Aunt Della Jane. . .

Today, we had services for my Aunt Della Jane Taylor. Della Jane passed away a couple of weeks ago in Richland, WA. She moved their about 5 years ago to be closer to her daughter, Julie. Della Jane was striking and had a big personality. To hear her laugh, made you want to start giggling! She also had some personality issues. She was always mad at someone. My mom was 5+ years older than Della Jane. Their relationship was rocky at times; very close at other times. I have great memories of DJ when she was young. She was 20 years older than me. I loved to go to Grandma & Grampa Morris's, because I knew I would see Auntie DJ. She gave me my 4th birthday party in Melba with the Morris cousins. Marian was born 3 days before I turned 4, so Mom took Pam & I to Nampa on the train. Dad & Chad,who was barely 2, met us at the Nampa Depot, and took us out to Melba. After Mom was home from the hospital, Grandma Morris & DJ drove Pam & I home. My folks were living at the Hill Ranch in Hill City. It was night when we got there, Mom was giving Marian a bath in a red plastic tub when we arrived. I was pretty shell shocked by the whole thing. . .being at Grandma's, having a birthday party, and getting a new baby sister. Four month after I turned 4, we returned to Nampa/Melba in January for Aunt DJ's wedding to Keith Taylor. Keith had movie star good looks! His son, David, looks so much like him!

My next memory of DJ was Easter that year. Again, we journeyed from Fairfield/HillCity to Nampa/Melba. Auntie DJ ask me to spend the night with her & Keith. I went! Brave little 4 year old! I remember she asked me who I wanted to carry me upstairs & I wanted her. She was pregnant with Julie at the time. It was an old house & the stairs were steep, but she carried me!

My mom always took great care of herself. She watched her weight to the point of obsession. DJ struggled with her weight too, but most of my life I remember her as being heavy. I am sure looking back that this affected her self esteem. One summer, I went to Europe, when I came back, Uncle Keith gave me a job painting track houses. Julie & I were the trim crew. It helped me to get to know him better & spend time with their kids. Julie was born in 1958; David in l959; & Jeff less than a year later in 1960. Not only was this hard on DJ physically, she had 3 babies to raise! Then when David was 4; Della Jane & Keith adopted Debbie. She was 5 months younger than David. So, they had 4 kids, 22 months apart. Uncle Keith died of prostate cancer in 1977 on Julie & Mike's wedding day. Aunt DJ had 3 teenagers left at home. It was not easy for any of them.

Fast forward to today- DJ died of Alzheimers. My mom has Alzheimers. The Morris clan gathered. It is nice to see my cousins and their kids & grandkids. We took Mom. We weren't planning on it, but Dad & I went to Streamside & got her ready. We told her we were going to church & to a family dinner. She asked me at the dinner if Della Jane had just died. I told her yes, and she replied that she thought so. She told me that Della Jane was not a happy person, and she hoped that she was happy now. Pretty insightful. Mom looked great, and seemed to recognize most of the family. It was a good day, and I think that not only was it good for Mom; I think it was good for the family to see her. She looked beautiful! I love my mama! I took her home to Streamside; she was tired, and I tucked her in for a little nap!