Saying Goodbye

This post has nothing to do with basketball but everything to do with our city of Valparaiso.  This evening (6/20) we had to say goodbye to our next door neighbor Elsie.  Elsie wasn't just a normal citizen of Valparaiso nor was she just your average next door neighbor.  Elsie was Valparaiso's oldest living person at 107 years old.

We first met Elsie when we moved into our home 5 years ago.  She was a spry 102 years old back then.  I recall I was cutting our grass when she caught my attention for the first time.  She was struggling a bit to get outside to enjoy the beautiful day.  You see, back then Elsie still lived on her own.  It wasn't long after that first meeting that my oldest son made his first friend.  Edward was barely a year old back then but the connection the two of them made was something special.  As he got older and even just yesterday he would ask to go say hi to Miss Elsie.  I'm not sure how, but he seemed to realize that a quick visit from him made her day.  When Elsie would visit the doctors over at Northwestern Hospital she would tell them about her boyfriend who was much younger then her.  Regardless of how crummy she felt or how much pain she might have been in, all of her aches and pains would disappear when he stopped by for a visit.  A couple weeks ago we were sitting in her room.  She was talking although not very coherently and the words we could understand didn't make any sense.  She wasn't moving much.  Edward walked into the room and you could have sworn that someone else was in that bed.  Instantly she started talking to him, could see him clearly, even gave him a huge hug!  If I fail in every other aspect of fatherhood, I can at least say that for five years I raised a son who knowingly cared about something bigger then himself. 

Elsie could tell you just about anything about just about everything in the city of Valparaiso.  From the big rocks at the corner of Center Street and Lincolnway, to who has lived in each house on our street since 1910, to any other landmark in town (that may or may not have still been standing).  Lord help you if tried to visit or call her on her birthday as she would have visitors nonstop.  Her house was more filled with flowers then any florist shop in town. 

This past month been tough.  There have been many times over the past 5 years that we thought we might be saying our last goodbyes, but Elsie was stubborn.  Before we met her, when she was still in her early 90's, doctors told her she wouldn't live long without some heart surgery.  She proved them wrong by going strong another 15 years or so.  Heck, a month ago her doctor thought she only had two more weeks in her.  Tonight she is finally pain free and living with the Lord in Heaven that she loved so much.  It has been a priviledge to have lived next to such a wonderful woman.
Elsie Wathne, 1904-2011, we will miss you.