In Loving Memory

Grandpa's sympathy wreath

Sadly, Friday the 13th was the day of my father-in-law’s memorial service in Kelowna. He had passed peacefully in his sleep the week before at the ripe old age of 93. I had planned to make a sympathy wreath from our family, as well as an arrangement to put either around a picture or by the urn. My husband, Clive, and I were going to drive up from Burnaby the day before.

As it turned out, Mother Nature had other plans and caused a huge snow storm in the Coquilhalla Highway area on the day we were to drive up. We were warned of extreme weather!  Relatives were calling from Kelowna, not to drive, so we (as well as our kids and their significant others) all decided to fly up. But what was I going to do with the flowers? Fortunately a family friend was still planning on making the road trip in his 4-wheel drive, so he kindly took the wreath and arrangement with him in time for everyone to arrive safely for the service.

It turned out to be a beautiful, crisp, autumn day; a bittersweet reunion with the family.