Loretta. We Speak Her Name
(In remembrance of my beloved sister-in-law, Loretta Jones West from Marion West Lourant)
When Mark called me on Friday, July 8, to inform me of his mother’s decline, ironically, I reflected on the cup from which I drank coffee that morning with my sister, Dorothy…And how both Dorothy and Loretta enjoyed the taste of a “good” cup of coffee and knew just how to make it “right.” I, on the other hand, not so much. When either of them visited me in Decatur they’d look in the cabinet and instinctively ask, “Is this the same coffee that was here last year or the year before?” Usually it was and we’d laugh about it.
Dorothy has a collection of coffee cups with various themes on them. My favorite reads, “Family ---celebrates together, eats together, laughs together, stays together.” It reminds me so much of Loretta and Malvin and the family they created together and of the times I spent with them which, in retrospect, were far too few and far between, but joyful and precious. -No one is perfect and I’m sure Loretta was no exception; however, these attributes of her are indelibly etched in my memory ---so I share this acrostic:
Loretta Loraine Jones West (Affectionately, “Rhett”)
Loyal and loving daughter, sister, wife, mother, grandmother, aunt, niece, and friend.
Open minded listener
Reverent attitude toward life
Even tempered, empathetic friend
Truthful, but tactful
Trustworthy and thoughtful advisor
Accountable, available, and a positive attitude
Level headed
Optimistic overseer
Respectful, realistic, and relevant
Awesome attitude and faith
Idealistic
Noble and kind
Enthusiastic
Joyful and praise-worthy spirit
Outspoken, observant of the sanctity of life
Notable and none-judgmental
Energetic, entrepreneurial spirit
Sensible and selfless
Wise and worthy
Earnest
Sympathetic
Testament of a reverent selfless life…her legacy, our benefactor, our beloved and forever remembered “Rhett.” With Love We Speak Her Name!
