The phone rang slightly before 7 a.m. on Wednesday morning, Nov. 12, and Arnie said, “It’s for you Pat, it’s your uncle Don.” I knew it would not be good news arriving that early in the morning. He called to tell me that his oldest sister (Aunt Sally to me) had passed away a few hours earlier. He also mentioned that he had been in the hospital just a few days prior with heart problems of his own and that he didn’t think he would be able to make the trip from Fort Worth, Texas, to Ohio for the funeral.

I could hear the sadness in his voice, because he has always been there for the family in their time of need and Aunt Sally had been like a mother to him after their mother died (Sally was the oldest sibling). Don talked with each of his siblings every Saturday morning without fail for many, many years. Since our big family reunion in the year 2000, we have lost his brother Andy, and his sisters, Viola, Julie (my mom) and now Sally. They had lost one brother, Jerome in World War II, but now there are just two, Don, the youngest and his sister next to him, Martha.

When I hung the phone up the first memory that came to mind about Aunt Sally was her wonderful mashed potatoes. When we were growing up our families got together quite often and whether they came to our house or we came to theirs, when it was supper time there were 16 of us to feed and Aunt Sally made the best mashed potatoes and gravy (that is next to my dad) and there was always plenty to eat. She always had a smile on her face and love in heart for her family. She loved to sew, make quilts and was always looking for a new craft item to make.

I received a call later in the day with the details for the viewing and funeral and Arnie said, “Maybe you should consider not going, you got to see Aunt Sally when you were home in August.” He had appointments on Friday that he needed to be at and his dad had not been feeling well and I knew he felt he could not go. I said, “It’s OK if you don’t go, but I’m going.” I made the calls to my siblings with the details and began preparing for my trip to Ohio. I worked late Wednesday and Thursday to get the things done that I would have normally done on Friday and I waited for my sister Linda to call Thursday evening with her decision as to whether she would be going with me. She had to work late on Thursday and be at work on Monday morning at 7 a.m. for a 10-hour shift.

With a three-hour trip from her house to mine and then the additional 11 hours and 15 minutes to our sister Sandy’s, she just didn’t think she could do it. So I packed the car and hit the sack about 11 p.m. on Thursday evening with plans to leave by 5:30 a.m. on Friday. I woke up at 2:40 a.m. and after 15 minutes I knew I wouldn’t go back to sleep so I took a shower, packed my cooler, left the house at 3:30 a.m., stopped at the ATM and was on the road at 3:44 a.m.

A half-hour or so into the trip I slipped the first tape of an audio book into the tape player and I was set. I stopped for gas twice and grabbed a breakfast sandwich during one stop and kept moving. It rained lightly most of the way but the traffic was light and I had no problems. When I wasn’t concentrating on the book, I was thinking of happy times that I had spent with my mom and her sisters.

I arrived at my sister Sandy’s at 3 p.m. our time, 4 p.m. their time. She was on her way home from work, but her husband, Marty, was home waiting for me. We left shortly after Sandy arrived home as we had another hour and a half drive to get to the funeral home. When we arrived it was raining hard. We went in to see our cousins and our Aunt Martha.

Sally looked so pretty and peaceful. She was dressed in her favorite rose-colored dress that looked so nice with her snow-white hair. She had such a peaceful look about her with just a hint of a smile on her face. Sally had dementia and had been confused much of the time during our last visits, but now she looked peaceful and it was good to see her this way. All six of her children were there with their families, children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. We cousins visited and looked at photos and remembered good times. My brother Larry and his wife Sue were there also and had come straight from work so when we left we stopped at the Wooden Shoe Inn in Minster, Ohio (about 12 miles south of where we were), to have some of their famous fried chicken. We all remembered stopping there occasionally when we were young with Mom and Dad when we were on our way or way back from seeing mom’s family. We discussed where we sat and what had changed about the building, which was not much. The chicken was as good as ever and then we headed home.

Saturday morning when we arrived for the funeral it was raining hard and the attendants met us with big umbrellas. Once inside we hung our coats and joined the family for the service. Aunt Sally had made her arrangements some time back, picking out the music and making sure everyone knew she did not want any crying or sad music (she preferred Herb Albert and the Tijuana Brass) and that she wanted flowers while she was alive. So we weren’t sure what to expect. There were flowers but the service was very upbeat. She had lived 92 years, 7 months and 5 days and had died on her Dad’s birthday. She had lived a good life, had a loving family and was ready for God to call her home.

The pastor opened with scripture readings that Sally had picked out and then Jim, one of her sons-in-law was to read a favorite scripture, but before doing so shared his feelings about our family. He said the love that binds this family so close together is like no other that he has seen before. It was very evident between these siblings that lost their parents when they were very young adults, but is also so strong among you cousins, each and everyone. You enjoy getting together and helping each other out and holidays are full of love and laughter. He said, “I came from a family that always fights when they get together and I am so thankful to be able to say that I am part of your family and that I have been able to raise my family as part of this loving extended family.” He read his scripture reading and then his wife Mary, spoke. She spoke of her mother and the many things she did for all of us through the years and the good times we had just being together as family and yes, she brought up the mashed potatoes, too.

Then my Aunt Martha spoke about how Sally was always there for her when their parents died and had been a loving sister and friend always. (Sally was 18 years older than Martha). The pastor completed the service there and we then headed for the cemetery. Upon leaving we found that the rain had turned to big wet snowflakes. When the service was completed at the cemetery the funeral director that had known Sally thanked us for joining the family for the service. He also reminded us to think of Sally the next time we were heading down the road and heard a song played by Herb Albert and the Tijuana Brass. It was a good note to end on and we all smiled.

We joined together at a shelter house near my Aunt Martha’s and enjoyed lots of good food and conversation. Before my mother passed away we had gone through all of her photos and she had divided the ones up that she wanted to give back to her siblings either in the form of an album or just simply returned. We made several albums, but did not get one made for Sally, but I had the group of photos and this was the perfect opportunity to give them to Sally’s children. We laughed and remember the times when the photos had been taken.

My Aunt Sally had been married twice, her second husband had adopted the children from her first marriage and they had also adopted the youngest daughter from a member of her husband’s family. But the children were all treated the same, you would have never guessed that they weren’t all their own. We took photos and someone made a video to send to uncle Don so he could know and feel the warmth of his family.

Needless to say, I was glad I went and there was never any doubt in my mind about going. If there is one thing that I inherited from my mother above all else it is the importance of family. Before I left on Sunday morning, my siblings, their spouses, children and grandchildren all met for breakfast. We enjoyed the opportunity to catch up on what was going on in our everyday lives and to give them the dates for our next family reunion and for Autumn in the Village for next year here at the museum.

With Thanksgiving being this week and many families getting together, I hope that if you come from a family like mine you give thanks for your family. If you come from a family that normally doesn’t get along so well, I hope that you will make an effort to change history, start a new tradition and be thankful to be together.

The Freeborn County Museum, Library and Historical Village will be closed Thanksgiving Day and the Friday after so that our staff may enjoy the holiday with their families. Have a safe and happy Thanksgiving.

Please join us on Sunday, Dec. 7, for our annual Christmas Gathering at the museum. Our theme is “An Old Fashioned Christmas.” The event will take place from 1 to 4 p.m. and admission is $1. Members and children 11 and younger will be admitted free. Please enter through the gate near the fairground entrance. We will feature a special Christmas tree this year that is decorated with ornaments made by children who attended Autumn in the Village in September. Todd Utpadel will entertain us with Christmas music from 2 to 3 p.m. and photos with Santa will be available from 1:30 to 3 p.m. Cost is $3 per photo. We will have coffee, cider and cookies for your enjoyment in the lower level of the museum throughout the afternoon. You will have the opportunity to see many Christmas displays on both levels of the museum. Invite a friend and plan to spend the afternoon with us. Each child attending will receive a free popcorn ball.

Pat Mulso is the executive director of the Freeborn County Historical Museum in Albert Lea.