Dear Tina, Carrie, and et alii,

In tribute to Jonathan . . .

Death is nothing at all,
I have only slipped away into the next room,
I am I and you are you;
Whatever we were to each other, That we still are.
Call me by my old familiar name,
Speak to me in the easy way which you always used,
Put no difference in your tone,
Wear no forced air of solemnity or sorrow.
Laugh as we always laughed at the little jokes we shared together.
Let my name ever be the household word that it always was.
Let it be spoken without effect, without the trace of a shadow on it.
Life means all that it ever meant,
It is the same as it ever was, there is unbroken continuity.
Why should I be out of mind because I am out of sight?
I am waiting for you, for an interval, somewhere very near, just around the corner.
All is well.

-Henry Scott Holland, Canon of St. Paul’s Cathedral, London


Tina is Jonathan's mom and her sister Carrie was a long time neighbor of ours. Jonathan was most dear to us as he was a regular fixture at our home playing with our boys as youngsters whenever he was over visiting his Aunt Carrie.
He was only 19 years old.

Our hearts go out to you and your extended family and friends.
All our love,
Debbie, Paul, and boys . . .