Miss Leontine

We first met Miss Leontine 9 1/2 years ago when we moved to Georgia. She made dinner for us our first or second night here and was thrilled to do so. She was a "southern lady" through and through. It didn't take long for us to realize how much Miss Leontine loved the Church of the Wildwood. When we arrived, she was the clerk and proudly typed up the bulletin each week. She loved our family and was very kind to us. God must have given Miss Leontine an extra measure of grace and compassion. She took care of her husband during a long illness, and a few weeks after his death, her invalid brother moved into her house and she took care of him until his death in 2005. She never complained, but always seemed grateful for the privilege of taking care of him.

Miss Leontine loved Women of Faith and came with us a few times. I remember her sitting in her wheelchair, wearing her sweatshirt with the hood because it was so cold in the Arena. On one of these trips, she mentioned to me that she would like to buy me lunch. I automatically told her that she didn't need to do that. Well, some time later she told me that I had hurt her feelings by not letting her buy me lunch. Ouch. I apologized over and over and determined that the next time someone wanted to do something nice for me, I would let them.

She was so excited for Samuel to arrive, partly because his middle name, Isaac, was the same as her brothers. I remember her holding him on the night of his dedication and just beaming. I believe that was about the only time she held him because not long after, she entered the hospital for what would become a lengthy, complicated stay that would result in the loss of the use of her kidneys. We thought we were losing her then, but God pulled her through and her children moved her near Atlanta to be closer to them.

Paul and I visited with her anytime we were near Atlanta. Oh, she loved those visits! She would proudly introduce us to her friends and show us around. The last time we saw her was in May and she was so tickled that we stayed for lunch. It was a small thing, really, but it meant the world to her.

Paul got the call late last week that Leontine had fallen. Because of all her body has been through, she was not bouncing back after the surgery, and the next day, she had died.

They buried her today. Paul had the privilege of doing the graveside service and he was so honored. It was a rainy, foggy, dreary day here- a day fitting for a funeral I thought many times. Fitting for a funeral on our side, but I'm sure on Leontine's side, it was anything but dreary! I'm sure the sun was shining bright on heaven's shore as she reunited with her beloved husband, and brothers and her many friends who have gone on before. But I'm positive that those reunions, as special as they were, were nothing in comparison as she finally got to put her arms around the Father and dance with the Son and hear Him say, "Well done, thy good and faithful servant."

Goodbye for now.