(no subject)

the memorial was yesterday at 1pm, the church was packed, standing room only and rows of portable pews extended six rows deep into the lobby (the narthex?). i cried and cried, and laughed---jennie's uncle rich went down the rows saying all the nicknames tom had for everyone he knew. galey-whaley was his sister (a tiny waif of a lady; he always called small things big); skid was his wife sharon, big jen was jennie, schmutter was his son ritchie. when uncle rich said skid i could hear tom's voice saying it a million times over. that was the hardest part, i think, because it is sharon's loss that makes me the saddest, for some reason. they were so much in love.

afterwards, at the reception at their house, i kept expecting tom to burst in through the door from the garage, like he always did, all his music blasting from the stereo as he worked on something in the workshop. pouring everyone wine, laughing. on a table hiding beneath a bouquet i saw his glasses, in a labelled bag. and jennie, cate and sharon were wearing his rings and fraternity necklace charms around their necks.

edit: his memorial notice (written by jennie) in the oregonian can be seen here.