Metamorphosis
My uncle, Harry Miller, died this forenoon. He was 86. Besides his wife (Orpha Wagler), six children, and ten grandchildren, he is survived by 10 siblings, including my father, David, and an identical twin brother, Perry. The twins were the fourth and fifth children in their parental family. Dad was the sixth.
Harry was the father-in-law of Wesley, the principal at the high school where I teach. Soon after I got to school this morning, Wes was called home, and he was there when Harry died about an hour later. They shared a residence with Orpha. Although I doubt that a definitive cause of death has been identified, he had declined a good bit during the past few weeks, after years of living with dementia and Parkinson's disease. Earlier this week, Hospice had helped move him home from the nursing home where he has lived for the past number of years.
Many from the Holmes County area will know one of Harry's sons, Dr. Leon Miller. Two other sons live here, and one lives in England. Besides Jean Ann (local), there is also a daughter, Yvonne, from the Chicago area. Regrettably, one of the local sons is far away right now-- in Germany, visiting his own son.
No funeral plans have been announced, due to the complications of planning with distant family members.
Last night, among the flowers in my garden, I found and captured a Gulf Fritillary butterfly. I had never seen one before, although my nephew, Joey, has. My field guide says they rarely travel northward from the Gulf coast where they are most common.
I took the beautiful butterfly to school today in a screen-topped jar, and showed it to the students. Tonight I set it free. When I did so, I thought of Uncle Harry--metamorphosis from earth dweller to heaven-resident complete, as of today. Freedom in his spirit began long ago when he gave his life to his heavenly Father. Today he was set free as well from the temporary imprisonment of a failing body and mind. He died as he had lived--peacefully.
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Next week is our last week of school. In the following week, Wes is scheduled to escort the German class on their trip to a German community in Steinbach, Manitoba. Taking time off for a funeral is not easy now, but it would be even more difficult in the following weeks.
Harry was the father-in-law of Wesley, the principal at the high school where I teach. Soon after I got to school this morning, Wes was called home, and he was there when Harry died about an hour later. They shared a residence with Orpha. Although I doubt that a definitive cause of death has been identified, he had declined a good bit during the past few weeks, after years of living with dementia and Parkinson's disease. Earlier this week, Hospice had helped move him home from the nursing home where he has lived for the past number of years.
Many from the Holmes County area will know one of Harry's sons, Dr. Leon Miller. Two other sons live here, and one lives in England. Besides Jean Ann (local), there is also a daughter, Yvonne, from the Chicago area. Regrettably, one of the local sons is far away right now-- in Germany, visiting his own son.
No funeral plans have been announced, due to the complications of planning with distant family members.
Last night, among the flowers in my garden, I found and captured a Gulf Fritillary butterfly. I had never seen one before, although my nephew, Joey, has. My field guide says they rarely travel northward from the Gulf coast where they are most common.
I took the beautiful butterfly to school today in a screen-topped jar, and showed it to the students. Tonight I set it free. When I did so, I thought of Uncle Harry--metamorphosis from earth dweller to heaven-resident complete, as of today. Freedom in his spirit began long ago when he gave his life to his heavenly Father. Today he was set free as well from the temporary imprisonment of a failing body and mind. He died as he had lived--peacefully.
*******************
Next week is our last week of school. In the following week, Wes is scheduled to escort the German class on their trip to a German community in Steinbach, Manitoba. Taking time off for a funeral is not easy now, but it would be even more difficult in the following weeks.
posted by Mrs. I (Miriam Iwashige) at
5:08 PM
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