A Reflection from Maggie Eddy's service

We had the funeral today for Margaret 'Maggie' Eddy. Here is a very thoughtful reflection from Maggie Eddy's daughter in law, Cheri Eddy.  It was a wonderful service.

When Maggie and Walt Eddy celebrated their 50^th wedding anniversary over 20 years ago the family asked what they might like as a gift. Without hesitation Maggie answered, “I want my whole family to go to church with us on Sunday. There is no greater gift you could give us.” And so we did. We gather again today in that same church to honor her.

Maggie considered herself a lucky woman. She was raised by parents whom she loved dearly. She married a man she adored.  She raised three boys into wonderful, compassionate men, she never waivered in the devotion to her faith, and she did her best to accept what were to become two of the most difficult hurdles she was ever to face, the loss of her sight, and the onset of dementia.

Macular degeneration is a debilitating disease, but dementia is a cruel disease. It stole Maggie from us little by little. It teased her with moments of clarity, giving us false hope, and then it darkened her mind again until she was left confused and alone within herself. We have been mourning her lose for many months. Death is her release from this disease and for that we must be grateful.

Dearest Maggie. Our family comforter and worrier. I picture her looking down on us today and thinking, “Oh my goodness, the weather has been bad and it’s cold, the roads have been icy, I hope everyone gets home safely. What shirt is Walter wearing? Does Andrew have on a warm enough coat?” But Maggie, you don’t have to worry about us anymore. We have learned our lessons well. We will embrace our children, and not take our friends for granted. We will contribute our time generously to our community. We will have our yearly checkups and drive safely. We will think of you every time we make your spaghetti recipe, and we will thank our lucky stars that you were in our lives and that you loved us unconditionally.

Maggie was not a complicated woman. She was a product of her generation where family values were important, where men and women’s roles were more clearly defined; where Sunday’s always started with church and ended with good night family embraces. She was the woman standing in front of you at the grocery store, the person you called when you needed a dependable volunteer to help with the rummage sale, the woman you said, “Have a nice day” to as she left the church social. But she was ours. Our mother, our wife, our friend. An extraordinary woman.

Each life has a unique story, often untold. You are here today because you are part of Maggie’s life story. Our hope is you will embrace her memory with fond reflections of times spent together and by doing so keep her close to your heart