Aunt Dot

I told my Aunt Dot that I loved her for the last time the other day.  You know, we only have a limited number of times to say this to the ones we love.  The last time we visited her, she told us that she wished we could stay.  Right now I’m feeling the same way about her.

There are many others who could call her “my Aunt Dot.”  When I was growing up, all my friends called her “Aunt Dot” because she had a way of making them feel like one of her nieces or nephews.  She was enjoyable to be with because she was fun as well as funny.  She taught me silly songs (“T’was midnight on the ocean, not a streetcar was in sight….”).  Once when I was visiting her and I wanted to spend more time together she said, “We’ll do that next time you come to visit; it’s always good to have something to look forward to.”  That’s still one of my life philosophies.

Aunt Dot was a determined person.  She worked with her brother helping run his appliance repair business and when he died, she was determined to keep the business open; a woman in a man’s world.  When she was 50 years old, she went back to school and became a nurse.  Her example was one reason I went back to school at 54 to complete my degree.  One of her roles in the caring profession was home care for a patient with a dreaded disease; a disease that some people felt was judgment for his lifestyle. Aunt Dot did not judge; she loved him, cared for him, prayed with him, and one day led him to the throne of grace.  Once again, in her simple way, she was my teacher.

Then there was the time that she asked me to set her digital watch for her.  A few months later I asked how her watch was running and she said it was working fine, just that ever since I had reset the time, the alarm was going off everyday at 6:00pm.  Apologizing for the misstep, I told her I’d fix it.  “No,” she said, “I don’t want you to do that.  You see, when the alarm goes off, I’m reminded of you so I stop and pray for you.”  Thank you, Aunt Dot.

Aunt Dot was a believer.  She was faithful in worship, in prayer, and in living out her faith on a daily basis.  We have this in common; we believe that one day we will see each other again.  It’s always good to have something to look forward to.

5 thoughts on “Aunt Dot”

  1. I have so many memories of Aunt Dot. My memories, however, are of her in her youth. I am the oldest grandchild in the Tom Livermore family and Aunt Dot was just 9 years older than me. I always thought I was as old as she was. In later years, Aunt Dot and I would go to the parlour and listen to 78 rpm albums of Broadway hits. I especially remember Nelson Eddy and Jeanette MacDonald’s “Naughty Marietta.” But the one that stayed with me longest was “Oklahoma.” At one point in my life I could sing every word from every song in that show. Aunt Dot and I had played that album over and over so many times. Sometimes Grandpa would walk into the parlour and tell us to “turn that thing off.”

    I have a framed photo on my wall of Uncle Tom, Aunt Dot, and me in my army uniform. They drove all the way from Santa Monica to Fort Ord, CA to visit me when I was in basic training. Two years later when I had returned from Korea, I flew from Seattle to LA to spend time with my grandparents before going back to Kansas. Aunt Dot and I took a bus downtown where I bought a suit, some dress shirts, and ties, my first civilian clothes I had to wear in two years.

    Unhappily, that was the last time I saw Aunt Dot. That was 1956. I guess I knew her when she was a youngster and my beloved California cousins knew her as an adult. But on the other hand, to me Aunt Dot will always be young.

  2. Dear Aunt Dot, that is what she was to me! One of the most important things I remember about Aunt Dot is that she loved. I knew that Aunt Dot loved me, she loved me enough to always be pointing me to Christ! The time I spent with Aunt Dot in the few years that she lived in the east, were purposely filled with songs about the Lord Jesus and conversations filled about what it meant to love the Lord. I observed, listened, and didn’t always agree with Aunt Dot’s life choices, but her choices were meant to point others to her Lord and Savior.
    Another important memory I have is Aunt Dot sharing Christ in her daily life. Anyone that walked into that hardware store or anyone that met Aunt Dot knew that she loved Jesus. I observed her share Jesus with people that walked through the door of that hardware store, pray with them, love them! What a wonderful blessing to see Christ being shared as a part of daily life! Without knowing Aunt Dot was teaching her neice to share Christ’s love with others as part of daily living. What a wonderful teacher! What a wonderful Christian heritage! Aunt Dot you are in heaven with your Lord and I am confident that you heard the words, “Well done good and faithful servant!” May we all continue the faithfulness that Aunt Dot modeled for us!

  3. I have wonderful memories of Aunt Dot. When she would come back east to visit, Martie and I would bond with her quickly. Then when Aunt Dot moved back east to be with Uncle Jim, we got to know her well. She would go on little family vacations with us. We’d sit in the back seat and sing songs. One of my favorites went like this: “Twas midnight on the ocean, not a streetcar was in sight. The moon was shining brightly. It rained all day that night. It was a winter day in summer. The rain was snowing fast. A barefoot boy with shoes on was sitting in the grass” The song goes on a little more, but that is the best part. I will be teaching this to my grandchildren!

    Aunt Dot always talked to me about Jesus and she did it in such a sweet, loving way. I have missed being around her, but I know we will see each other again someday. I bet Aunt Dot is in heaven singing to her heart’s content and enjoying being in the presence of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

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