Tuesday, June 25, 2024
Dear Scott, Brenda, Ryan, Evan, and Kristen, and the doggies!
Please accept my sincere condolences on the loss of Grampah Ray -such an incredible man who, from everything you've shared, was completely himself, always understanding, and forever living life as a labour of love -and yet willing to change and adapt as the years rolled ahead and new choices had to be made. I remember meeting Grampah Ray when you lived on Giant Cedars -and then wanting to hear the entertaining stories about Scott's amazing Dad and the simple joys he lived for on any given day. He truly will remain a wonderful Person who is easy to admire —and who, I believe, enables the most loving kind of respect for our elders.
Sweet, generous, considerate, beautiful Brenda: I am so grateful to you for sharing all of the stories over the years and perhaps especially in the last 18 months or so as we rekindled our gift of friendship (I hope Scott's not jealous!! LOL). Every time we got together I was eager for our conversations to evolve over to you and your particularly funny tales of family times and the crazy moments that bind us together in similarity, difference, compassion, empathy, acceptance, individuality, and goodness. Through your eyes and heart: I will certainly remember Grampah Ray's life as inspiration and energy from which to grow more love.
Whether we speak of hard times passed, making tough decisions, becoming care-givers to our Parents, and/or we talk of how proud we are of ourselves, partners, and children for having our own identities (and let's face it -for taking absolute personal responsibility for our own journeys/happiness), it truly is an honour being a friend of the Handler Family -what a legacy from Grampah Ray!
Maureen
Maureen Newman-Millette
