Great Aunt Irma 180930

      My great aunt Irma was the happiest person I ever met, despite the fact that she lived a hard life, one that I do not think I could have handled. She was my father's aunt and she always called him Bobby. I never understood that until some 53 years later when my sister-in-law Sheri sent me a folder with our family genealogy and I learned my father's given name was Bobby. He changed his name to Robert when he was inducted into the U.S. army during WW-2. No one else ever called him Bobby in my lifetime.
      Irma was a devout Catholic and had many children, only 2 of which I remember, Judy and Connie, the rest were much older and had moved away by the time I was around. Irma married 3 Irish drunkards, all of which died, the only one I knew was Tim, the last one. He worked for the railroad and was always (I think) drunk. He died when I was very young; I think it was an accident at work. People asked Irma when she would get married again. Her answer was, "I married and buried 3 drunks. God put me on this earth to take care of drunks and I think I have done all He could ask of me."
      The second to the last time I saw her was around 1983 in San Diego at my parent's apartment. Mom asked her if she ever worried? Irma said, "I gave my heart to Jesus and asked Him to take care of me and I have never worried that He will not provide what I need."
      The last time I saw Irma and Judy and Connie was at mom's 80th birthday in Camdenton, Missouri. She was still as happy as ever and while her choice in men to marry was not good, she was a wonderful woman. I admire her spirit and fondly remember her today in this post. She is in a way a role model for living life as it comes and coping with whatever comes her way. Irma is just one of the many strong women I remember in my life, not forgetting the one I live with today. Joyce has a strength of character I am reminded of every day. I am a lucky man to have had so many strong women in my life.