one of my favorite memories was of my childhood. She worked at a photography studio and I would get to go with her to work sometime. Then she would give me money to go to the 5 and 10 store and I would get a new coloring book and crayons. When I got back we would have the best time talking, laughing, and coloring.
As I grew up she was always there for me. So when my Mom got sick with cancer I knew Nan would be there, but she too was diagnosed with cancer.
My mother succumbed to the cancer in October 2020 and Nan was doing well. I remember telling her Nan I may need you a lot since Momma is gone. She said I will be here as much as possible. Then things changed.
At the end of October she and my brother both got Covid. She seemed to be doing ok then all of a sudden she couldn’t breathe so she went to the hospital and died on November 10 2020. I sure do miss her.

Bonita was my husband’s 56 year old niece. She struggled with health issues all her life, lost her baby boy, but yet kept fighting. She was taken from her family much too soon.

Mary LaVerne was a daughter, sister, mother, grandmother, friend and helpful to all. She always took care of everyone’s children, always taking field trips. She was diagnosed with Vascular Dementia at age of 61, after having many mini strokes which she had to be put in Essex Nursing Home where she thrived at first going to Catholic Mass, socializing, listening to music, playing bingo, doing arts & crafts, the red hat society ( where I tried to collect enough hats for everyone to have one to keep). She would volunteer me to bake the treats for their monthly party. She began forgetting who we were by 63 but she knew she trusted us. When Covid-19 shut down visitation at the nursing home she was also diagnosed with covid-19 test8ng positive, having to change her room which I kept decorated and fresh red roses weekly, having no visitors for 4 months ( even though I continued to drop off her snacks). I believe she died from a broken heart because she did not see me her sister, her mother, daughter & daughter in law and grandchildren. She lived for us in her younger years and it must’ve seemed as we turned our back her when she needed us most. We got 1 hour funeral, no friends, no gravesite services, no Catholic Mass. It left our family with sadness to lose a loved one at 63 yrs young. I miss our daily talks, laughing and just spending time together.

I’ll forever miss hearing I love you everyday. Words that don’t come often or with meaning now. The hugs you gave as the rain poured on my life. The smile I had seeing you here.. You will be missed…

Also submitted to NPR’s series, “Songs of Remembrance”:

I don’t believe anyone could choose his favorite song; everything he wrote was a labor of love. The final gift he gave us was “I Remember Everything,” which turned out to be maybe his most prophetic. His music inspired millions of fans worldwide and leaves his family with a lasting legacy.

The song title says it all: “I Remember Everything.” It evokes so much emotion and so many memories, they’re truly hard to separate. My best memory of John is the last conversation we had — about six weeks before we lost him. It ended the way every one of our conversations ended: “Love you, Cuz!” —Jennifer Johnson, cousin