Auntie Rene

February 26, 1924 - December 5, 2010

My dear Auntie Rene passed away early this month. She was an amazing firecracker of a woman. She had - as I think maybe they said about Scarlett O' Hara - more personality in her little finger than most people have in their entire bodies.
She was one of the first people we met after moving to this country from England (she wasn't a blood relative) and she had been born in London like my mother. She came to the U.S. in '58 so she seemed very knowing in the ways of this country to us. She became my "aunt" right away.
She really took us all under her wing - she was so amazingly generous. Moving here would have been a very different experience without her. I loved listening to her talk with my mother over tea and cookies. She had a lot of strong opinions as her daughter and son knew well! She was always interesting to me - and I truly loved the way she welcomed people to her home - "stay over, Eat over!" and I loved being there.
And, man, in her heyday that lady could shop! She and my mother could go from morning until night. and I mean late - and then come back for tea and talk until midnight.
She raised her grandson with the fire and strength and feistiness she brought to everything else - and was so proud of him in her own unique rough and ready way. : )
After I moved away she always took an interest in my life, my friends and what I was doing and when my kids were born she remained interested in their lives until the end.
She was such a force in my life and so many others. It's hard to believe she's gone.
I loved her and will really miss her a lot.