Interesting...

Today was an interesting day. My cousin, Donnie, died about 3 weeks ago and today his family and friends gathered in the cemetery to say goodbye to him. He was my cute cousin! He was always so ornery though. Some of his best buddies were there with lots of stories about Donnie...most of which couldn't be told. He drank and smoked and drove fast and even ended up in jail at least once for out-racing the police in a 1961 Ford Fairlane convertible (bright red!) Since that was his 3rd or 4th speeding ticket, he had to go to jail for 90 days or so. Then he moved to Missouri and we didn't see him a whole lot after that. In about 1971 or so Donnie married a gal named Peggy in Utah. My first husband and I were at the wedding and the reception afterwards. Shortly thereafter they had a son named Lel - Donnie and his best buddy Lel (can't remember his last name) made a pact in the Navy that their first-born children would be named for each other. Well, Donnie had Lel and his friend Lel had a girl, but he named her Dawn for Don. Don & Peggy didn't make it as a couple, but they stayed in touch and his lady friend for the past 18 years said Peggy was the love of his life. Most people called him Don, but we all called him Donnie. Anyway, it was a really nice little gathering at the cemetery - about 38 people - no preacher...Lel was there too...we all just stood in a circle around his ashes and introduced ourselves and told how we knew him and then shared a story if we wanted. My story was about the 61 Fairlane! Then we all said the 23rd Psalm and Nancy put his ashes in the ground. Pretty cool send-off for a "cool" guy!