The big day
Below is a copy of my remarks at leisa's grand and wonderful funeral Thursday. Please email me at jeffketchum@yahoo.com if leisa touched your life somehow. I would love to hear about it. The copy below looses quite a bit as words on paper but you'll get a feel for it. It was a glorious day. I loved it and didn't want it to end.
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I got an email from St. Peter last night. It read, “Your wife is trying to reorganize the angel choir. Please advise.” My reply….”Dear St. Pete: Don’t mess with her if you want to keep your job.”
What the heck was I thinking when I thought I could speak today. Bare with me. I may cry a little but I can so this. You all, on the other hand, may not cry. This morning in the hot tub I was filled with a feeling of peace and joy that I hope lasts at least a few more days.
I am Mrs. Ketchum’s husband and love the designation. I love this place. I’ve always felt welcome here. The church, the school, the people who make St. Janes what it is.... Leisa poured out her heart and sole here. She got back so much more. Oh, and by the way, I am really quite used to sitting alone in church with leisa on the altar..... I know I was never really alone.
She so loved her “school kids” and they too gave so much back. She told me more than once she even appreciated the few horrible monsters because they made the many great ones shine so much more brightly.
And how can you not love a first grader who writes, Dear Mrs. Ketchum, “I’m sorry your dead. You sang great.” Or Mrs. Ketchum. Good luck in heaven”. Dear Mr. Ketchum writes a 3rd grader, I hope you are feeling well. Mrs. Ketchum had the best laugh. She’ll always be watching you!!!. Kids, if you want to honor Mrs. Ketchum,, follow your passion and make it primary in your life. Make your money elsewhere if you’re not lucky enough to be paid for your passion as leisa was.
You all know she loved to sing. I had a bet with her on which David would win American Idol last night. I won.
How she could stand up here to sing at the funeral of a friends’ child or at the funeral of someone she loved, I’ll never know. Actually, As I stand here, maybe I do now know.
We can never thank all of you enough for the support and love heaped on us over the past two years and over the 34 years we’ve been together. To have spent nearly all of every day of leisa’s illness with her was such a gift. Save your pennies so you can do it too if you need to. The rewards are immeasurable. Those who brought communion to leisa, especially Floranne Sirilla, thank you.
I can’t talk about our children or about leisa’s family now. So much to say. I’d melt. They know how leisa and I feel.
One of our good friends wrote a letter to leisa last October she loved so much. The letter put many of my jumbled thoughts into perfect words. Carl Wilkerson wrote the letter and he and his family have been with us the whole way. Our children are of similar age. They studied and played together under us as coaches, parents, and teacher. I asked leisa so many times. Don’t you rejoice in how many lives you’ve touched? Most of us could only hope to touch a life or two along the way. She said not really until Carl’s letter. Carl:
While Carl walks up, Let’s rejoice leisa is with her Dad and that her Mom is still with us to love and enjoy some more. Molly, our dog, is very happy to have her too.
One last thought. Leisa told me every day and every hour at the end she loved me and Raegan and Sean a million. Engineer that I am, I needed to quantify that million so I’d asked her “a million out of how many?” She always answered, “6” or “3” or negative infinity. I like to compare us to puzzle pieces that eventually sit next to each other in a partially finished puzzle, on a card table in the living room., a little hard to figure at first, colorful and each unique, vastly different, perfectly matched.
The music was exceptional. Thank you.
I love you all. Raegan and Sean love you all.
***************************************************
I'll post Carl's letter when I get an electronic copy.
So, I'll play a little golf, work a little, love our kids and love all of you as the days and months progress. Thanks.
Jeff
******************************************************************************
I got an email from St. Peter last night. It read, “Your wife is trying to reorganize the angel choir. Please advise.” My reply….”Dear St. Pete: Don’t mess with her if you want to keep your job.”
What the heck was I thinking when I thought I could speak today. Bare with me. I may cry a little but I can so this. You all, on the other hand, may not cry. This morning in the hot tub I was filled with a feeling of peace and joy that I hope lasts at least a few more days.
I am Mrs. Ketchum’s husband and love the designation. I love this place. I’ve always felt welcome here. The church, the school, the people who make St. Janes what it is.... Leisa poured out her heart and sole here. She got back so much more. Oh, and by the way, I am really quite used to sitting alone in church with leisa on the altar..... I know I was never really alone.
She so loved her “school kids” and they too gave so much back. She told me more than once she even appreciated the few horrible monsters because they made the many great ones shine so much more brightly.
And how can you not love a first grader who writes, Dear Mrs. Ketchum, “I’m sorry your dead. You sang great.” Or Mrs. Ketchum. Good luck in heaven”. Dear Mr. Ketchum writes a 3rd grader, I hope you are feeling well. Mrs. Ketchum had the best laugh. She’ll always be watching you!!!. Kids, if you want to honor Mrs. Ketchum,, follow your passion and make it primary in your life. Make your money elsewhere if you’re not lucky enough to be paid for your passion as leisa was.
You all know she loved to sing. I had a bet with her on which David would win American Idol last night. I won.
How she could stand up here to sing at the funeral of a friends’ child or at the funeral of someone she loved, I’ll never know. Actually, As I stand here, maybe I do now know.
We can never thank all of you enough for the support and love heaped on us over the past two years and over the 34 years we’ve been together. To have spent nearly all of every day of leisa’s illness with her was such a gift. Save your pennies so you can do it too if you need to. The rewards are immeasurable. Those who brought communion to leisa, especially Floranne Sirilla, thank you.
I can’t talk about our children or about leisa’s family now. So much to say. I’d melt. They know how leisa and I feel.
One of our good friends wrote a letter to leisa last October she loved so much. The letter put many of my jumbled thoughts into perfect words. Carl Wilkerson wrote the letter and he and his family have been with us the whole way. Our children are of similar age. They studied and played together under us as coaches, parents, and teacher. I asked leisa so many times. Don’t you rejoice in how many lives you’ve touched? Most of us could only hope to touch a life or two along the way. She said not really until Carl’s letter. Carl:
While Carl walks up, Let’s rejoice leisa is with her Dad and that her Mom is still with us to love and enjoy some more. Molly, our dog, is very happy to have her too.
One last thought. Leisa told me every day and every hour at the end she loved me and Raegan and Sean a million. Engineer that I am, I needed to quantify that million so I’d asked her “a million out of how many?” She always answered, “6” or “3” or negative infinity. I like to compare us to puzzle pieces that eventually sit next to each other in a partially finished puzzle, on a card table in the living room., a little hard to figure at first, colorful and each unique, vastly different, perfectly matched.
The music was exceptional. Thank you.
I love you all. Raegan and Sean love you all.
***************************************************
I'll post Carl's letter when I get an electronic copy.
So, I'll play a little golf, work a little, love our kids and love all of you as the days and months progress. Thanks.
Jeff
posted by Jeff at 10:23 PM
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