End of an era

I actually never met any of my biological grandparents...as my parents put it, I was a "later in life" child. All of my grandparents passed before I was born (my mom's dad actually passed away when she was expecting me).
I did have my Aunt Helen, though. She was my dad's aunt (my grandfather's sister) and sort of helped fill that grandparent role in some ways. We traveled to San Antonio on many a Sunday afternoon and holiday to visit Aunt Helen. And every summer, she would come to Austin for my dance recitals and to spend a week making homemade noodles, dumplings and banana pudding with me. I always pecked at the raw noodle dough (sounds bleh now), and she always thought that was so funny. I don't think she ever missed a dance recital. And she never missed a chance to ride the train with me at the San Antonio zoo when I was little.
She was a stubborn gal, and quite set in her ways. But, she always made us laugh and was the "keeper of memories" for my dad's side of the family. For a little lady under 5 feet tall, she sure had lots of personality (and opinions, ha!). She lived in the same green and white house on Preston in San Antonio since she was in her twenties, up until just a few years ago when she was moved to her nursing home. It had a pepto-pink-tiled bathroom and only two small bedrooms. But, it was a family heirloom in itself. We celebrated many holidays in "the front room" (a rather formal living room that wasn't touched too much) and always gathered in "the back room" (a small den) when we visited on every other occasion. She kept M&Ms in the freezer and pinwheel cookies and rice krispy treats on a plate in the kitchen. She was a bit of a matriarch-type of figure to my family and all of my cousins.

And early this morning, after 95 years on this earth, she went to be with Jesus.

As my dad stated this morning, it is the end of an era.

We love you, Aunt Helen. You will be missed.