PREPARING FOR BETTY'S MEMORIAL

As preparation continue for the Memorial for Betty on Saturday, I had best enter this post today because the level of activity is quickly rising – somewhat like one of those overwhelming flash floods of the Southwestern deserts. My brother Marty who lives in Redding, California, has been here already for a week, helping out and cheerfully serving as chauffeur and scullery maid. His help has been greatly appreciated. Tonight the Juneau Wyatts arrive and I’m hoping the grandsons have recovered from recent illness. Sometime tomorrow the Kennewick Wyatts will arrive and the whole lot of us will be spending some afternoon family time together at the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI) enjoying the exhibits and the hands-on learning displays. That will be followed by dinner out for most of us, although the little guys may be headed for an early bedtime.

Saturday will begin with a family breakfast based on the traditional and authentic Alaska Sourdough strain that dates back to before the Klondike Gold Rush. Several of the grand-daughters will lend a hand at flipping the cakes and serving the crowd. I’ve heard that we can even let my Bluegrass Music play in the background. (You can listen too on-line at www.kboo.fm from 9:00 to Noon) Later in the morning many of us will go to the church building to help with preparations and set-up there and share a lunch of Subway sandwiches. The Memorial itself is at 1:00 PM (at the Vancouver Church of Christ) and we expect quite a number of church and community friends and fans of Betty Wyatt to attend. Son David will deliver the main talk; Son Geoffrey will lead several favorite hymns; Son (in-law) Edwin will be the MC/Host; close friends will word the prayers, and the beautiful program was designed and printed by Daughter Patty. Many special others have been a part of the planning and craft work getting ready for this hour of honoring Betty’s remarkable life. We hope you will attend.

I guess Saturday evening will be mostly a family-at-home event with games and stories and maybe a movie for the kids. If you are a guest from out of state or an old family friend of yore, let me know; perhaps you can drop by to say hello and share in the evening. We think California, Alaska, Oregon, Idaho, and Washington will be represented. A guest book will be available in the lobby, so please find a moment to sign in, including your address and phone number and a brief comment. We hope the Memorial will be an hour of pleasant memories for you and will offer an opportunity for you to relate in reverence with God our Savior and Redeemer. I suspect I will have trouble mixing my tears and laughter while trying not melt into a sodden and embarrassed puddle in the process. I’ve been promised the service will be recorded so that I can experience it at a later time when I can savor the songs and sweet words at leisure.

Do plan to stay an extra hour for the Ice Cream Social which was Betty’s request for us to share. If it is convenient, bring your favorite flavor of ice cream and accessories to enjoy and share while we visit and recall the good time we spent with Betty – An American Sweetheart. Surely you have a tale or two to relate and doing so will be a perfect way to honor her positive and cheerful attitude and outlook on a lifetime full of friends and interesting accomplishments. As an extra incentive, there will be available a limited number of copies of Betty’s book: Jessie; The Story of a Genteel Lady in Frontier Alaska. They will cost $16.00 (in cash, please) for as long as they last.

Sunday will begin with gathering again at the building to join with the greater congregation in a time of worship and looking: looking back, looking at our present, and trying to look forward to our future. I’m not sure right now about Sunday lunch plans, but I suspect they will be expedient since several will be compelled to head back to their distant homes before evening.

Let me mention here that the plans to send whatever Memorial Gifts are received in Betty’s memory are developing, but somewhat slowly. We intend for the monies collected to go where they can assist Christians in Japan who have been affected by the tsunamis and radioactive contamination which occurred in Japan just over a year ago. We understand that the desperate reparations needed in these special places far exceed the aid rendered to date, and although our offering will be modest compared to what is lacking , it will indeed be a useful gift delivered in the Spirit of Love. We are convinced that God will multiply its effectiveness as it is presented through the hands of faithful missionaries or known church leaders in the affected regions. We send our deepest and most sincere family “Thank you”s to those who have chosen to share a bit of their blessings in this way. Our greatest desire is that God will be honored both through the givers here and in those persons in Northeast Japan who will eventually receive these gifts from you. This is a work which was close to our hearts and one which Betty would have heartily approved.

Perhaps next week I will be able to share with you some of the highlights of the Memorial and of the loving memories which are evoked throughout this special day. Thanks for still checking in on this humble blog, and for your thoughtful and personal comments from time to time. I’m still not posting the remarks, but I do appreciate them and cherish the tender messages dearly as I read and reread them often. As always, I solicit your prayers for strength as I readjust to a world in which there is one precious sweetheart fewer than I would have chosen. I am really missing Betty now, and even more so as I continue to recover from the open heart surgery. Your continued support is invaluable and remarkably uplifting.