Robert's Rush

Travelogue typed here in its original form, date unknown ...


We rolled in here this morning about 5 AM . Not sure what day it is. We banged on the door and got Hunter awake to let us in. We all ... Jerre, Robert, Becky, and, Lisa piled down and went to sleep immediately.

We had been driving all night up from Atlanta through the Cumberland Mountains at Chattanooga and Nashville. It rained all the way and the driving was horrible. Robert kept trying to stay awake and stay on the road. Jerre kept trying to stay awake and keep Robert awake by throwing ice water on his face, head, neck, and back.

Some way they stayed awake and on the road. Becky and Lisa slept on. Jerre kept saying "If you run off the road and kill us, I'll kill you."

Bob would say "Don't do that." And she would throw some more ice water on him.

She would say "Stop awhile and rest." And Bob would say "Naw we ain't gettin' nowhere if we stop."

They did stop at the Nashville and ate some waffles, except Jerre ate some chili. Soon after she asked Rob if those Maalox No 1's, that he is always eating, are any good for belly burn? She ate some and they were.

When they woke Hunter up she was mad as an old wet hen because they were so late. She expected them in earlier, and cooked a whole lot of food, but they didn't show. Anyway, you know how Hunter is when she gets mad: A real Tiger.

They all slept about three hours, then woke up to the smell of bacon, eggs, toast, and coffee. We all got up and ate that good stuff.

We were going to lay around all day and goof off but Hunter had a long list of things for us to do. So, instead of laying around we had to "lay to."

Some of the things Ol' Mom had cooked were chicken, rice, black-eyed peas, tomatoes, pound cake, apple pie, ice cream, coffee, milk, etc. We dang sure didn't go hungry.

While we were eating supper a neighbor told us we could have some fresh tomatoes out of her garden. Ol' Mom gave Robert a large grocery sack which he filled with good ripe fresh tomatoes.

Becky and Lisa laid out in the hot sun to keep a peak on their St Tropaz tans, a'la St Thomas and St John. They wanted the peak to be in bloom when they get back to Houston.

Some people named Bower came by looking for a body. Old Mr. Peavy had died and they felt sure he was at the funeral home down the street. He wasn't there and they wanted Hunter to find him for them. She did.

Jerre, Rob, and Hunter went to Wal-Mart and the grocery store. They got some snacking stuff for the trip to Houston, tomorrow. Hope to get started about six.

End of entry

What is Mother?

12:30 PM Greeting by Reverend Byron Miller

12:35 PM Psalm 121 by Rev Miller

12:40 PM Lord's Prayer by Assembled in Unison

12:45 PM Eulogy for Mom by Patrick Darnell

12:50 PM Reflections -- by Hunter Paniagua -- by David Darnell -- by Bernadine Foster

1:00 PM Sermonette by Rev Miller

1:10 PM Closing Prayer

In Loving Memory

Jerre Jean Hynds Darnell

Born

December 3, 1926

Entered into rest

April 19, 2013

Houston, Texas

Celebration of Life Services

The Chapel of SouthPark Funeral Home

12:30 PM

April 24, 2013

Officiating 

Reverend Byron Miller

* * * 

A Eulogy for Mom

Some of you know Jerre Jean Hynds Darnell as your coworker. Others know her as your party planner. Some know her as their dance partner. The board of Directors knew her as that fastidious worker. You might have caught her style as she walked the runway at the Country Place fashion show. Maybe you see her in her yard. You might see her praying with her church circle. Many know her as your top secret confidante. Many, many know her as that ravishing beauty. I don't often use the word ravishing, but in Mom's case she is.

But you see, Jerre Jean Hynds Darnell is my Mother!

She bore me, she named me with her heart of hearts husband, and she raised me. My brother and sisters know of what I speak.

Most important to me is that Mom always speaks the truth. Jerre Darnell always tells the truth. That is her way. The truth isn't always the most popular thing we want to hear. Sometimes when she said those truths, it would make me want to run and hide. And she always stuck to her guns. If you fidgeted, she tells you to sit tight. If you tried to pull her away from her important task, she tells you to hold your horses. When conversations become nonsensical, Mom relies on her maternal wisdom. Her truth statements have become pearls in her children's, grandchildren's, and great-grandchildren's lives.

Mom's wisdom, you see, comes back to her. Mom and her steadfast friend, Robert, are blessed with long lives, 67 years of which they have been husband and wife.

What is Mother --
what is Mother,
without her house
and her child?

Her babies are born
and grown in her domicile

Many houses Mom has known
Many seeds she has sown,
Where she settled she made it her own.

As years gathered numbers
some ideals are put to rest
her children, now with children,
are wiser, never alone, at best,
for Mother journeys with us ...

See all their bright little faces
Hear their falsetto voices,
... full of trust, truth, and whim,
Creating such a din.

Thank you all for coming.