From: owner-shindell-list-digest@smoe.org (shindell-list-digest) To: shindell-list-digest@smoe.org Subject: shindell-list-digest V12 #236 Reply-To: shindell-list@smoe.org Sender: owner-shindell-list-digest@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-shindell-list-digest@smoe.org Precedence: bulk shindell-list-digest Friday, December 21 2012 Volume 12 : Number 236 Today's Subjects: ----------------- [RS] Wonderful [Pete Jameson ] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Thu, 20 Dec 2012 07:53:56 -0500 From: Pete Jameson Subject: [RS] Wonderful My mom died last Friday, 14 December @ 5:15 a.m. at age 85...She was a delight in every way, but her greatest gift to the world was her ability to make everyone around her feel as though they were the most wonderful person...she had a selflessness borne of growin' up as the 6th of 8 kids, a city existence in Hollis, Queens, where music fueled their remarkable Murphy spirit... Her Daddy, Larry Murphy was a bandleader in the 30s and 40s and his father, John Murphy was a caller for square dances, cornet & bull fiddle player, and possessed an Irish tenor that was said to be a source of joy for all her heard it in his native town of Calais, Maine...I am proud to be a recipient of these musical genes, though, other than my voice and the occasional egg-shaking at a song circle, I don't play an instrument. However, I am famous among my family and friends for assembling what used to be known as mixed tapes...these days I still give cds on nearly every occasion (birthdays, holidays, house-warming gifts)...for Mom's funeral (and my own healing), I made one called "Shine the Light Wonderful" to help illustrate her elan, that uniqueness that her Murphy clan richly possessed...a love of life, an understanding of our short time on Earth, and the importance of inclusiveness -- even people who weren't "singers" would find themselves gathered 'round the piano when my Uncle Pete played or when my Aunt Marilyn, a coloratura, wowed us with her soaring notes, often sounding like an other-wordly bird. Speaking of Marilyn, when her sister Ruth (Mom) was in a rehab center in October after a brain shunt was put in, she visited for Mom's birthday. She showed up in a shimmering silver dress, with tiara, and a wand, and sang her Glinda the Good Witch version of Happy Birthday... So, here's to me Ma, a grand lass, and here's to "all you wonderful people", a favourite expression of hers, and may we see each other at a Shin-dig, and, when asked, "How you been?", we reply "Wonderful, just wonderful..." This link might explain some of Mom's tendency toward seeing the world thru rose-tinted glasses...(her Dad recorded an early version of the song). http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_v9Skwpcis Merry Christmas & Happy Solstice, Pedro in PA ------------------------------ End of shindell-list-digest V12 #236 ************************************