Mary Louise Richardson Walker

I had a dream about my Aunt Mary Lou last night.

I dreamed that I went to

Grandmother/Mary Lou's house and it was spotless -

no sign of anyone living there. 

All the furniture was there,
but there were no personal belongings. 

I walked into Mary Lou's room

and looked at the beautiful old fireplace.

(It used to be my Great-Grandmother's home -

five generations have been raised in that house.)

I then turned to Mary Lou and asked her 

why the house was so bare and where everything had gone. 

Then I looked at her again and said, "You're ready to go aren't you?" 

And she smiled at me and said "yes" and then the dream shifted. 

I didn't really think anything of it until this afternoon

when I received a text at 4:37 pm
telling me that my dear Aunt Mary Lou
died today from a brain aneurysm.

She is one of the women I have admired most in my life.

She is a strong, beautiful, smart, funny, independent lady.

This is a picture of her in her early thirties.

My Uncle Elliot was diagnosed with Polio when
Mary Lou was expecting their second child.

Elliot spent the rest of his life in a wheelchair
teaching everyone around him the
significant and eternal aspects of life.

Mary Lou went back to school and got her degree

in teaching, and then a Doctorate in Education Administration.

She was a Counselor, a Vice Principal, and then a Principal

at a variety of schools in the Granite School District.

Mary Lou and Elliot have five beautiful children.
All those Walkers have the best sense of humors
I have ever known in my life.

Mary Lou - you will be missed so much -
but there sure are a lot of people rejoicing right now
as you are welcomed back into their presence.