May 17, 2010

• In Memory..

  Today, my Dad will be a pall bearer at a funeral for someone named Chet Floyd.

  (pics are from 2007)

  

  Chet was in his early 90's, I think, and his wife Paulette had preceded him in death several months ago. I believe she was in her late 80's when she passed.

  They were a special couple.  I think anyone who knew them felt that way.  I didn't get a chance to meet them until my parents moved to Missouri in 2003.  They were members of the Leawood Village Church of Christ where my parents have been attending since moving.  

  I wish I could have known them longer.  I was blessed enough to visit with them a couple of times at length.. I wish it could have been more.

  One visit was at Kentucky Fried Chicken, where they loved the lunch buffet.  In that visit, I learned that they adored their Boston Terrier Sophie.  And that Paulette brought a zip lock bag in her purse to take her scraps home to Sophie in. 

   

  I also got to hear the story of how they met.  Chet was a WWII veteran, who served in France.  That is where he met Paulette.  He didn't speak French, and she didn't speak much English.. He fell for a young French girl, she fell for the American soldier.  I asked how they communicated if there was such a language barrier, they said they just did.  I asked them if they spoke the language of LOVE, and I think they both blushed.  They were the sweetest elderly couple you could ever meet!

  Another time we went to their house for a visit, and Paulette had made a plate of sandwiches and a cherry cake.  They showed us pictures, and told us stories.  It was so much fun.  Paulette had a very thick French accent so it was hard to understand some words but such a joy to listen to.  Chet told us that Paulette's mother hadn't approved of their courtship at first, and how she wouldn't allow them to marry until Paulette was 21 I think?  So he stayed on in France after the war and waited for her. 

  Paulette told us of  the Nazi's coming through the neighborhoods during the war and stealing from all of the families and just taking everything they had.. but how when they came to her house, she got soooo mad and she was so sick of the way things were, she shook her finger in this Nazi's face and said NO NO NO NOOOO!  (in her accent is was more like .. noh noh NOHHHHH!) She didn't care if they were gonna kill her, she didn't want them taking their furniture and everything they had, and then a higher ranking Nazi came in to see what was going on, and told the other one to just leave her there, so they moved on to the next house.   Can you imagine?  She was a tiny lady, too.. and so sweet.. and kinda one of my heroes.  I mean, she wagged her finger in the face of a NAZI.

  We saw pictures, and learned that Chet was a race car driver after returning to Kansas after the war.  So cool.

  They told us about not having kids.. Paulette said, "I wait and wait for my baby, it never come."  They told us of having a foster daughter that was about 13 or 14 years old, but that it didn't work out.  And they didn't have much family left.  But they had each other.  And their church family was their family.

  They doted on Austin, and sent a card when he was born.. I have a dishrag that Paulette knitted. . I will treasure those two things.  They were just the sweetest, thoughtful couple who had lived through so much.  They adored each other.  Aww. I'm kind of sad.  Sad that I won't see them at Leawood Village anymore, and sad that I didn't get to know them for a longer period of time.  But with the hope of Heaven, I hope Chet has a grand reunion with his love, Paulette on the other side. 

  

  • 5:12 am
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